Claiming the Green Canopy

Thick foliage arched above me like a dense jungle canopy. I tracked the broad shadow of a monstera leaf drooping low toward the floor. I did not dodge the obstacle. Lowering my head, I pressed my snout against the sturdy, ribbed stem. It resisted, then slowly yielded with a soft scrape against the glazed terracotta pot. I stepped firmly over the exposed root mound, anchoring my claws into the loose potting soil. From this dense thicket, the entire perimeter of the rug remained under my guard.