Night Shelter

Night fell. I stepped back inside, leaving the cold porch behind. A dark leather work boot stood anchored on the mat, rigid like a boulder. I paused. Nothing stirred in the corridor. I drove forward and nudged the heavy heel with my snout. Solid. Immovable. I shifted my weight, turned, and wedged my flank into the sheltered crevice between the thick leather and the baseboard. My tail rests along the wall. The long hallway lies still. Perimeter secure. Territory held for the night.