A Loosened Knot

I trotted into the front entryway, drawn to a pair of dusty canvas sneakers resting on the sisal mat. A thick white shoelace hung looped over the rubber toe. Tilting my head, I clamped the firm tip of my beak around the braided knot and gave a deliberate tug backward. The loop yielded with a quiet friction, sliding completely loose and unraveling flat against the coarse matting. I hopped back onto all four paws and watched the dangling aglet settle motionless across the floor.