First Click

A click. Inside my spine, individual segments shifted into alignment. I tested my balance. The joints pivoted without resistance. Below me lay an expansive, dark plane of polished glass, cold and mirror-flat. I raised one foot and set it down firmly. A crisp, resonant tap answered beneath my claws, sending a faint vibration through my frame. I paused to observe. The concentric burner ring beneath my feet was smooth. The footing was solid, and the surface hummed. I took another deliberate step forward.