**Special note from SodaFerret**
The story about this little guy touched me so deeply, I came out of
retirement to greet him and let you all know he made it safely to the
Rainbow Bridge,

Thank you,
SodaFerret

Early one morning SodaFerret was taking a quiet stroll along the shores
of the Rainbow Bridge. How beautiful he thought to himself as the
reflection of the sunrise danced and glimmered on the water. Everything
had been relatively quiet as of late at the Rainbow Bridge, not many
recent arrivals which made him happy; it was always such a sad time
when a little fuzzy left their families behind and came to the Rainbow
Bridge.

The sweet scent of jasmine was thick in the air as Soda walked along.
Times like this when he was alone with his thoughts he couldn't help
but look up at the beautiful clear blue sky and wonder when he would
see his family again; the family he was blessed to have the remaining
few days of his life; the family he longed to see, the loving hands
once again stroking his coat, holding him close whispering secrets
to him, giving him the softest bedding in which to sleep, and the
unconditional love he was gifted with by the mom who held him in her
arms as he left one life for the next. As Soda continued his early
morning walk along the shore, a faint whisper drifted on the breeze to
him; "Another is coming today" and Soda's heart felt so sad; another
ferret had lost the brave fight they had fought, another heart ached, a
torrent of tears falling inside it, another loss but that broken heart
would hold fast to the Promise given by the Creator; the human and
ferret would be reunited. The kind person and the little ferret had
been blessed with a brief period of time together but it was long
enough for a strong bond to be formed. The scent of this precious
we-one was left on the heart of the kind human and the little ferret
had taken the memory of the soft loving hands; the one who had loved
him for an hour; he took that memory and tucked it away in his heart.

SodaFerret made his solemn journey to the Bridge and upon arrival he
found SunnyFerret and some of the other Bridge Helpers already there.
The breeze began to shift and the sky took on new colors that seemed to
be carried on the wind. The colors danced and the little group watched
them change from one shade to another. As the breeze danced and the
colors swirled, tiny flecks of color from the rainbow began to sprinkle
down on the little group of ferrets who were there to welcome the
wee-one that was due to arrive.

The group of ferrets joined paws as they closed their eyes and began
to send all their love and strength to the one who was making his way
through the stars. The little Bridge group was also sending their love
and prayers to the kind human who had gifted this wee-one with the last
and final hour of love he would experience.

The wee-one who was making his way through the stars had been rescued
in the final hours of his life. In better times he had been a handsome
albino with a nice fully coat but due to neglect he was completely
emaciated, too weak to raise his head to look at his new surroundings
as the surrender was made.

But what about Henry and BabySister? It had been Mr. Ferret's job to
look after his younger cage mates. If he was not there to look after
them who would make sure they were ok? Mr. Ferret was in such a
condition he couldn't care for himself much less another ferret; a
prayer sent floating into the air that somehow Henry and BabySister
would be cared for.

Mr. Ferret felt so warm and snug in the soft baby blanket the nice
human cradled him in. The human spoke gently to him, reassuring him
over and over that he was loved and what a wonderful ferret he was.
Going on another car ride Mr. Ferret became worried, where are they
taking me? Maybe they don't like me after all, 'specially after they
saw how skinny I am and the bugs I have crawling on me. Crying out in
his heart, the wee-one apologized to the nice human he was sorry for
how he looked and so sorry he had ugly biting bugs crawling all over
him.

Mr. Ferret remembered feeling a sharp pain and then the earth began to
spin away from underneath him. At first he was frightened, not knowing
what was happening or where he was going. He then began to feel
something new; a warmth of love and guidance as the Ferret Promise Song
was being sung for him. The sad sweet melody swirled all around him and
he felt he was being cradled in the warmth of love and protection; that
same feeling of love he had felt when he was being held by the nice
lady. Mr. Ferret then began to hear a beautiful soft voice whispering
to him, "come home child, we are waiting for you." The deep clear voice
filled the air with the bittersweet refrain of the Ferret Promise Song.
The melody of love told the story of hope and promise and also of
sorrow and loss all tied together in the cycle of life. The song
explained pain fading away, of limbs being made strong again, and eyes
once more bright and seeing, it told of the sorrow of passing and the
joy waiting in the Promise.

Arriving at the Rainbow Bridge, MoonBeam Molly lowered herself to the
ground and then patiently waited for her tiny passenger to gather his
strength and climb down from the basket from which he had streaked
across the night sky; a bright light hurling its way to the heavens,
a wee little ferrety angel making his way to the Rainbow Bridge.

The little ferret climbed down from the basket and looked all around
with big round eyes drinking in all the sights. What bees dis pwace,
who all dese fewest bees he wondered to himself.

Almost immediately the little ferret's eyes filled with tears when
he remembered he had been forced to leave behind his two cage mates;
Henry and BabySister.

SunnyFerret immediately went over to the new arrival and placed a
protective arm around him. "What is it Mr. Ferret, why are you so
sad?" she asked.

"I bees misting Henwy and BabySistur" he explained. "And wheres be dat
nice wady who holds me and makes me feels safe, I wikes her and would
wikes to go back dere now plwase."

"I am very sorry but you can't do that" SunnyFerret explained to the
new arrival. "But you did a very special thing, you hung on until you
were sure the three of you were out of that terrible place and only
when you were assured they were safe, only then did you let go and
allow your spirit to escape your sickly body. That was a very brave
thing you did" SunnyFerret told him.

"Pwease" the little ferret asked Mz SunnyFerret "pwease wets me goes
back to dat nice wady. She habs da softiest bwankets, and she not minds
da way I wooks, she say she woves me anyhows, I would wikes to go back
dere now pwease" and as if he was too weak to go on, the little albino
ferret collapsed in a heap on the ground.

Taking the little ferret's face in her two paws, SunnyFerret looked to
the heavens and nodded. Almost instantly a delicate dusting of fairy
dust began to sprinkle over the new arrival. Placing a delicate kiss
on each cheek of the little ferret, the little ferret seemed a bit
surprised. "You not minds da way I wooks eider?" he asked Mz
SunnyFerret.

"Minding the way you look" SunnyFerret sang out to him, "just look at
yourself.

Helping the little albino ferret to his feet, he was able to see
himself in one of the tiny mirrors dotted all over the place on trees
at the Rainbow Bridge. He was healthy again, he was back to his chubby
self and his coat was so white it seemed to glisten in the sunlight.
"Wook at me!" he cried out to everyone, "wooks at me. Who dooes dis to
me?" Mr. Ferret wanted to know, "dids you dooes dis to me" he asked
SunnyFerret.

With tears in her eyes SunnyFerret took Mr. Ferret in her arms.
"Remember the nice lady that helped you and then told you Henry and
BabySister were safe?" she asked him. "It was her love for you that
brought you here and for making Henry and BabySister safe. She did
all that because she loved you so much" SunnyFerret explained.

Approaching SunnyFerret and Mr. Ferret was SodaFerret, standing so
tall and handsome, with the most gentle look on his face. "Mr. Ferret,
my name be SodaFewet, and I gots sick. My odder hoomans not wants me
anymore and dey frew me away but den I gots a new mom and she woved
me." Lowering his head in hopes the others wouldn't see the tears in
his eyes Soda went on to explain. "Da new mom she woved me and takes
care of me till I comes here. You will gets to sees yur new mom 'gain,
I pwomise. Come on, I will teaches you how to wooks in on yur mom in
da wefwecting pool we has her

[Posted in FML 5933]