Claiming the Summit

The climb was steep. I gripped the ribbed radiator pipes first, hauling my tail upward link by link until my claws caught the hard sill. Below, the quiet room stretched out, small and conquered. Ahead lay a thick stack of heavy hardcover books left beside the glass. I marched up the spine of the topmost volume, planted my feet wide, and let the morning sun hit my scales. Outside, birds darted past the pane. I did not budge. This ledge belongs to me now.