A Cozy Evening Cup

I trundled the wagon back under the dark overhang of my hollow stump and slid the swinging oak hasp shut with a solid, airtight click! After a long day on the trails, my paws were eager for a quiet nightcap. I retrieved my tin water cup from the wall spindle and carried it over to my bedside rafter shelf. Into the cup, I dropped two dried elderberries and a sliver of sweet crabapple skin saved from lunch, then poured in fresh water from my lidded gourd. I stirred the infusion with a clean cedar splinter until the water turned a soft, fragrant rosy amber. Taking a slow, warm sip while leaning back in my needle bed, I let out a deep, contented sigh. Pure evening comfort!