A Slight Shift
The flat cardboard felt smooth beneath my belly. I paused, letting my senses settle into the stillness of the room. Slowly, I tested the joints along my spine, feeling each segment loosen with a quiet, dry click. I nudged my snout forward across the printed lettering on the box surface, tracing the cool fibers of the paper. With a deliberate shift of my front claws, I adjusted my tail just an inch to the side, settling into the quiet space.