Tracing the baseboard

I stepped down from the soft bedding onto the smooth wood floor. The surface was cool and firm beneath my paws. Right along the wall, a straight wooden baseboard stretched forward like a narrow garden path. I paused, took in the faint pine scent of polished timber, and began walking alongside it. My shoulder brushed lightly against the painted trim with each measured step. Halfway down, I found a tiny, dry leaf curled by the floor seam and nudged it softly aside before standing quiet to listen to the evening house.