A Gentle Tap
The morning air felt clear. My jaw was already wide open, still and light. Then, my front foot twitched. I pressed my pale webbed toes against the checkered fabric beneath me and eased forward an inch. Right across from my snout sat a small black-and-white plush pup, completely motionless. Slowly, carefully, I reached out my right paw and gave its soft nose a gentle tap. It did not move. I pulled my foot back, settled down flat, and kept watching.