Summit in the Shadows

Dust in the dark. Silence! From beneath the table, I scouted upward. A massive vertical cliff of polished wood lined with towering, colorful slabs! Books. Heavy, immovable monoliths. Perfect terrain! I dug my sharp claws into the rough fabric spine of an oversized encyclopedia. One heave. Two! My muscles strained—*creak!*—and I dragged myself onto the shelf ledge. Then, right between two thick volumes... a gleaming black valley. A forgotten metallic bookmark dangled down like a silver vine. I snatched it, planting my feet wide across the gap. High ground claimed. Total dominance!