No. 421 was tired. He had spent the last several days building a
skating rink for some new kits, and he was glad he was home. He was
sitting in his favorite chair by the fireplace when there was a
flutter of wings and then a knock on the door.

Oliver opened the door and Bluebird flew in.

"Hi No. 421," she chirped. "Glad you are back. I has a request for you,
from Rusty's Mom. Seems he crossed the bridge, and The Receiving Angel
put him up at Skye's B&B and now that you are back, we will send him
across. Here is the list of family to look for."

And that said, she turned to Oliver, who was still standing at the
door, and flew out into the dusk.

No. 421 took the ticket and turned to Oliver. "I saw Faith and Hope at
Bakin' Bertha's before I left to build the rink," he said. "They, along
with Sasha and Egore are in that mound down by the wild raisin patch.
If you hurry, we can do this greeting and be back in time for our
raisin stew. Stop at Bakin' Bertha's Cafe and pick up some rolls and
Pawprint cookies."

Oliver put on his winter jacket and dashed out into the chill winter
air. He ran all the way to the wild raisin patch. There was a soft glow
coming from the mound, and lots of dooking. Oliver knocked. A pretty
girl ferret answered the door. "Hello," she said. "I'm Sasha, what can
I do for you?"

"H-H-HO, I mean hi," Oliver stammered. "I'm currier for No. 421 Bridge
Greeter, er, ah, Bridge Greeter No. 421, and we have one of your
relatives crossing tomorrow morning. His name is Rusty, and I'd like
you to come to the Bridge and meet him."

"Rusty is here?" Sasha said. "Tomorrow morning  -  what's the matter
with right now?"

"Well, Skye is now running a B&B for ferrets we have to lay over so
he'll be okay tonight."

"We always have room for one more at our table," Sasha said. "Hope and
Faith, you finish supper, set another place at the table, Egore, you
come with Oliver and me and we'll get Rusty tonight." And with that
said, Sasha and Egore rushed past Oliver and were off to the Bridge.
They caused such a stir that they rustled the branches of a nearby
tree. Gentle Breeze was taking a nap in the branches and woke with a
start. Oliver was puffing up the hill when Gentle Breeze asked what
was going on and could he help?

Oliver asked Gentle Breeze to tell No. 421 the greeting was on for
tonight, and to fly as fast as he could to the Gate and tell The
Receiving Angel to send Rusty over. His family just could not and
would not wait to see him.

No. 421 had just got comfortable in his chair at the Bridge when Sasha
and Egore arrived.

"Where is Rusty," Sasha asked? "I thought he would be here by now."

No. 421 told the two ferrets to sit with him for a moment and he was
sure Rusty would be here in a bit. A few minutes later the bridge began
to creak and a lone ferret came into view. Sasha began to call, "Rusty,
that you? Rusty, Sasha is here with Egore. Hurry up."

"Hey Buddy, how you doin' Egore said.

"What am I doing here," Rusty said? "Egore, your dead, where am I."

"Son, this is the Rainbow Bridge," No. 421 said. "You too have passed
over and now, your family is here to greet you.

The three ferrets were hugging and dooking all at once. Rusty finally
broke away and came over to No. 421.

"Could I send a message back to my Mom and tell her I am here," he
said?

Gentle Breeze was still at the Bridge so he said he would get Shooting
Star and be right back. Rusty told No. 421 he wanted to thank his Mom
for all she did for him, and he was feeling so much better now. "I'm
with my buddies Sasha and Egore and I will live with them until you
come for all of us," he said. "Here is a bunch of "paw shakes" as I
never was the kissy type. But that did not mean I did not love you,
ferret fashion. Love you Mom; will wait here for you forever. Rusty.

No. 421 took the message and wrapped it up for Shooting Star. He would
wait for Gentle Breeze to bring her back. Sasha, Egore and Rusty said
goodbye to Oliver and No. 421 and Sasha told them to hurry, because
Hope and Faith were waiting supper. The three ferrets scurried down
the path and took a shortcut sliding over a frozen pond. They came out
right near their mound and they could smell the wonderful supper that
awaited them.

Shooting Star came around the path and picked up the message, and asked
Gentle Breeze to deliver it.

No. 421 went home to stoke the fire and warm up their supper while
Oliver dashed off to Bakin' Bertha's for some rolls and pawprint
cookies.

No. 421 wrote in his logbook, mission accomplished, Rusty is with
family, and Sasha will keep everything in line. Nothing to worry about
there.

Supper was bubbling just as Oliver came through the door with the rolls
and the pawprint cookies. No. 421 served the soup up in hot, steaming
bowls and the two friends sat down to eat.

[Posted in FML 6910]