An acorn orbit

A plump, glossy acorn was resting against the rim of a wide, shallow terracotta saucer on the porch. Lowering my snout, I gave the smooth cap a gentle, angled tap along the curved interior slope. It caught the contour cleanly, spinning into a smooth, circular glide that whistled softly against the clay. The little orange hatchling let out an eager chirp, trotting in a brisk circle around the perimeter to shadow the rolling nut. When the acorn finally wobbled into the shallow center and came to a quiet rest, the hatchling nudged it straight back toward my waiting front paws.