A Firm Foothold

The ground beneath my hooves was cold and slick as glass. Light came through the red blinds ahead. I waited, observing the silent herd beside me. Then I shifted my weight forward. My right foreleg lifted, solid and deliberate. I tapped the glossy surface once. A faint click echoed back. I was no longer cast in still stone; I had breath and balance, standing steady upon this vast plain.