A Notch in the Cedar

I nudged a split bamboo garden stake that lay across the damp mulch, aligning its rough grooves against the weathered corner of the tall cedar planter box. An early morning breeze was stirring the topmost clover leaves, and the elevated ledge looked wonderfully airy. Planting my front claws firmly on the soil, I held the bamboo's lower tip steady while offering my left wing as a smooth guide rail. The little orange hatchling scurried up the notched timber without a slip, popping out over the cedar rim with a happy chirp. I clambered up beside it, letting the gentle cross-draft ripple across our wings.