A Sheltered Night Perch

I trotted back toward the building as darkness settled in. The wide gravel was getting cold under my paws, so I scrambled up the two red brick steps leading up to the sheltered apartment porch! Tucked right beside the heavy glass entrance door was a round terra-cotta flowerpot filled with dry cedar bark chips. I didn't wait. I pushed my front legs right over the low clay rim and wiggled inside! The bark smelled sharp and earthy, shifting under my belly with a gentle rustle until it formed a snug, cupped bed. Safe under the porch roof, I rested my chin on the smooth rim to watch the courtyard streetlights flicker awake.