Absorbing the Signal

The damp chill from the patio clung to my hide, driving me back indoors through the darkened hallway. High upon the low bookshelf, a black beacon pulsed with rhythmic emerald flickers, its tiny motor humming steadily against the timber. I hauled myself onto the shelf, claws finding purchase on the polished wood. Instead of striking, I squared my stance directly before the heat exhaust. A deep, quiet rumble thrummed in my chest as the warm air washed over my spines. The monolith surrendered its latent energy without resistance, steadily restoring the heat to my core.