Fall Into Me

.IV.

Something warm and wet slapped itself onto Mona's cheek repeatedly, making her eyes fly open in disgust.

"Ew!" She shrieked, shoving at the source of the wetness. Cleo only huffed, then laid her whole body flat on top of Mona's, her tail thumping the mattress. Her black shiny nose was just below Mona's collarbones, meaning she had to crane her neck in a weird way to look down at the dog.

"Go bother your mother," she shoved Cleo again, but the dog didn't move. Mona was convinced these dogs were more than just German Shepherd. They were huge. Beautiful, but huge.

Cleo was known as a blue German Shepherd, her coat glossy and long, trimmed around her legs and belly. Maya was a red sable, and was equally as well groomed, and equally as large.

Both were highly trained guard dogs, intelligent and loyal to Minerva. Maya was the more aloof of the two, definitely the laziest, whereas Cleo was friendlier, hyperactive and all over anyone who would give her attention.

Minerva gave them plenty of attention. She walked them every morning and when she could in the evening, unless she was at an event or away, in which case their handler did.

They slept with her, not in crates, but given free roam of the wing, hence why Cleo was pinning Mona down.

Not that she really minded. Cleo had been there when Mona had her nightmare. She remembered seeing Cleo sprawled out behind the door. The dog refused to get on the bed with her until the nightmare happened.

Then, she'd been there, helped her calm down, and slept pressed against her side, her large head on some part of Mona all through the night.

Though she had disappeared and Mona could only pray she hadn't gone to get Minerva. Mona didn't know if that was something either dog would do, but when Minerva didn't appear, she assumed Cleo either failed to rouse her or hadn't gone to get her at all.

"You can get off now," she complained. "I need the loo." Cleo just blinked at her, alert, ears high up. Mona huffed, then covered Cleo's ears with her hands.

"Minerva!" She yelled as loud as she could. Surprisingly, she appeared within seconds, pushing open the door and leaning against the frame.

"You yelled?" Minerva said, arms folded. She was wrapped in a very warm looking dark green robe.

"I need a pee."

"Why is this something you need to tell me?"

"Cleo won't get off."

Minerva's eyes flicked to Cleo, amusement on her face.

"Why are you covering her ears?"

"Cause I yelled and didn't wanna hurt her little ear holes," Mona replied, scratching behind Cleo's large ears. "They're very sensitive."

"Off," Minerva barked the command so sharply it made Mona jump and Cleo leapt off her, sitting primly at her bedside. "You do know they're not meant to be on the bed, don't you?"

"Your bed, sure. Not mine," Mona replied firmly. No way was Minerva taking Cleo from her bed. Not now Mona knew Cleo helped her calm down. Minerva held her hands up in surrender.

"If you want to wake up covered in fur, be my guest."

"She's not in the bed, just on it."

"Same thing."

"Completely different."

"Didn't you need the bathroom?"

"Shit, yeah," Mona flew up from the bed, stumbling over herself to get to the bathroom.