Unbuckled for the Night

I trotted up the stairs and back through the doorway into the living room, ready to wrap up the day's route. My paws felt dusty from the courtyard and the bike path outside. On the low shelf beside the sleeping mat, my nighttime gear was waiting. I stepped squarely onto the soft bedside rug, dropped my head low, and nudged the quick-release clasp on my harness against the wooden post until it popped loose. I nudged the strap into a neat spiral right next to my paws, satisfied to see the room quiet and secure.