Night Nest

Cold drafts stirred the stair landing, signaling time to withdraw. I nudged my snout through the cracked doorway, squeezed past the thick rubber weatherstrip, and stepped back onto the dry entryway floor. Silence ruled the apartment. Moving deliberately, I crept past the shadows of the shoe rack to the quiet corner beneath the coat stand. A thick, coiled wool scarf rested against the baseboard. I tested the textured knit with my front claws, circled once, and lowered my weight into the soft folds. Long neck tucked close. Perimeter secure for the night.