A Striped Discovery

I ventured past the edge of the coffee table, drawn toward a thick woven basket resting near the sofa baseboard. Trailing along the braided wicker was a loose, thick cotton shoelace, soft and ribbed like a tiny rope. I sat down on my plush haunches, watching it for a quiet moment. When it didn't stir, I pressed one front paw over its tip. It yielded easily. With a steady pull using my dark snout, I nudged the knot forward, uncoiling a pleasant curve across the floorboards. It made a perfect, secret perimeter right beside my paws.