The clouds were still snuggled up against the moon when No. 421 heard
a heavy pounding on his door.

"Hey, No. 421, you awake? It's me, Oliver, and we has a job to do,"
said No. 421's currier. "The Receiving Angel was up early and we has
a ferret by the name of Ghost crossing this morning."

No. 421 was up late last night and he just snuggled deeper into his
bed.

"Get up," Oliver said. "We will be late, I has to leave now and find
Avalon and Aggro. Will you have breakfast ready when I get back?"

No. 421 told Oliver to just come in and they would eat before they
went. No. 421 looked over the receiving ticket, but he could hardly
read it. He told Oliver he thought they were the two ferrets down by
the brook. No. 421 tried again to smooth out the Receiving Angels
ticket. Oliver always ran very fast and held the ticket very tight,
and by the time No. 421 received it, it was all mashed up.

After a breakfast of oatmeal with honey and ferretone, the two friends
started up the path to the Rainbow Bridge. Oliver took the path to the
right down to the brook to look for Avalon and Aggro. No. 421 looked at
his slip again. He was sure they were the two Oliver wanted.

As No. 421 approached the Bridge, he saw a ferret just stepping up to
the gate.

"Hello there," No. 421 called. "Might you be Ghost?" We have been
expecting you, so come on over."

Ghost began to walk across the bridge and looked around. This place
was not like home, in fact, he had never seen anything so beautiful.
Gardens in the morning light, the sun just peeping over the hills, and
ferrets, down in the valley coming out of their mounds to get water for
the new day.

"Where am I?" Ghost said. "How did I get here and where is my Mom?"

"Son, you are at the Rainbow Bridge," No. 421 said. "This will be your
forever home until your human Mom comes for you. My currier, Oliver has
gone to get your brother and sister. They have been here are will be
happy to see you."

Ghost was not convinced; he missed his home and Miss Odo, Pandora, and
Falkor. How would they get along without him?

There was a sound of ferrets dooking happily and over the ridge came
Avalon and Aggro.

"Hey Buddy -- that you," said Avalon. "Come here and give me a hug.
Boy have we missed you."

Aggro joined in the group hug, and the three ferrets began to dook all
at once.

Oliver sat down by No. 421, and told him that Avalon and Aggro had a
nice place with plenty of room for Ghost.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, Puffy the cloud said his goodnights;
he was going to sleep till dark.

"No. 421, if you have any messages for me to take out tonight just
leave them with Gentle Breeze," Puffy said. "The two of us will deliver
them by moonlight tonight."

Ghost said he would like to tell his human Mom Michelle he had arrived
and was with Avalon and Aggro.

"Mom, we will wait for you till you come and get us," Ghost said.
"Please don't cry, I am really not very far from you. I only moved from
being in front of your eyes to a little spot in your heart. I'm with
you always; you just cannot see me. I love you and will wait here till
I see you again."

"Okay," Puffy said. "Got it. Gentle Breeze and I will be out tonight,
and your mom Michelle will get her message before morning. She will
see you in her minds eye, and you will always be in her heart."

And saying that, he curled like a big cotton ball and went to sleep.
Avalon and Aggro took Ghost by the paw and told him the Otter that
lived up stream had made a great slide, but he was away for a few days.
They had watched him build it, and planned to play on his slide while
he was away. Now, with three ferrets it would be much more fun.

No. 421 and Oliver settled down to wait until the end of their shift.
No. 421 continued to try to smooth out his ticket. The Receiving Angel
just could not figure how No. 421's tickets were such a mess.

The sun began to climb up in the sky, and sounds of dooking, chuckles
and splashing could be heard as Avalon and Aggro taught Ghost how to
use a mudslide.

No. 421 wrote in his logbook, another mission completed. Ghost was
reunited with his siblings, and all was quiet except for the sounds
of fun coming from the brook.

Oliver was dozing, and No. 421 pulled his hat over his eyes to shield
them from the sun, and the two ferrets settled down their morning nap.

[Posted in FML 6383]