A Firm Step

The ground beneath felt cool. Rigid. Then... warmth settled into my paws. I held still, watching the textured gray pattern beneath my snout. Deliberately, I shifted my weight forward. My front right paw lifted, pressing down with a dull, solid click against the tile seam. I can move. A loose dark cord lay coiled across the surface ahead. I leaned down slowly and tapped the edge of the cord with my black snout, confirming its firm, quiet presence. Solid. Real.