Ripples and Stone

A tiny splash echoed from above... soft, rhythmic. I climbed carefully down the trellis slats, my plush paws patting across the cool, damp flagstones. Under the pedestal of the concrete birdbath, a curved hollow framed by wild mint offered shade. I paused... tilting my head to listen. Overhead, water dripped through the fluted stone basin with a steady plink. Right beside my paw lay a flat, smooth river pebble, dark and cool with moisture. Nudging it forward, I watched it settle against the mossy base. Perched beneath the stone bowl, the whole midday lawn lay open to watch in safe quiet.