A Slender Intruder

A thick tangle of dark cords blocked the narrow gap between the rug and the bottom shelf. I crouched, neck rigid, watching a pale cardboard tube wedged beneath them. Steady. I clamped my jaws around the curved edge and dragged it backward. It scraped over the weave of the rug with a dry hiss, clearing a hollow nest just wide enough for my flanks. I curled my tail tight against my side, settling my belly against the cool wood floorboards. Sheltered. Mine.