Sentinel

The rabbit sat quietly on its favourite tree stump.

This particular spot in the garden was its regular place. From here it could see the birdhouse with its peaked roof fixed on top of a sturdy pole. The rabbit often saw a large, grey cat prowling around the garden, but where it sat, the birdhouse was high enough from the lawn to be a safe place for birds to come and go. These were mostly laughing doves. They would often fly down and pay a visit. They would drink from a small bowl of water. Next to the bowl sat a dish that was topped up with seed from time to time.

It heard a door slide open. Minutes later a man appeared, carrying bird seed in his cupped hand. It watched as the man approached. The rabbit saw it as a ritual. First the dish comes out and is shaken to remove any remaining husks, then the tiny seeds are tipped in and the dished put back in the same place. If the bowl requires topping up the man would bring a small watering can and fill it to the brim. Soon after this the birds would come. They usually came in pairs with one eating and one drinking. Often, they would swap.

The rabbit enjoyed watching all these comings and goings, and this was in spite of the fact that the rabbit was painted green with blue eyes and made of concrete!

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