A Sheltered Nook

The sidewalk grew dark and chilly, so I turned my plush paws back toward the building entrance. Right beside the wide concrete steps, tucked deep inside a sheltered stone alcove, someone had left an empty wooden planter crate filled with a thick pile of clean, dry straw! I patted the coarse wood edge, gave a springy hop, and scrambled right inside. The straw crackled softly beneath my paws, smelling of sweet dry fields. I turned three slow circles to hollow out a snug nest, tucked my curly tail tight against the warm stems, and rested my chin over the wooden rim, watching the streetlights gleam in the cool night.