When I first met Rune she was five or six weeks old and full of energy.
I had adopted two four year old ferrets the week before and this was my
first pet store outing to buy them food.  As with any ferret owner, I had
to stop and play with the ferrets and there was only one lonely bouncy
ferret.  She clambered all over my shoulders and head and arms and chose
me to take her home with me.  I named her Rune even before my bank account
started screaming that I needed to pay the rent next week.  She had, up
until recently, a rune shaped mark of white fur on her scruff in the shape
of a stylized crescent moon.
 
She taught me a lot about younger ferrets and while it took some time to
adjust to the older pair who had been together most of their lives, she
fit in wonderfully.  She used to curl up with me and sleep.  I was her
mother, father, sibling, plaything all rolled into one two-legged
raisin-giving package.
 
Rune has been with me through all my moves over the years from Stamford,
CT where I purchased her to Michigan to Missouri, back to New York and
now to New Hampshire.  She has been the only real constant throughout
those years and has seen Helen and Ceridwen pass away while in the
Midwest and Trill, who died very suddenly a couple years ago.
 
Rune has been through it all with me and been a witness to most of my
young adult life and recently she came down with several geriatric ferret
problems.  From insulinoma and adrenal disease to some fluid in her lungs
and some heart problems.  She has lost a lot of fur and over the last week
started fighting the medication she was being given and stopped eating and
drinking altogether.  Luckily I have moved to a place where one of the
best ferret vets in the country is less than an hour away, Dr. Dutton in
Weare, NH.  He's been very informative and helpful throughout the last
couple months.
 
It's time for Rune to head over the Rainbow Bridge though and it's
absolutely breaking my heart to know it's time for her to leave.  I'm
taking her to bury her this weekend in one of my favorite spots in the
world that overlooks the North Atlantic, a place that for some reason has
always resonated very strongly with me and a place I know that I will
return to again and again over the years.
 
I've got one really wonderful picture of her facing the camera looking
so vibrant and full of life that I used for a holiday card years ago and
everyone I have sent it to has kept it with them at work or in their
homes and received endless compliments about how adorable she is.  The
most important pictures will be in my head and heart though of all the
times I've had with her over the course of her life.
 
Rune leaves behind four other ferret friends: Lea, Kayla, Panda, and Ash.
I adopted Ash a couple years ago and had taken Rune in a carrier to see
who she would get along best with.  Ash was to be a playmate for Trill
who died soon after.  There were dozens of shelter ferrets bouncing around
and it was hard to decide which one would be best.  Ash knew though.  He
waddled right out of his cage, into the carrier and curled up to sleep
without a second though.
 
Rune also leaves behind two cats, Epiphany, who has always been curious
about ferrets but afraid of their energetic playfulness, and Azrael.  I
think Az really loves Rune.  She always plays with her when she is out of
the cage and follows her about.  She does not do this with the others.
 
Guess that's about all, I apologize for the length, but wanted you all to
know that this wonderful ferret will be very very sorely missed.
[Posted in FML issue 3814]