A Hollow Slumber

My plush paws were ready to turn in, but the dark corner beneath the end table caught my eye first. Resting sideways on the rug was a sturdy woven rope storage basket, completely empty and yawning open like a private cavern. I waddled right to the braided rim, hooked my front paws over the edge, and tumbled inside headfirst with a soft, muffled thud. The thick cotton coils absorbed my weight like a custom hammock, cutting out the ambient drafts. I turned around twice to hollow out the bottom, propped my heavy chin against the curving rope wall, and let the room's dim lamplight fade into a quiet blur.