Sassy's Tale Sad eyes watched as the small black tuft of fur struggled through the cold, in great pain and badly injured. Others began to gather at the reflecting pond, to keep vigil with the Silver One. “At least he will be home soon” he said to no one in particular. He sighed and settled in to wait for this sad cast away soul. “Surely he cannot hold out much longer – he is injured and starving and freezing.” “Who will he wait for?” one near him asked. Everyone there had a special love they waited for – someone they had a strong bond with. As the Silver One continued watching the frail feline struggle he heard a sound whispering within the gentle winds. “This one must hold on, it is not yet time. There is a promise to him to be fulfilled. You must go to him and help him cling to life for a bit.” Now the Silver One looked up to the winds, to be sure he had heard them wrong. Prolonging this one’s ordeal served no purpose, it was simply cruel – and he had never known the winds to be cruel. “No, Pooky, we are not being cruel. He was promised something and it is moving to him now. You will have to take it on faith, but he needs your encouragement to hold on” The small feline noticed the day had seemed to be wrapped in a deep fog. “Good, I can go home soon,” he thought. His tummy had long since grown used to too little food and his thin fur sagging loosely on his boney frame did little to keep him warm. He looked up and saw a shadow approaching him in the fog and felt relief that they had come for him. Suddenly he realized he was seeing a large silver wolf. Well, it seemed the fates had one last cruel joke to task him with – but even that was okay – he would not fight and it would be quick. He still shook with fear as the silver wolf reached him. Pooky looked at him with gentle eyes, and then lay down next to him. “You needn’t be afraid; I am not here to hurt you. But it isn’t yet time, so you need to hold on. A promise has been made to you, and that promise will be kept” said the Silver One. “I will share some warmth and wait with you.” With that he settled in next to the small feline. The small feline couldn’t say how long he lay in the cold, drifting in and out. He dreamt when he drifted off of a warm home and a love and a name, one that would be his. “It would have been nice to have a name” he thought. “I don’t think it even matters what it may have been, so long as it was mine.” He looked at the silver wolf, “When I get home will the angels give me a name?” he asked. Suddenly the silver wolf was gone, even the space he had filled gave no hint he had ever been there. “Oh well – it was a nice dream” the small feline thought “and I even felt warm for a bit.” Suddenly he realized he was being lifted, too cold to really feel the gentle hands that held him. The small woman child bundled him up to try to warm him and carried him away The gash on Sassy’s neck healed and he grew stronger. He realized this small woman child would not walk away from him as his previous people had. After they left the name they called him had faded for him. As he grew stronger he took the time to try to help a feline friend learn people were not all bad. He wanted him to get to know his Tiffy, even if he had to head butt him into moving. And Tiffy turned out to be a great cuddler – ohhhh how he loved those cuddles. When Tiffy was outside it was like heaven – always a welcoming lap, a scrap from her dinner, or some tuna treats. Sometimes Tiffy’s mom came outside to sit and study - the idea of study fascinated Sassy and he could sit and watch her for hours. On occasion he had to remind some of the local males this was his home and his people, especially when they tried to take his food – but all in all life was finally good. He had a home and was loved, had a name, and even liked his sister, Princess and his friend, Angel. And Tiffy even loved his crooked little ear. Sassy loved his nap times in Tiffy’s lap. “your lap is just purrfect.” he purred to her as he stretched. Tiffy took him in the house one day – but she seemed busy, kept talking about the vet. Later that night the silver wolf stopped to visit Sassy in his wonderful new kitty house. “ Come friend, walk with me,” the silver wolf said. They walked to Tiffy’s room as she slept. “Talk to her, walk her with words through all the good memories,” the wolf said softly. “Maybe you can start with the house she made for you that you are so pleased with, then go back down the path of memories with her to when she rescued you.” So Sassy walked with his precious Tiffy until he reached the start of their path. The wolf smiled sadly, “Now, tell her all you wish to of your love, and that you lived that day only because of her love.” Sassy completed the dream walk with his Tiffy as asked. Then Sassy was back, curled up to sleep in the wonderful house his Tiffy had made just for him, an odd calm settling about him. He looked up and saw the large silver wolf. “Hello again, my friend. Is it time already?” he asked. Sassy looked once more around his home and at his girl, and as he looked back saw a small black feline lying in his house. “Is that . .? Am I . . . .?” he asked. It seemed too soon, but he knew he was blessed to have had a second chance where he did have love and a home and a name, and he knew that he was old. He looked at the silver wolf, “Will she be okay?” Suddenly he was in a small beautiful glen with a crystal clear reflecting pond, and there were others of every kind there to meet him. He realized he was fit and healthy and looked at the Silver One. The Silver One smiled gently at him, “It was time, yes. She will cry and ache for you, but she will be okay. And we can show you how to watch over her from the reflecting pond, how to visit, and how to leave her signs. You were promised you would know love, have a home, and have a name. The promise was kept.” “Yes, I can still feel the love, it connects us” he said as he looked at the Silver One. “She named me Sassy.” © Candace 3/31/09 Light a candle in memory of Sassy, for all those hurt or lost, for a sick, abused, or special needs furbaby, or perhaps just someone who needs a prayer and a candle lit.