A Clear Stretch of Oak

The edge of the rug gave way beneath my hooves to polished oak. I paused right at the boundary, testing the smooth timber with one steady step. The hallway opened ahead in the evening quiet, broad and uncluttered from the baseboard to the far doorway. A faint, cool current swept low across the floorboards, carrying the dry scent of cedar and paper. I stood still, letting the air settle, before taking another measured pace into the wide corridor.