Muldoone's alarm clock went off waking him from a sound sleep.  Not
wanting to get out of his hammy, but knowing if he didn't he would be in
trouble with Nanna and no ferret in his right mind wanted to ever be in
trouble with Nanna; she was one rather L A R G E ferret with a temper.
Indulging in another long delicious stretch, Mully climbed out of his
hammy, made his way to his "necessary corner" and began to get himself
ready to head to the Bridge to greet the new ferret due to arrive.
 
On this particular morning Muldoone was on his way to greet a little
ferret by the name of Buddy, his familee called him their 'Miracle
Ferret' but at the end, no more miracles could be had to keep him with
them on earth.
 
Not long after getting to the Bridge, the lights over the rainbow began
to dance and swirl; colors more beautiful than ever seen on earth now
painted the sky.  The colors blended and then changed again; shades of
pink gave way to peach and yellows then changed to a soft green that
blended into a soft blue that gave itself over to shades of lavender.  A
delicate fairy dusting began to swirl all around Muldoone confirming a
new arrival was only moments away.
 
Muldoone felt the pain of the one on earth who was leaving his body
behind and embarking on a new journey.  For the wee-one below, he was
leaving a sickly body and making his way to a better place; a place free
of all pain and illness but to a place that would separate him from
those he loved so much.
 
Buddy felt the warmth of Muldoone's love and guidance as it was being
sent to him.  The sad sweet melody of the Ferret Promise song seemed
to swirl all around him and he felt he was being cradled in love and
protection.  He heard a beautiful soft voice whisper to him "Come home
wee-one we are waiting for you."
 
The melody was now awash in her heart and he no longer feared letting go.
His thoughts were centered on those he loved most and his heart whispered
a message to his familee, I be sorry but I no can stay, pwease forgives
me."
 
In the bright sky over the Rainbow Bridge the Ferret Promise Song filled
the air with its bittersweet refrain.  Muldoone had heard the melody many
many times but it still caused him pangs in his heart missing his own
familee back on earth.  The song sang of hope and promise, of sorrow and
loss, all tied together in the cycle of life.  It sang of pain fading
away, of limbs being made strong again, and eyes once more clear and
bright, it told of the sorrow of passing and the joy waiting in the
promise.  At the moment of each ferret's passing the Creator gently took
each one into His thundering velvet right hand and whispered to their
hearts "I knew you before you were ever a ferret, I knew you while you
were on earth, and now you have returned to Me.  Rest now wee-one, you
are home, come and start your new journey that begins at the Bridge."
 
The flash of light subsided and then Mully heard the unmistakable sound
of ferrety feets coming across the time-worn planks of the Rainbow
Bridge; the Moonbeam Molly Express having delivered another ferret whose
time on earth had been cut short.
 
Watching the newcomer taking cautious steps coming across the Bridge,
Muldoone he recognized the uncertainties the newcomer must be feeling.
So many ferrets arrived at the Bridge afraid, sad to be away from their
familees, even a few had arrived and were angry about coming to the
Bridge, and they felt they had not had nearly enough time on earth with
their hoomans.  This guy Buddy slowly made his way across the Bridge
carrying a flannel sleep sac which he opened a few time and peeked inside
like he was checking to see to make sure whatever was in there was still
there.
 
"Hello, I be Mr. Muldoone, officialist Wainbow Bwidge Gweeter" he told
the new arrival, "welcomes to the Bwidge.  Your name be Buddy?" Mully
asked him.
 
For a long time little Buddy said nothing, he just stared at all the new
sights before him, holding tightly to the flannel sleep sac he brought
with him.
 
"Hey kid, you be okay?" Muldoone asked him.  "You knos where you be?  You
be at da Wainbow Bwidge, you not bees sick no mores" Mully explained to
him.
 
