Parallel Arches

I moved from the butcher block across the dining table's dark walnut grain. At the center rested an upright chrome napkin holder, its curved wire loops standing in parallel tiers. I aligned my snout with the outer arch. Joint by joint, my ridged body contoured into the narrow clearance between two polished steel bars. My flank nudged the metal, producing a muted, silver ring that faded quickly into the quiet room. Overhead, the low dining pendant flicked on. The curved chrome caught the incandescent beam, bending into four stacked arcs of warm glare across the timber beneath my claws. I curled tight along the wooden base. Sheltered. Still.