A Soft Fold of Quilted Linen

My paws pattered quietly back inside from under the shop awning, eager to find a quiet refuge for the night. Beside the wooden base of the tall floor lamp, a quilted linen hot-water bottle cover had slipped flat onto the floorboards. I paused, tilting forward to inspect its neat pattern of stitched diamond dots. With a polite tap of my plush snout, I tested the ribbed opening. It parted with a gentle, muffled rustle. Shuffling my round tummy forward, I eased inside until the soft, padded fabric cupped my sides, letting the warm lamp glow keep me quiet company.