In Loving Memory Of Kiki Blair

It was evening on the Rainbow bridge. The pale blue of the daylight sky was giving way to the rich deep colors of the night, and one by one the stars were blinking their greetings overhead.

The peepers were squirming madly under the ablutions of the older kiddens. "Oh, do hold still, Little Dots", said Pris, "You've got dust behind your ears". "Well whatcha gotta wash it for...I'm just gonna get more on me tomorrow!". Pris laughed, but continued washing with vigor. Little Dots screwed up his face in digust. Tiny Bubbles was trying to paw at Pouncequick's tale between Miss Kitty's licks and Pounce was trying hard to squirm out from under Virginia's grasp.

When the peepers were all slicked down and clean, and pronounced fit by their elders, Pris and Ebony gathered up to march them to the sleeping grass. "Does we gotta?", asked a little tabby boy plaintively. "Yes you have to...but if you are good little peepers, maybe Picnic will tell you a bed time story". The squeal of delight that went up caused Pris to chuckle. She hoped Picnic had several stories up his sleeve, since none of the peepers looked ready to nap.

As the last of the light faded from the sky and the heavens shone in all it's glory, Eatbugs rose and stretched and started to make his way to the edge of the Bridge. He was going to dance among the stars tonight and go to look down on his humans. As he padded quietly along, he saw Charlie Brown and Pitty Pat sitting solemnly before the Gate. Their faces were concerned and their ears flicking, as if listening for some faint sound. "Is anything wrong?" asked Eatbugs. Pitty Pat looked up at him and nodded, "It's our human. She's very sad....but I am not sure why. We've pursed our whiskers and listened to the wind...and all our brothers and sisters are fine. But Mom is sad. I wish we knew how to find out what is wrong!". Eatbugs gave her a head butt. "I have an idea. Come with me to the stars and we can look down at her and maybe you can see clearer". Pitty Pat and Charlie Brown nodded and rose to follow Eatbugs.

They stepped over the side of the Bridge and leapt for the nearest star. Pitty Pat gasped...she still had not gotten used to the feeling of floating. Charlie Brown laughed at her and leapt forward. Pitty Pat gave him a playful pat on the behind as she jumped ahead and sprang towards the Earth.

When they came close to the Earth they stopped and twined their tails together. They pursed their whiskers and closed their eyes and looked down at their humans with their special heart-sight. Pitty Pat gasped. There was her Mom, holding a strange kidden. Pitty Pat could feel the sickness within the poor kidden and she could feel her Mom's sorrow. Charlie Brown felt his Mom's sadness and sent back with all his might, "Mom, Mom...can you hear me? Mom, you have to help him. He will be all right. I promise. Pitty Pat and I will take good care of him. Mom, please.....you have to". He saw his mother look up and he knew that she had heard.

With one last loving thought spread on the winds towards Earth, the kiddens turned and dashed back for the Bridge. Eatbugs could feel the tingling in his whiskers and he knew the time was near. They leapt from star to star, bolting headlong for the Gate.

They landed as the Company of Kiddens was forming. The Welcoming Song already twined through the branches on the wind. Charlie Brown and Pitty Pat ran to the front of the Company and joined paws just as the flash of blue light appeared.

In it's wake, sat a handsome tom. He blinked at the Company before him and took a defensive step back. Pitty Pat shyly drew near, "Don't worry Kiki....no one will ever hurt you here. You are home. You are loved."

Kiki stared at her...his thoughts were jumbled and the last thing he could remember was the warmth of the lady's arms around him. She had whispered in his ear that he would be home. Pitty Pat offered her nose in greeting and smiled as Kiki shyly sniffed. "You will never be cold again. You will never again know hunger and one day, Kiki I promise you, you will know the joy of human love."

With that she took him by the paw and turned to lead him to his new home.

© Copyright 1995 Constance Jenkins. All Rights Reserved. The author retains all copyright and intellectual rights to this work. It may not be printed in whole or in part without express written permission.