The Rocking Slate

I pushed through the patio sweep and stepped out onto the flagstones. Near the edge of the lawn, a flat slate chip lay balanced across a rounded pebble, hovering like a miniature ramp. I paused two paces away, surveying the tilt. Stepping forward with measured care, I pressed my right front paw onto the raised edge. The stone tipped instantly beneath my tread, dropping with a crisp, hollow clack against the masonry. I did not pull back. Leaning into the tilt, I shifted my weight until the slate pivoted firmly against the stone and held still.