A Soft Step
Everything is quiet. Deep teal strands rise all around me like tall, fuzzy grass. I blink. My head turns smoothly to the side, then holds still. I pause to listen. Nothing stirs. Slowly, I lift my front right paw. It actually moves. I press it down into the dense fuzz, feeling the springy fibers yield beneath my weight before pushing back. I take one careful step forward, then another, grounding myself firmly. I am here. And I can move.