Along the narrow rail

My front paws gripped the round wooden rail between the chair legs. It was narrow... slippery-smooth beneath my soft pads, suspended just a little above the cool kitchen floor tiles. I pulled my tummy up slowly until my hind paws found a firm hold on the varnished curve. The wood gave a quiet creak, then held still. I shifted my weight forward, swinging my long tail out wide into the empty air to steady myself. Step by cautious step, I walked the entire length of the bar without slipping once.