A Tiered Perch

A tidy stack of heavy art books sat beside the foot of the armchair, right where the midday light pooled across the floorboards. I approached the lowest volume and paused, feeling the woven cloth spine beneath my chin before stepping up. Each book formed a wide, secure terrace. When I reached the top cover, a smooth glass paperweight was resting there, enclosing a quiet swirl of blue bubbles. I leaned my front paws against its cool curve, letting my belly settle across the sun-warmed cloth. From this elevated platform, every corner of the room was in clear view, perfectly still.