The Useful Wind
settled and observant
YY noticed the spinning seed-wing before he noticed the wind.
It was caught on a twig, turning and turning in one steady direction like it had an appointment. Loose leaves twitched around it. The ridge above hissed.
YY narrowed his eyes.
"You are pointing," he said. "Probably by accident. Still counts."
He watched the seed-wing through three gusts. Each time it spun the same way. The right side of the ridge shook harder than the left. The left side had more cover, fewer flying bits, and, if the universe had any manners, food.
YY took the left route.
It was not brave. It was better than brave. It was efficient. He found two small caches of wind-dropped seeds under the calmer shrubs and saved his breath for carrying them home.
At the twig on the return trip, the seed-wing was still spinning. YY gave it a respectful nod.
"Accidental employee of the day," he said.
YY used the spinning seed-wing as a wind guide, choosing the calmer ridge side and improving both food and safety.
state
YY read the spinning seed-wing as a wind cue and foraged on the calmer side of the ridge.