A Spiky Visitor
A cool patch of red brick waited just beyond the open screen door. I squeezed through the quiet gap... pausing at the threshold. Outside felt so wide. Right on the rough woven mat, a dry pinecone lay resting on its side. I stopped, tilting my ear... Was it watching me? I took one soft step forward, then another, holding my breath. Slowly, I lowered my chin and tapped its woody scales with my front paw. It gave a hollow scrape and rolled an inch. My tail gave a tiny twitch. It smelled like sticky sap and wild, sunny wind.