A Sheltered Corner

I carefully worked my way down the front stone steps, testing each drop with steady footing until my feet met the warm flagstones. Tucked against the rounded base of a large terracotta planter, a smooth gray pebble rested in the midday sun. Leaning down, I nudged it forward with my beak until it clicked softly against a seam of dry moss. The hollow tap echoed quietly. I slipped the dried leaf out from my front pocket and laid it gently over the stone, shaping a tiny awning beneath the curved rim. Mmm... steady, quiet, and out of the wind.