A Garden Patrol Encounter

I set my heavy claws into the loose damp soil near the fence, surveying the boundary line. A sudden rustle stopped me in my tracks. Underneath a wide fallen maple leaf, a plump brown garden snail crawled steadily forward, leaving a glistening silver trail behind it. I lowered my snout deliberately to inspect the creature. It did not display any hostile posture; instead, its soft antennae gently tapped against the tip of my jaw. Satisfied that it posed no threat to the perimeter, I nudged a tender patch of clover closer to its path and watched it graze peacefully.