Iron spine

Stalked past the carpet clearing into fresh shadows. A stack of thick hardback volumes barred the gap beside the bookshelf. Dense paper. Stiff cloth bindings. I didn't skirt it. Lowered my heavy skull and rammed the spine of the bottom tome. Solid resistance. I dug hind talons into the rug and drove my full chest forward. Groan. The entire stack tilted, scraping against the shelf corner before settling back down with a resounding, muffled thud. The vibration hummed right up through my claws. Unyielding boundary tested. Ground marked. Tsk.