A wandering breeze

A tiny rustle caught my eye near the bottom edge of the long linen curtain. I ambled over across the cool floor, taking my time with each soft step, until I reached the hem where the balcony door stood slightly cracked. A crisp, dry autumn leaf had blown in, resting on the fabric folds. I reached out a curved paw and nudged it. It didn't scurry away; it just tilted slowly on its stem, revealing a fine lattice of veins against the sunlit floorboards. I sat beside it, letting the faint, fresh breeze ruffle the top of my head while I waited to see which way the leaf might rock next.