I had no new arrivals this morning, so I decided to take a walk up by the Bridge. With all the newly-arriving fuzzies, one never has the time to stop and admire the Bridge. It really is a beautiful place. The outer portions of the Bridge are made of large differently-colored stones, and the planks are made of very old cherry wood. The entire area surrounding the Bridge is covered in lush greenery and tall trees. Underneath it runs a small stream, and one can hear the relaxing sounds of water running over time-polished rocks. I had planned to have my tea by the Bridge and admire the view, but as I approached it I heard the strangest sound. It didn't sound anything like the sound a fuzzy makes. Fuzzies dook and hiss, and sometimes even chatter when hoomins accidentally step on their toe, but this sound was totally different. I remembered hearing this sound before. It was a long sound, a sound that made you feel sad inside. I knew I had heard that sound before! I walked a bit closer. There was a strange creature sitting on the Bridge. It was much bigger than a fuzzy. It had it's eyes closed and it's nose in the air, and it continued to make that same sad sound. I remembered now. This was definitely not a fuzzy; this was a dog! And not just any dog -- this dog had the longest ears I had ever seen on any living thing! They were so long they almost reached the planks of the Bridge. It is not too often that we get creatures other than fuzzies here, but the Boss has been known to make exceptions for special cases. He is an old softie. I asked the dog what it's name was. She stopped howling, lowered her nose, and then proceeded to shake her head, her big ears flapping loudly like someone shaking a rug. She told me her name was Violet and asked where she was. I told her she was at the Bridge. She cocked her head and asked me what a Bridge was. I told her that the Bridge is where fuzzies went to wait for their hoomins to join them one day. Violet huffed a bit and said that she knew about fuzzies, but what was she doing here? I told her I didn't know, but if she gave me a minute I would talk to the Boss and find out. I met the Boss just a little way from the Bridge behind an old maple tree. I asked him if Violet being here was some kind of mistake, but I already knew that the Boss didn't make very many mistakes. He told me that Violet was a very special dog, a dog that had spent so much time with fuzzies that she was almost a fuzzy, herself. Violet was fifteen years old, very old for a dog. Back in the Hoomin world she was very sick and it was getting harder for her to breathe. Violet had tried really hard to stay, but her mom and dad knew it was her time and, sadly, they let her go. The Boss had decided that since Violet had fuzzy brothers and sisters here, she could wait at the fuzzy Bridge until her mom and dad came to get them all. As I headed back towards the Bridge, I heard Violet making that lonesome sad sound again. It was as if she were crying. I asked her why she was crying and she told me she missed her mom and dad and all of her fuzzy brothers and sisters. I told her that everything was going to be alright and I went to give her a big hug - but she took her huge tongue and licked my entire face before I could get my paws around her! My entire face was wet and my glasses rested crookedly on my nose. Oh, for Pete's sake! I wiped off the dog slobber, straightened my glasses, and told Violet to follow me. I had some fuzzies who were anxious to meet her. We walked together back towards the hidey-holes and met up with Violet's fuzzy brother and sisters - Oscar, Tori, and Princess. They were very excited and glad to see their old friend again! Oscar and Tori nestled themselves under Violet's long ears, and Princess gave Violet's nose bunches and bunches of kisses. Violet was so happy to see them all that she almost licked them silly! They talked for a long time about their life back in the Hoomin world and how much they missed everyone. Their reunion was so natural; it was as if they had never been apart. After a bit, Violet noticed something was different about her brother and sister fuzzies. They had something growing on their backs that she didn't recognize from the Hoomin world. I explained to Violet that those were their wings, and that all fuzzies get wings when they come to the Bridge. Oscar, Tori, and Princess all did a war-dance and leapt into the air. They flew around a bit, showing off as Violet watched them, and then landed back on the ground. Violet asked if she might be getting wings, too? Oh, my... that was going to be a problem. I explained to Violet that we only had wings for fuzzies here. We hadn't expected any dogs, and the Boss didn't have any wings here big enough to fit a dog. Violet was very upset that she would not be able to fly with her brother and sisters. She lowered her nose and huffed at the ground, and then raised it up and made that sad sound again. Oh, when a dog makes that sound one can feel a sadness that goes right into your bones! I had to think of something. Violet stopped howling long enough to shake her head and flap her gigantic ears. I think I had an idea... I told Oscar, Tori, and Princess to stand back away from Violet, just for a bit, then I told Violet to shake her head just like she had done a minute ago. She shook her head and I could feel the breeze coming from her ears. This might work. I told Violet to shake her head hard, as hard as she could. Violet stiffened up and shook for all she was worth. Her big ears flapped back and forth and blew dust and leaves into the air. The flapping of her ears was so loud that I had to yell, "Violet, just a little harder honey, you're almost there!" Violet started to rise off the ground! Oscar, Tori, and Princess started dooking, cheering her on. Violet rose completely off the ground and started to move forwards. This was going to work! Her brother and sisters, still dooking, war-danced into the air and joined her. They showed Violet how to maneuver herself in the air, and pretty soon they were all flying around and dogfighting with each other! The noise was deafening; ears were flapping, fuzzies were dooking, and Violet was barking her fool head off! Later on, Violet asked me if she would ever be able to visit her dog sister April, who was over at the dog Bridge. Her mom and dad told her that April would be waiting there for her. I told her that I didn't see why not, especially since she had learned to fly. Flying was the only way one could get to the dog Bridge. Violet smiled a very wide dog smile, and licked my face again. Oh, my goodness! I straightened my glasses one more time as I watched her fly off to visit April. I was going to need a bath to wash all this dog slobber off my fur, so I decided to head home. I was very glad that everything had worked out for Violet. Maybe I would even make myself another cup of tea after my bath. Sandee [Posted in FML issue 5154]