From last year but reposting due to requests. El has since gone to the Bridge this year also, but I am certain she is with her beloved Fonz...... Santa was very busy doing Santa things. He had come down the chimney and was quietly placing gifts and munching on cookies and milk. Suddenly he paused, the slightest sound reaching his ears. He slowly turned and there in the door way stood the tiniest ferret. She was a little sable with a speckled nose and big black eyes that stared at him. El stood there for a moment and finally said "Santaz iz dat realliez youz? Santa smiled and said "yes El it really is me. What are you doing up so late? Shouldn't you be getting your sleep so you can be bouncy for the big day tomorrow?" El thought on this a moment. See, El was an old girl and very shy as a long time ago she had been in a bad place and had seen bad things and had to ponder before she did anything just to make sure. "I wasz ups cause my buddeez Fonzerelly, hez nots feelinz too goodz and ya knowz hez kindaz likes meez as he'z oldz. I'z heardz momz talkint on dat phony ting wit da vetz and I'z scaredz as he'z doinz bad cause da medicinz, theyz nots workinz. Santa, thought for a moment and reached his hand down to El. She gingerly sniffed his glove then gently climbed on. Santa went to the table and sat down with El in his lap, or at least, her on top of it. Santa said "El I know you're scared for Fonzerelly as you love him but is it ok to show you something?" She thought and said "okzz" Santa picked his hand up and swept it in the air and suddenly a beautiful gold shimmer surrounded the room. Things started to materialize and lo and behold El saw a beautiful, huge, arched bridge that shimmered with every color of the rainbow. Beyond it you could see woods and streams and pastures and villages so much you could not see the end. Flowers were everywhere and butterflies and all sorts of beautiful things. In the distance El saw a group of ferrets dooking and dancing and chasing each other in the perfect weather, not too cold and not too hot. El then noticed some people, too, sitting on the ground playing with the ferrets. There were bunnies and dogs and cats and horses and all sorts of other pets. Everyone seemed to be having fun or eating yummy food. El stared and stared. She looked up at Santa and said "whatz iz dis plaze?" Santa said "this is the Rainbow Bridge. It's where all of the pets and their caretakers go when it's time to move on to the next place. "It'zz wunderfulz" El says! "Yes it is El. Not many little ferrets get to see this beforehand but I wanted to show you where your special Fonzerelli will go when it is his turn to leave here so you will not be afraid. When your mom moves on she will be with him and you also along with all the other pets that your mom has loved over her lifetime. It's a very special place." El thought again and looked up at Santa and said "thankeez Santaz, I feelz betters nowz. I'z willz miss dat Fonz but nowz I'z knowz hez willz be allz rights." Santa nodded like only Santa can and gently put El back down on the floor. As he finished his work and was about to leave he noticed El had gone. El trotted down the hall to mom's bedroom where Fonzerelly was sleeping on a big soft special bed. He woke up as she snuggled next to him. He was still breathing harder than normal with sad eyes as he wasn't feeling very good tonight. El said "Fonz! Youz ups?" "yesz elzz. Wherez youz beenz?" "I'z beenz wit dat Santaz in da bigs roomz wits dat bigs treez in its! I'z so excitez, dat Santaz he showz mez a wonderfulz plaze Fonz! Itz wherez all uz petz goes afterz we leavez herez . Evenz moms willz be'z dere somedayz!!." Fonz laid his head on El and said "I'z knowz Elz" El looked at Fonz and said "howz?" Fonz said " seez whenz itz close to a ferretz timez to leavez herez all za odder kidz dat haz lefts beforez comez to visitz and tellz youz aboutz da Bridge so'z we'z nots afraidz. Whens weez movez onz zeyz comes to getz us to showz us da way." "oh' El says, "datz so coolz! I'z scaredz forz yous fonzzz andz I'z gonnaz miz yous sooozzz much buts I'z betterz now abouts it." "I'z willz miss youz tooz Elzz" Fonz says. "but weez willz seez each odders againz der" "I luvss youz Fonz" El says. "I luvss youz tooz Elzz" Fonz says. "Merryz Christmaz" njp 2012 [Posted in FML 7997]