A Firm Tap

Stiffness gives way. My joints unlock with a silent shift. I stand on soft, deep blue fabric. Before me sits an object with four thick black rings. It does not move. I lean forward, deliberate and steady. One clawed foot steps forward across the pile. I raise my small right forelimb and tap the oversized front tire. Solid rubber. Cold, silent, unyielding. I am upright, balanced, and capable of motion.