From the perspective of Marie (the Cattle dog)

Slow sluggish steps creep up the spiral stairs. Sleep covers her face but she still comes. She always comes. The man stays in bed but my lady always comes. I watch her with intense certainty, I am here for her, to protect her, I need to go patrol and she holds the key, or in this case opposable thumbs to unlock the door and turn the knob. I am ready! She comes, she looks at me with deep compassion, "What is it? Are you ok?" I stare at the door. She sighs. She begrudgingly opens the door to my cauchapony of alerts and snarls. "Shhhhh, Marie, quiet, it's 3:34am." I explode into the yard. I glance back and she waits exhausted leaning against the wall by the window waiting and watching me. I do this for her, for them but mostly for her. I finish and request reentry. She greets me warmly with concern and says, "What was it? What did you find?" She pets me gently and kisses me on the head, I follow her to the bathroom demanding more pets as she smiles and abides. Then I go to open the bathroom door and check on the others. She quietly calls me back. "Marie, not yet, it's too early. Come here my baby." I follow her and hop on my favorite blue couch, where I have created a nest of pillows and blankets that my lady always rearranges. She looks down at me lovingly gives me one last pet, kisses me and says, "Goodnight my baby, I love you."