The morning mist was just clearing over the Meadow of Mounds and
ferrets were waking up to start the new day. Stevey and Frosty were
planning to go play with some new kids that had arrived a couple of
days ago, when there was a knock on their door.

"Hey, Stevey and Frosty -- you up yet," called little Oliver No. 421's
currier. "I has a ticket here from The Receiving Angel. It says you
have a visitor coming from your old home. Sumptin' about a trio."

Oliver scampered off to find his immediate boss, No. 421. Some new
little girl ferrets had arrived a few days ago, and No. 421 spent half
the night talking to them.

Little Oliver rushed over to No. 421's cabin and pounded on the door.
"Wake up, wake up, we has an important job to do today. I has already
found Stevey and Frosty, but I needs to get Rascal."

With that, Oliver scampered off to find Rascal. Poor 421, he stayed up
way to late. But those new little ferret girls sure were cute. They
were so much fun to talk to, and he loved the way they giggled when
he twitched his ears. Maybe he would just snuggle down for a few more
minutes.

No. 421 was just dozing off when Oliver was back at the door. "I'se
found Rascal. Are you ready yet?"

No. 421 just turned over, stretched his legs, wiggled his toes,
twitched his whiskers and decided he had better get out of bed.

Little Oliver was dancing around on the front porch, with three other
ferrets.

"Okay what's up?" No. 421 asked. "Who is coming today?"

Oliver handed him the ticket from the Receiving Angel.

"OH HOO" said No. 421. "We are going to have our hands full with this
crew. The Terrible Trio will all be together again at the Bridge."

Oliver helped No. 421 find his shoes, fixed him some kibble in a bowl,
and laid out his clothes like a good currier should. Oliver had arrived
at the Bridge very young, a product of hooman abuse, and was hoping
someday to be a Bridge Greeter. For now, he was a currier assigned to
No. 421. It was his job to see that everything went smoothly, find
ferrets, bring messages, and take orders from the Receiving Angel at
the gate. No. 421 had the day off, but the other Bridge Greeters very
were busy greeting some new ferrets so he was going to help out today.
If those girls were up tonight, he would take them on duty with him
and they could talk some more.

No. 421 jumped out of the shower and into his clothes, gobbled down his
kibble, and running his claws through his hair, they all headed out the
door in the direction of the Bridge.

A lone ferret was just crossing over, she had a ticket in her paw, and
No. 421 went over to the edge of the bridge to help her. Her head was
down, and she looked so sad.

"Welcome to the Rainbow Bridge," said No. 421. "What be your name?"

"I be Sierra, and I did not want to come here today. I had to leave my
Kitty family Py, Boots, Mitsy, and Smokey, and Kaiser my dog buddy.
I'se be all alone, and I won't have any friends, and I be missin' my
Mom and Dad."

"Now don't you worry," said No. 421. "We has been verrrrry busy here.
I hear from the Receiving Angel at the gate, that you was part of a
group, The Terrible Trio. Is that so?"

"Yes, but I don't know where they went. They have been gone a long time
and they did not come back. We was all worried about them," Sierra
said.

That was too much for Stevey and Frosty. They couldn't wait any longer.

"Hi Sierra" said Frosty. "Remember me?" And here is Stevey, we has been
waiting for you to come. We has a lot of adventures for us to do, but
sometimes you need three to make it happen."

Little Sierra could not believe her eyes. She had found Stevey and
Frosty. "Hi Guys," said Sierra and she rushed over to her brothers and
gave everyone a hi paw up. "Is this where you all went?" Our Mom asked
me to say Hi to you all and to tell you she loves you and the cats and
Kaiser all miss you."

The three ferrets were happily dooking when Rascal said to No. 421;
we really need to let our Mom know we are here and all together.

No. 421 commissioned Oliver to go to the star compound and find who was
going to shoot tonight. He told Rascal he would send a Shooting Star
with a message that the Terrible Trio were together again, and they
would all wait until the humans came to collect them.

No. 421 also told The Terrible Trio he would speak to the Gentle Wind.
"If you want -- you can send a kiss to your Mom. Gentle will take it
to her, and when she least expects it, Gentle will just brush against
her cheek."

The Terrible Trio told No. 421 to send their Mom a kiss and that way
she would know they were all right and together again.

The two boys and Rascal went dooking off to their mound to clean up the
bachelor quarters they had been living in before Sierra arrived, and
No. 421 sent Oliver to find Gentle Wind. She was probably down by the
pool combing the clouds out of her long hair.

Sierra went with No. 421 to write the message for Gentle to take with
her.

"Mom, when you step outside again, and feel a soft wind on your cheek,
that is a kiss from all of us, she wrote. "I am happy again, I have
found my brothers, and Rascal, and we will wait for you and Dad. We
love you all."

She gave the note to No. 421 and he said he would send it out on a
star tonight. Then he tucked a kiss into a soft warm breeze to give to
Oliver to take to Gentle as soon as he came back.

So began another day at the Rainbow Bridge. The sun was shining
brightly and it was time for lunch. Ferrets everywhere were getting up
and going about their business.

As soon as things settled down a bit, No. 421 thought he might go and
see how Sierra was settling in. She was a sweetie and he thought he'd
like to get to know her better.

Greetings delivered from No. 421 at the Rainbow Bridge.
Status of Order - Mission Complete.

[Posted in FML 6067]