"Yes I knos where I be" the little sable ferret told Muldoone "but I not
wants to be here.  My mom say I gots fwiends here but I not care 'bout
dat, I wants to go back and be wiff my familee on earff.  Pwease Misser
Muldoone, can you fixes me and sends me back?  "
 
Mully felt such a sharp pang in his own heart for the newcomer Buddy but
this was something he frequently saw; ferrets arriving at the Bridge
heartbroken to be away from a familee they loved so much.
 
Muldoone looked up in time to see a shimmering shape beginning to take
form at the Gate.  SunnyFerret's fur glistened in the sunlight to those
who didn't know her she could have been mistaken for a goddess of some
sorts.  Mully instantly knew she had come to welcome Buddy and help him
to understand about his time on earth being over and now he would wait at
the Bridge for his loved ones to join him.  SunnyFerret's crystal blue
eyes held a wisdom and sorrow along with a beauty that took Muldoone's
breath away.  No one ever grew tired of gazing upon her beautiful face,
Mz SunnyFerret had an outward beauty that reflected her inner beauty,
her peace, and gentleness.
 
"Welcome to the Rainbow Bridge Buddy" SunnyFerret told the little sable
ferret, smiling gently at him.
 
Little Buddy's eyes were full of tears as he tried to speak.  "I wants
to go home, I no wants to be here, I misses my familee.  Pwease sends me
back, my mom bees sad 'bout me leaving her."
 
"Buddy I am sorry but we can't do that" SunnyFerret gently tried to
explain to him.  "You were sick, your heart got sickest of all and it
no longer worked so it was necessary for you to come here."
 
"Nuffin bees wong wiff my heart" Buddy told SunnyFerret.  "I bees sick
but nuffin be wong wiff my heart cept it be bwoke."
 
"Buddy, why do you say your heart was broke?" SunnyFerret asked him.
"You had a very loving familee back on earth, you had a wonderful ferret
mom.  Can you tell me how your heart became broke?"
 
"Mz Sunny, I hear my mom say I bees sick and I see her cwy.  I hear her
say dat I be gone soon and it made da mom sad.  I be sad acause my mom be
sad and I make her cwy and it bwoke my heart acause I no want to leave
her, I no want to be sick and I no wants to be away from Mz Lillies."
 
Just then Muldoone saw SunnyFerret glance up and the two of them saw
another ferret approaching.  The one coming towards them was the most
handsome male ferret Mully had ever seen.  He was very large and his
colors were dark and rich.  When he reached the others SunnyFerret
introduced him as SodaFerret, her assistant.  Muldoone remembered
greeting him some time back and also remembered SunnyFerret saying
she could use an assistant to help her from time to time.
 
Soda smiled a warm gentle smile at Buddy and introduced himself.
"Welcomes to da Wainbow Bwidge Buddy, my name be SodaFewet but yous can
call me Soda.  I kno what it be like to not wants to leave your familee
and comes here.  I gots a new familee and I onliest got to be wiff dem a
few days when I comes here.  I bees sad and want to go back but Mz
SunnyFewet helps me to unnerstands dat I not go back but dat I keep
loving my new familee and waits for dem here" Soda explained to Buddy.
"Yur mom send a message for you Buddy, she say to tell you dat she be
missing you a lot and she take good care of your Mz.  Lily for you."
 
As Muldoone, SunnyFerret, and Soda continued to gently assure Buddy about
things and life at the Rainbow Bridge, Mully couldn't help but again
notice the flannel sleep sac the newcomer had brought with him.  "Buddy,
do you likes fwannel?" Muldoone asked him.  Tink you might be innerstered
in a fwannel nightiegown waid wiff us guys sometime?"
 
"I likes fwannel a lot and I hears 'bout your waids from my mom.
Tells me more" Buddy said with a smile to his new friend Muldoone.
 
~~Muldoone~~
Caring for your ferrets at the Rainbow Bridge.
 
Muldoone and Muldoone Enterprises (c) 2005.  All rights
reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
[Posted in FML issue 5101]