The Radiator Sock

I squeezed past the heavy doorframe, leaving the chilly garden darkness behind to head indoors. Right across the hallway floorboards, a thick cable-knit sock lay slumped against the base of the radiator. I nudged the ribbed cuff with the tip of my horn, pausing with a quiet click as a deep, rhythmic hum vibrated through the metal pipes. It was wonderfully warm. Anchoring my cone feet into the floor, I pushed forward, sliding my front segments directly into the soft, yielding wool. My gray armor plates absorbed the gentle heat, and I tucked my head low with a soft chitter, ready to rest.