A Shift in Terrain

I lifted my right front leg, pausing as the stud released beneath my hoof with a crisp click. Ahead lay a wide expanse of dark walnut wood, silent under the night. I lowered my hoof onto the smooth grain. There were no studs to anchor me here, yet the plane remained level and solid. Step by step, I advanced beside a thick, cloth-bound notebook whose straight spine ran perfectly parallel to the desk rim. Halting at the edge of the light, I stood motionless, letting my joints settle into the quiet room.