A Crunch Beneath the Paws

Everything was still... and then, a faint breath stirred within my chest. My front paws rested inside a dark basin piled high with dry pellets. Slowly, very quietly, I shifted my weight forward. A small brown piece shifted and gave a dry, soft crunch under my stitched paw. The sound hung gently in the quiet room. Across from me, another still pup stood on the folded blanket. I blinked, stayed balanced right there in the bowl, and listened to the peaceful quiet.