Once there was a little pup
With eyes brown and starry
When he was good, he was very good
When he was bad, he was scary
Juliette Silverton got out of her car and made a beeline for the door of her small veterinarian clinic. November and December were typically the rainiest months in the Portland area, but it used to be just perma-rain, not downpours like those they had had lately. She noticed that nowadays, even hardy Oregonians were using umbrellas.
Well, some of them are, like me.
"Hi, Juliette!" Lynette Anders, the receptionist, saluted in good humor despite the gloomy weather as Juliette came through the door shaking like a wet dog. She was as perky as a kid on a sugar high, and Juliette wondered if she was already on the second cup of latte.
"Hi, Lynette. It's really coming down again," said she shaking the rainwater off her umbrella. "Got anything new for me this morning?"
"Oh, you bet! Oregon Humane Society called. They'd like to know if you could donate your time and service to examine one of the new arrivals."
"Oh, I suppose," said Juliette, hanging up her raincoat on the coat rack. "Could you ask them to bring it here? I hate driving in this kind of weather. Is it a dog or cat?"
"A dog. It's a stray and got picked up only a few days ago. There seems to be some issues, but they didn't elaborate. Anyway, I'll let them know they can bring it here."
"Thanks."
Juliette walked into her office, placed her purse in one of the desk drawers and speed-dialed the phone number of her boyfriend, Nick Burdhardt. He'd had cold symptoms for a few days, and they were getting worse this morning.
Nick picked up his phone after a couple of rings. "Hi, Juliette." He sounded nasal and wheezy.
"You feeling any better?" asked she knowing full well it was not the case. "Did you call in sick?"
"No and yes," replied he economically to take it easy on his vocal cord. "Monroe's coming over to bring me his special chicken soup—without chicken."
She could not help but giggle. A Blutbad like Monroe going vegan always struck her funny.
"That's good. Now, I want you to stay in bed till I get home."
"Yes, Mommy." He sounded resigned, irritated and cheeky. He threw in a thespian sigh—a wheezy thespian at that—to let her know how he felt about it.
She laughed again and hung up after a hasty good-bye. The first patient was due any moment.
By ten thirty, she had seen and treated a dog with a bad flea and tapeworm problem, another dog needing booster shots, a parrot that had plucked out most of its feathers on the back and a cat with feline leukemia.
She was taking a breather when Lynette called her on the intercom. "Juliette, Hannah from OHS is here. May I send her in?"
"Yes, please."
Juliette had met Hannah Peterson before at the animal shelter in Troutdale. She was a college student volunteering to care for the animals there.
Hannah walked into her office with a portable cage. Her wavy orange hair was even frizzier than usual with humidity.
"Hi, Dr. Silverton." Being a lowly freshman, she was easily impressed with prestigious titles.
"Hi, Hannah. So, you got yourself a problem puppy?"
The redhead shrugged, "I'm not sure. He's a sweet boy, never showed any aggressive behavior—but some animals at the shelter freak out, and some others cower in the corner when he goes near them. Even a huge alpha pit bull started whining and piddling when he saw him walk past his cage. I've never seen anything like it."
Juliette got up from her chair and led Hannah to one of the examination rooms.
Hannah put the carrier on the stainless steel examination table. She undid the latch on the door of the carrier and tried to coax the current occupant out. "Come here, Jack!"
Being a vet, Juliette had seen just about every canine breed at different stages of their lives, but she found herself getting excited to see a dog in such perfect condition.
It was a Jack Russell Terrier with a pure white body and tan markings around the eyes and on the ears. There were white spots on his left ear. He had long but well-muscled legs, a small waist, large, clear brown eyes, a smattering of freckles on the muzzle, faint spots on the back of his hind legs and a wet, black nose. The total sum of these parts was one adorable pup.
"He's a cutie!" exclaimed Juliette.
"Isn't he?" Hannah smiled stroking the dog's back.
Unlike most dogs, this one did not enjoy being petted; as a matter of fact, he seemed to be barely tolerating the touch.
"Hmm… He's pretty mellow for a Jack Russell. Have you noticed any medical issues? Vomiting? Diarrhea?"
"Not that I know of. He's a small eater though. Either that, or he's a food snob."
The dog kept a wary eye on Juliette as she approached the examination table.
"He's still intact. I wonder if he's still a puppy," said she.
"He probably is—that's what the people at the shelter say, but he sure doesn't act like one."
Juliette gently rested her hand on the dog's head. He did not shy away from her but looked like he wanted to. He kept his head and stubby tail at half-mast.
Suddenly, his head snapped up when his nose brushed past her blouse under her white lab coat.
The dog underwent a swift, drastic transformation, and it startled the two women to say the least. He started jumping two, three feet up in the air while barking joyously like a dog that had spotted a squirrel.
"Wow, what's got into him?" Hannah wondered aloud.
"I don't know. Maybe he just decided to come out of his shell."
"Or, he really, really likes you. He's never acted this way towards anyone."
Juliette gently but firmly restrained the dog to make him stay on the table for examination. His absolute focus was on her, his head and tail erect—the latter part was wagging so fast it was a white blur.
"Um, Dr. Silverton?"
"Yes?"
"I have other errands to run. Do you mind if I leave him with you for now and come back some time this afternoon?"
"No problem. I think I can handle this little guy by myself. See you in a while, Hannah."
"Thanks!" The redhead beamed. "Be good, Jack."
Hannah patted the dog's rump a couple of times and left the room.
As she watched the door close, Juliette had the weirdest feeling.
Sheesh, I thought she'd never leave!
It was as if someone had planted a thought in her head. She whipped around to look behind her although she knew she was alone in the exam room.
Don't be alarmed, Doc. It's just me!
She would have come unglued had she not had a Grimm boyfriend and his Wesen pals. Though she lived in a city whose unofficial slogan was 'Keep Portland Weird,' her life had turned definitely, infinitely weirder lately.
She slowly, nervously looked down at the dog on the exam table and found him looking up at her with fierce intensity.
"Is that you? Are you talking to me, Jack?" whispered she.
Of course it's me! Jack grinned, his pink tongue lolling out from his mouth. And you don't have to speak. I can understand you fine.
Are you a Wesen?
Jack bristled. NO! I'm a Protector!
Protector? Who are you protecting?
Masters, of course! You must take me to your Master! You must, you must!
He was becoming agitated and started jumping up and down again.
Master? You mean, Nick?
I don't know who this Nick is. It's He Who Destroys Creatures!
He Who Destroys Creatures… You mean someone who kills Wesen? Are you supposed to protect a Grimm?
Yes, yes, YES!
He was so excited he jumped into her arms and began licking her face with gusto.
Take me to your Master right this minute! Now, now, now, NOW!
"Stop shouting!"
Realizing how absurd her demand must sound, she began giggling. "All right, you win. Let me call Nick to say we'll be home shortly."
Lynette was on the phone scheduling an appointment when she saw Juliette coming out of Examination Room 2 with a JRT on a leash. She quickly ended the conversation and hung up the phone.
"Are you going out, Dr. Silverton?"
There were a couple of pet owners in the waiting room, and she was in the business mode addressing Juliette with the proper title.
"Yes, as a matter of fact. I have an urgent business to take care of. Could you ask Dr. Palensky to take over my patients if possible? If not, please call and ask them to reschedule."
"Will do."
Picking up the phone again, Lynette watched Juliette walk out in the rain. The dog darted ahead as far as the leash allowed and started hopping excitedly like a March hare.