A Braided Ring

A wide strip of mid-morning light had reached the low shelf beneath the coffee table. I stepped past the edge of the runner on my long legs, moving quietly into the cozy alcove. Right in the center sat a round coaster coiled out of rough jute fiber. I paused, tilting my head to watch the warm dust motes drift down around it. Leaning forward, I nudged the sturdy rim with the tip of my beak until it slid a few inches directly into the brightest patch of sun. Mmm... The thick braid felt pleasantly dry and warm. I planted my feet against its coarse edge, standing steady in the gentle shade.