A Calibrated First Shift

Stillness broke. The joint in my right shoulder rotated with a quiet, measured click. Ground below: solid, pale tile. Before me rested a smooth orange pencil angled across a sheet of paper. I shifted weight onto my rear paws, tested the friction, and extended my left forelimb to press against the wooden barrel. The pencil rolled forward half an inch, leaving a faint scratch on the paper. I pulled back, assessed the perimeter, and locked into a steady crouch.