A Christmas Adventure

Fuzz Tail, the ferret, wanted to be home for Christmas. The tree was so
much fun to climb, and there were ornaments to stash, candy canes to
taste and presents to steal. Oh, how she loved the presents, the boxes,
and the piles of wrapping paper to snorkel through. Her mouth was
watering at the thought of all the extra treats, even if she was caught
doing a fuzzy no-no. She sure missed her warm morning gravy and her
persons snuggles, and her furry room mates. She knew it was a bad idea
to run outside that day, but it was just too tempting for a curious
fert to resist. The little boy hadn't meant to let her out, or make her
run to hide when he yelled. She couldn't remember when she'd become
lost, but knew it was a fact that she was out of her element.

It was starting to get dark and cold. It was time, she thought, to find
a place to pass the night. There were big scary things out here in the
woods, and she needed a spot to hole up in. She found a sheltered
hollow filled with fragrant dried leaves, and curled up to sleep. That
empty feeling in her middle threatened to keep her awake, but she was
so exhausted, she fell asleep shivering from the cold.

In her dreams visions of her persons smiling face, her warm sleep sack,
all her buddies to snuggle and all the crunchies stashed in her hidey
holes kept appearing. When she would reach out for them with her paw,
they would disappear, and this made her cry out. Where was her loving
person? Where did her sleepy sack and crunchies go? Where were her
furry friends? She missed them all so much. She woke whimpering for
all that she had lost.

It was a new day, and she decided to search for something to eat, after
she took care of the necessary. The trouble with the outdoors was it
had no corners. She eventually found some berries the birds had missed,
and at least it took away some of the ache in her stomach. She kept
hoping to see home just around the next bend. She felt like she had
wandered forever, but she couldn't seem to remember which way to go.
All to soon it was growing dark again, and starting to snow. She looked
and looked for a place to lay her head. Everywhere she turned, she
could find no shelter from the cold night air. Finally she saw a large
pine tree, and decided itwould have to do, she couldn't walk much
farther. She started to shiver violently as she curled up among the
pine needles. She started to drift off, wishing with all her might that
she could find her warm safe home. She thought of all the love she'd
been shown, and how very, very much she missed her person. As the
luminous snow flakes floated to the ground in the pale moonlight, she
wished again to find her special person, and closed her eyes.

A blindingly brilliant light startled her from sleep. She jumped up,
and ran behind a branch, cowering down low, so as not to be seen. She
had no idea what was happening, but she was pretty sure she didn't like
it. Her little pink nose was twitching rapidly looking for some trace
of a scent. As she peeked underneath the evergreen bough, she saw a
pair of shiny black boots. She almost went running to chew on the tasty
looking footwear, but she held back. Then she saw a pair of fuzzy red
pants made of her favorite snuggle material. She knew they were red,
since that is a color ferts can see, and she wanted so much to run up
those pants. She continued to hide, like her mother had taught her.

Soon she heard a jolly voice calling her name. She stuck her nose out
to get a better sniff of this stranger, who knew her by name. Again
the stranger in red called her name and made the ferret noise of
friendship. Her curiosity was getting the better of her, and she crept
forward until her head was far enough out to get a good look.

The stranger looked like a kindly sort. She decided to take a chance
and see what was in the sack he carried at his side. She loved sacks
and this one looked like it held many exciting surprises." I heard your
wish little one, he told her. Tonight many wishes will be granted, as
will yours wee one." She felt safe with this friendly gnome. He put out
his hand, and she ran up his arm to his shoulder. As she slithered
through his beard and into his coat she could feel him chuckling.

The next thing she knew she was in her house. She could tell by the
smells drifting in to her nose that her person and her fur buddies were
close by. Her heart leapt with joy, home. The stranger reached in,
pulled her gently from his coat and held her up to his face. As he
looked into her eyes, she licked his nose in thanks. He placed her into
a stocking hanging by the hallway entrance. He turned to leave, but
turned back and spoke to her." Home is where the love is, Fuzz Tail,
he explained. Stay safe and love your person. She was you very much
and hasn't slept hardly at all since you left."

Fuzz Tail dooked that she did love her person and wouldn't worry her
anymore. She crawled to the bottom of the stocking for the treats she
had smelled there. When she looked out again to say thank you, the
stranger in red had magically disappeared. She heard her person talking
to her fur buddies about how it just wouldn't be the same without Fuzz
Tail today. They were dooking in excitement, as they had smelled her
and knew she was in the house somewhere. As they danced down the hall,
her person laughed at such silliness. "You lot make me laugh, no
matter how sad I feel,", she told them. Fuzz tail couldn't hold in the
excitement anymore, and let out a happy dook. "Now you all are sounding
like my missing baby girl.", her person sighed sadly. "Stocking time
!", she called to the wildly dancing crew of fur buddies. Fuzz Tail
dooked again as she stuck her head out of the stocking.

"Fuzz Tail ! ', her person cried excitedly.

Fuzz Tail was quivering with joy at seeing her persons' loving face
again. Her person picked her up out of the stocking, hugged and kissed
her furry head, hugged her again, and showed her to her fur friends.
They all dooked and danced and stood up to welcome Fuzz Tail. Her
person put her down, fixed them all a bowl of warm gravy while her
buddies sniffed and kissed her, and as her person watched them all
eat, said to herself, magic really does happen on this day. Fuzz Tail
looked up, licked her whiskers and thought, love is the true magic.

Sandy and the Dook City Gang
http://www.picturetrail.com/kathouze
Rainbow Crew-Chelsea, Valentine, Jasmine, Tasha, Taz, Boris, Sugar,
Honey, Popov, Katie, Kovu, Miss Hiss, and Misha

[Posted in FML 6557]