Spring had been cool and wet at the Bridge and Oliver decided to set
a fire in the stove to warm up the cabin. He was out picking up an
armload of wood when Bluebird flew up to the gate.

"Hi Oliver," she said. "I has a ticket here for a Princess. A real
Princess, so kinda dress up a bit will you? Anyway, this princess has
family here, a couple of dudes named Rascal and Sparky. See if you
can find them please -- what with storms and losing power, the Bridge
Greeters has been unable to greet anyone.

Oliver brought in the wood and leaving a note of the table for No. 421,
he skipped away to the Rock Ledges where he knew the two brothers
lived.

Oliver was approaching the Rock Ledges when he heard the sound of
someone pounding rocks. Rounding the corner, he saw a half built
outside rock grill.

"Hi Fellers," Oliver shouted. "What are you building? Looks like a
barbeque."

The boys stopped working and began explaining what they were doing.
Seems now that summer was here, they were building a grill and were
going to barbeque almost every day.

"Hi Oliver" Rascal said. "What brings you over here today? We don't
have time to play as we want to get this grill finished so we can start
cooking."

"Well, I came to see if you could come and greet one of your family,"
Oliver said. "Seems that Princess Isabell is crossing and her Mom has
asked that we find her family. So, here I am."

Both ferrets just stopped and looked. "Did we hear that right," Rascal
said. "Princess Isabell is here?"

"Yes, the Princess is here and I was hoping you could meet her with
me," Oliver said. "I don't know how to treat a real Princess."

Rascal and Sparky started to run to the house. They had been living
like a couple of batchelders and the house was just a little messy.
There were clothes everywhere, dished hid the sink, cobwebs were
hanging like curtains and the hammy's were upside down.

Sparky and Rascal began to race around and pick up the mound. "Hey
Oliver," Rascal called. "Why don't you do dishes and I'll sweep and
clean. We can pile up the laundry in the closet, and do it after she
gets here."

Sparky herded all the spiders outside and Rascal took down all their
webs while Oliver tidied up the kitchen. When he was through, he dried
the dishes and set the table for the evening meal. So Princess Isabell
would feel she was expected and wanted, he set a place for her.

Finally all was ready and the three set off for the Bridge. A lone
ferret girl sat on the bench that No.421 usually sat on. When she saw
the three ferrets she stood up and asked Oliver if this was the Rainbow
Bridge?

"Yes it is," Oliver said. "I was supposed to be here to meet you,
but with the weather and finding your family, I'm sorry I am late."
Princess Isabell smiled one of her sweet smiles and said. "That's
alright, I was enjoying the song of the birds. Who are these fellows,"
she said.

Oliver said they were her family. "This is Sparky and this is Rascal,"
he said. "You are going to go home and live with them at their mound."

Oliver began to sweat -- he really was not very good at this. The
Princess did not look happy. "I must tell you now, I'm not going to
pick up after you and do all the work," she said. "I am a princess and
we don't to any work."

Sparky and Rascal just looked at each other. They would have to change
their way of living. No more doing the dishes once a week -- Oh Dook
they would really have to try to be neatniks.

Oliver suggested they start for the mound so the Princess could get
settled before nightfall, and holding her paw, they started down the
path to the mound. Princess Isabell was looking around at everything.
She looked around and decided she could really like this place. As the
they passed Bakin' Berthas café, Honey came out and said "Hello" to
Isabell.

"We heard you were coming so we baked some little cakes fit for a
Princess," Honey said handing Oliver a box with some dainty little
cakes in it.

Isabell was so surprised she almost cried. "Thank you, oh thank you,"
she said. "I'll be sure to come over and visit as soon as I get
settled. Thank you again."

As they neared the house, Princess Isabell began to wonder if she was
really welcome, and would she be really happy here? She missed Pheobe,
her sister, and she missed her Mom.

The four ferrets walked into the kitchen and Princess Isabell sat down
on a chair. She was looking at the table -- there were three places
set.

"Oh Rascal and Sparky, you really do want me here," she cried. "You
were expecting me for dinner". And getting up, she went over and hugged
each of her brothers. She asked Oliver to send a message home to her
Mom that she had found her brothers and world wait here for her.

Oliver told the Princess that he would call Shooting Star and she would
take the message back. She had been a long time coming and she knew her
Earthly Mom would be worried.

The three ferrets were discussing what to have for supper when Princess
Isabell told the boys to go outside and finish what ever they were
building, she would make the dinner. After all, she lived here now,
and this would be her kitchen.

The boys left and Princess Isabell took down the frying pan. She
decided she would make omelets for supper; she was beginning to feel
right at home. She put the little cakes that Honey gave her out on a
plate, and filled each glass with ferretone tea.

Oliver skipped back to the cabin and told No. 421 all about his
greeting. No. 421 took down his logbook -- Mission Complete he wrote,
Oliver was a great help with this, and I am very proud of him. Princess
Isabell is with her family, and has fit right in.

"Because you brought in the wood early, I was able to start supper as
soon as I came in," No. 421 said. "Your favorite, raisin and ferretone
soup."

[Posted in FML 7111]