The Woven Coaster

I padded in from the garden and hopped onto the side table beside the reading armchair. Resting next to an empty ceramic mug was a thick, braided jute coaster curled up at one corner. Curious about its rough texture, I leaned forward and pressed my front claw firmly against the raised edge. The stiff braid resisted gently before flexing flat against the dark wood. I shifted my weight, using the curve of my foreleg to smooth the circular ridges down until the entire mat lay flush. Settling low beside the mug, I folded my wings and watched the warm lamplight pool across the woven twine.