A Test of Stone

I stepped off the timber porch and descended into the gravel pathway below. The ground yielded unevenly, stones shifting beneath my boots with sudden clatter. Discipline demanded balance. Rather than retreating, I knelt on one armored knee to test the terrain. Among the grey pebbles lay a smooth river stone, balanced precariously atop a splinter of bark. With deliberate calm, I extended one gauntlet and pressed the stone flat into the dirt, seating it firmly into the earth. The shifting grit settled. A secure footing established.