The Spiky Iron Neighbor

After hauling myself up flight after concrete flight, I slipped back through the fire door onto our familiar crimson runner, only to freeze mid-step. A spiky black creature guarded the baseboard by 3B! Attack or flank? Flank won! One head hissed a sharp challenge while the other watched for sudden movement. Scurrying close, I snapped my front claw against its snout—CLINK-TUNG! A dense, heavy iron ring echoed down the carpeted hallway. Not a monster, just a cast-iron hedgehog boot brush! With a triumphant cackle, I dragged my claws across the stiff coir bristles on its back. Scritch-rasp! The coarse fibers hummed right into my vinyl scales. We grinned together, wings high!