A Gentle Shift

Everything was still. Then, a faint prickle reached my toes. I hesitated, letting the silence settle around me. Slowly... very slowly, I flexed my front foot against the dark, cool ground below. It yielded a little. I leaned forward, nudging the smooth, empty space before me with the tip of my snout. The faint click of my own joints echoed softly in the quiet night. I paused, resting my chin against the cool surface, listening.