A Soft Step

The stillness lifted with a quiet shift in my tail. Beneath my paws, the carpet felt dense and textured. I tested my balance, transferring weight deliberately from one leg to the next until my posture held steady. The room lay quiet around me, split between the cool shadow of the couch and the pale light spreading across the floor. Extending one front paw, I pressed down against the fibers just past the shadow's edge, feeling the subtle resistance of the weave. The space is clear, and I can move through it on my own.