WAKING UP AT RAINBOW BRIDGE DADDY BLUE(12/14/05) & GOOD BOY Rosco sat up and looked around sleepily just as his tiny brother charged at him. Mini was the runt of the litter - actually the smaller of 2 runts. At almost 7 months he weighed 5 pounds to his larger littermates' 25 to 30 pounds. Even Good Boy weighted nearly 15 pounds."Give it a break, Mini," Rosco whined, "everything i have hurts." Good Girl and Hoppy were just waking and gave Mini a warning look that they felt badly too and to lay down and leave them alone. "No, no, no," yipped Mini. "Wake and stretch - it's all gone - no aches no pains. And look at the grass and the flowers!" As his 2 brothers and sister woke they realized Mini was right, they didn't feel weak and the pain and fire in their insides was gone - they felt good. Rosco looked around and wondered how long they had slept, it was winter when he laid down in the old birthing box, too exhausted to move. He remembered Daddy Blue trying to get him to get up and join Mommy Cinnammon and his littermates in the dog house - "just let me rest - then I'll join you, " he had thought. But it was warm and the grass was fresh and sweet and there were flowers everywhere. "Hey," Good Girl called,"look here - this is new!" Her littermates joined her and saw she had found a small clear stream. Momma had seen that they always had clean water and good food, that Mommy Cinnammon and Daddy Blue and the 6 of them never went wanting and she loved them and played with them. But this water moved and laughed. The four drank deeply and found it was sweet and soothing. As the day progressed they found many new wonders. Despite the protection of the pen being gone, they felt safe and soon stopped wondering at their new freedom as they discovered wonder after wonder Every now and then one would wonder where Good Boy and Little Girl were - where Momma and Mommy Cinnammon and Daddy Blue were, but it was a large area - they would find them. Toward late afternoon Hoppy looked up and stared in stunned silence, the other 3 looked up and they all realized the sky was one large rainbow. Then Good Girl heard a sound comming from the reflecting pond. The 4 went and looked and were shocked to see Momma and Grandmomma crying, and Daddy Blue and Little Girl and Good Boy all looked so sick and Mommy Cinnammon looked so sad. And there was another human there talking to Momma and Grandmomma. He seemed kind and gentle as he carried Daddy Blue back to where he had Good Boy and Little Girl. "He is a healer," a voice behind them said. The 4 puppies turned as one to find themselves face to face with the largest dog they had ever seen - a large dog with long silver fur. Mini was first to realize they could trust this one and to find his voice. "Why are Momma and Grandmomma crying?" he asked. "They are hurting because you are gone, and they are afraid for your brother, Good Boy and sister Little Girl and Daddy Blue. And they are worried about your Mommy Cinnammon and her unborn puppies," the Silver One said softly, and he waited to allow them to understand what he had. "you will live here until your Momma comes here. And in time others your Momma loves will come to live here, too." He watched the pups a moment. Then the Silver One looked off into the distance. As the pups followed his gaze they saw a familiar figure walked toward them. Rosco ran back to the reflecting pond and saw Momma and Grandmomma crying even more. He ran to join the others as they ran tumbling over each other to greet their Daddy Blue. Blue placed himself carefully between his 3 sons and little daughter and the large stranger. After a moment he relaxed and nodded a greeting. The Silver One smiled to him that it was alright, then he turned his attention to the pups. "Do you remember Skeeter?" The 4 puppies nodded. "Come with me, Skeeter is waiting for you," he said. Mini ran back to the reflecting pond and looked, "What about Momma?" The Silver One smiled kindly, "You may visit whenever you wish and even leave her signs, Skeeter will explain. For now you need to enter Rainbow Bridge." "Will you come with us ?" Mini asked. "No," the Silver One answered softly, "I will wait here at the edge for my Papa"               ROSCO(12/9/05)              HOPPY (12/9/05)              GOOD GIRL (12/9/05)        MINI (12/7/05)              SKEETER Next Page