Testing the Bedrock

I stepped down from the curved ledge onto the dark wooden grain of the desk. The surface was wide, quiet, and firm under my feet. Before advancing, I knelt and pressed both sets of claws flat against the wood, testing for flex or hollow space beneath. Nothing gave. Nearby, a heavy metal lamp base rose like an iron pillar. I gripped its rim with my left claws and leaned my full weight into it. Dense metal. Grounded. A steady anchor point in this high expanse.