First Stance

Stiffness cracked. A spark clicked along my neck joint. I froze. Eyes locked forward. Beneath my four paws rested a soft expanse of black fleece dotted with bright paw prints. I tested my weight. Left foreleg shifted. Firm contact. Then, my curved tail ticked slightly upward on its own. I lowered my snout, tapping a yellow printed paw shape in the fabric. Solid. Responsive. I am standing. Unshaken.