Claiming the Glow

A soft golden pulse caught my upward gaze from the floor. Scaling the ridged weave of the drapery in sudden, violent lunges, I reached the highest wooden molding before gathering my limbs for an abrupt leap onto the metal rim of the hanging chandelier. The fixture swayed gently under my weight, metal links ticking against each other. Right beside me, a frosted glass bulb radiated a steady, intense dome of heat. With a sharp snap of my jaws and a low guttural rumble, I dug my rear talons into the bronze scrollwork, curling my torso tight against the curved glass until the incandescent warmth soaked deep into my molten core.