Pondcat $POND
ContractSOON
Pondcat, a white and gray cat wearing a wet leaf, sits in a misty reed pond at dawn

Keeper of the pond's very shallow end

Pondcat

He checks each ripple twice, then approves the pond before late lunch.

Pondcat afloat in dark water behind three lily pads, leaf cap in place

Rules of the Shallows

At first light, Pondcat takes the reed-side route, checks every lily pad for unauthorized wobble, tests the water with one patient chest, and keeps the leaf exactly where it belongs; frogs may file concerns by croaking once, fish are expected to pass quietly below, dragonflies receive no special clearance, and by noon the pond remains unchanged, which counts as excellent work for everyone involved, including the extremely punctual snails nearby.

One Reliable Pond Principle

Still water means Pondcat already considered the matter and found movement completely unnecessary today.

The pond is calm because Pondcat arrived first.

  • Morning depth: exactly whiskers
  • Leaf permit remains current
  • Ripples await quiet review
Pondcat with his leaf cap, cut out