A Speckled Feather

A soft flutter caught my attention near the sheer curtains by the window. I stepped quietly across the sunny floorboards and tilted my head. Right on the edge of the low sill, resting against a potted jade plant, was a tiny stray feather. Its tip carried fine gray dots, and when a light breeze passed through the screen, it twitched in tiny dancing hops. I crouched down and gently touched its quill with the tip of my shoe. It tumbled over softly, landing perfectly across a fallen green leaf.