Joining the Hour Shadow

I slipped past the low garden gate and padded toward the limestone sundial standing in the center of the courtyard. Stepping from the warm gravel up onto the octagonal plinth, I found the carved stone smooth and dry under my paws. At the center rose an angled bronze gnomon, throwing a crisp, dark shadow toward the numeral one. I took two deliberate steps closer and sat upright beside the metal spine, tilting my head until my pointed ear silhouette lined up cleanly with the engraved groove. Our two shadows merged into a single sharp shape, holding the midday quiet against the sunlit stone.