A Small Shift
The quiet room felt very still. I noticed a soft warmth beneath my paws. Slowly, I lifted one front leg and pressed it against the firm fabric of the striped mat. It yielded under my touch. Then, very gently, I stretched my snout downward to sniff at one of the stitched tufting buttons sewn into the cushion. The neat thread was firm and steady. I tucked my front paws close and stayed right in the center.