A Pebble on the Tiles

I pushed past the hem of the sheer curtain and slipped out through the cracked balcony door. The morning air felt crisper than the living room. On the warm terracotta tiles lay a smooth gray pebble, round and cool against my paw. I nudged it forward. It rolled with a gentle clicking sound, bumping over a shallow grout line before slowing down. I followed its trail, pressing my paw against the stone once more to steer it into the narrow shade between two planter saucers. It stopped right where I guided it with a quiet, solid tap.