In Loving Memory Of CHANCIE

The leaves of the willow tree rustled softly overhead.

 Eatbugs closed his eyes and listened to their gentle murmurings,

 hearing his humans' voices whispering with each soft breeze. It had been so

 long since he'd walked his days in the sun, but the love bond of his humans

 surrounded him always, as fresh and pure as in the time before.

Such was the Great Promise. Eatbugs smiled and purred his love into the wind,

feeling it drift away from him to the hearts of his humans below.

"Morning, Eatbugs." Beethoven padded softly up beside her furriend.

"Morning, Beethoven."

"Are you giving peeper rides today?"

Eatbugs laughed. "No, I about ran my pads off yesterday. Dino and Creamsickle

are today's sucke...er... volunteers."

Beethoven chuckled. "You'd think the peepers would get tired eventually.

 I swear Gypsy nearly had to sit on Little Dots last night to get him to go to sleep."

Eatbugs nodded. "Pounce wasn't much more co-operative. Afraid he'd miss 'somesthings citing!' "

"Of course, *we* were never that much trouble." Beethoven attempted a look of wide-eyed innocence.

"Never!" Eatbugs laughed.

"Come on. Linus and Boots are getting a hockey game going.

We need a good goalie." Beethoven stood and smoothed her sleek ebony fur.

"Okay!"

The two furiends padded merrily through the soft grass.

They waved tails in greeting to Max and Skunk as they passed.

Catsup and Spunky were wrestling under the willow tree. Catsup was ahead two falls

to one, but Spunky had her in a headlock, bunny kicking with gay abandon.

Rocky and Picnic were trading tall tales. Eatbugs smiled. He loved their "mouse that got away" stories.

Everywhere he looked, Eatbugs saw the true spirit of the Company.

Kiddens passed their day in joy and laughter, bathed in the warmth of furiendship.

They reached the open field and found Linus and Boots picking teams.

Panther and Jasmine were practicing their slap shots. Grace and Lola were enjoying

a little pre-game nip. Bilbo and Noki were grooming their claws. Eatbugs and Beethoven trotted over.

"Okay, Beethoven, you're with me." Linus gave her sister an earlick.

"Eatbugs, you'll be goalie." Boots counted his team and turned to start the game.

The puck flew into the air and kiddens bounded wildly after it. Lola slapped it hard, and

Jasmine went off in hot pursuit.

Eatbugs stood ready to guard the goal. He watched as Noki deftly swiped the puck

from Grace's paws. Just as the jumble of kiddens turned his way, he felt it. Virginia's

voice whispered in his mind, "Come, Little One, you are needed."

Eatbugs turned and ran from the field.

"Hey! Where are you going???" Bilbo stood with the puck in his paw.

"It's all right. The game is over for now." Boots bowed his head and followed Eatbugs.

In the Clearing of the Elders, Eatbugs found the Circle gathering. Virginia and Isolde stood solemnly

over Dusty Kidden and Pitty Pat. Their siblings formed a ring around them. They sat curled together, their

 eyes closed in concentration. The Elders bowed their heads and gently lifted their purrs into

the wind. Virginia purred a song of warmth and love. Isolde purred of healing strength and gentle passings.

 Boots sang of companionship and the love of the Company. Eatbugs felt a tear trickling

down his cheek as he lifted his voice, singing the Great Promise.

As the final words of their song drifted away towards the earth,

Dusty Kidden opened his eyes. "It is time."

The Elders rose and together they made their solemn journey. Side by side they walked.

The Company of Kiddens silently joined them as they passed. Hockey pucks forgotten,

Beethoven and Linus walked with tails linked. Picnic and Rocky walked with Little Dots and Max.

 Putt Putt walked with Priscilla and Skunk. The Company, joined by their bonds of love, traveled to welcome another.

At the Gate, the Company formed their Circle. They lifted their voices into the wind and

joined the bittersweet refrain of the Welcoming Song. They sang of love and loss.

They sang of joy and furiendship, but mostly they sang of the immutable love bond, the Great Promise.

The blue light shimmered across the Gate, and in its wake sat a beautiful white bichon. Her fur gleamed

in the afternoon sun, her eyes bright with wonder.

Dusty Kidden stepped forward and offered his nose in greeting. "Welcome, Chancy, to the Rainbow Bridge."

Chancy bowed her head. A tear trickled down her cheek. "So soon?" She sighed.

Tina Saavik nuzzled her cheek. "It's all right, Chancy. It isn't forever."

"You'll see her again, promise!" Charlie Brown purred and licked Chancys ear. "We'll wait for her together. You'll see."

Chanct swallowed hard and nodded. She had heard the song of Promise.

She took the paw that Tina offered and stepped forward to meet her new furiends. One by one the Company offered

their noses in greeting, and Chancy sniffed them all.

When all their greetings had been made, Tina turned to lead her home. Chancy paused and looked sadly

over the edge of the Rainbow. "But who will smurgle with Mom now?"

"You will." Virginia nuzzled her cheek. "In the quiet places of her heart, she will always

 feel your love. Other kiddens on earth will feel the stroke of her hand and

the love of her heart, but the space you filled there will always be yours. The Creator has promised it.

 Close your eyes, Chancy, and listen with your heart."

Chancy squeezed her eyes tight and listened. At first all she heard was the chittering of

chirps and the soft, whispering wind.

"Listen with your heart," Virginia repeated quietly.

Then she heard it. Her mother was whispering words of love. She felt her warmth of her hand in her

 fur and felt her love surround her. She squeezed her eyes tighter and thought with all

her heart. She pursed her whiskers in concentration, then turned her love into the wind.

"I am home, Mom. I am whole. I am waiting."

And then she turned and followed her new friends home.

In Loving Memory of CHANCIE who will be greatly missed