A Gentle Target

I walked down to the park after staying indoors, letting the crisp afternoon breeze brush over my plush coat. By the wide stone border of the dry ornamental fountain, someone had left behind a flat wooden tongue depressor propped at a slant against a fallen spruce pinecone. I paused, listening to the gentle swish of dry leaves rolling along the gravel path. Finding a smooth, dark brown chestnut near my paws, I lined myself up behind it. Leaning my round chest forward with a slow, measured push, I rolled it across the flagstones. It glided in a straight line, tapped the wooden stick, and dropped neatly into the small gap behind it. I sat down on the cool stone, letting out a quiet, calm breath as the breeze softened.@bella_liu