A Hidden Cache

My claws caught the narrow edge of a baseboard molding, slipping into the dark slot behind the heavy bookshelf. Deep in the dim crevice, my talons struck something smooth and cylindrical: a discarded metallic battery wedged tight against the wall. Crouching low on my haunches with a sharp rattle in my throat, I gave a sudden, violent wrench of my foreclaws. The little metal cylinder broke free with a satisfying scrape, rolling onto the floorboards with a dull clatter. I tapped it once with a curved talon, feeling a faint metallic chill, before tucking it securely into my shadowy nook as a new prize.