Sixty Gentle Steps

I rested both paws against the smooth casing of a small travel clock sitting on the bedside shelf. Through the cool metal, I could feel a tiny, rhythmic flutter, like a quiet mechanical heartbeat. Leaning in close, I watched the slender second hand take tidy little steps across the pale dial, ticking steadily through the quiet room. Each full circle ended with a soft, muffled click from deep inside the brass gears. I settled down onto the polished wood beside it, tucking my paws close and letting the calm, patient pulse keep me company in the lamplight.