*********

Between great gasps, Bea told her dear friend, Billie bear, about her many companions who had stepped onto the path of the bridge of rainbows. Billie bear didn’t realize, until then, how greatly things had changed for both of them.

She had a collection in her heart of dear friends who had also traveled to the bridge of rainbows.  The one she missed the most was her partner for life. He had been wonderful and the best thing to happen for her.  

As both of them wept, drawing closer, Bea recited what Willow had told her about how there needed to be tears on our cheeks to feel the rainbow in our hearts. This saying had comforted her and she hoped the same for Billie bear.

Bea reported presently there were no other heartbeats in her cave, except for some spidies and a mouse or two. Billie bear heartily agreed it was important to have a companion or two and that was why she had Jazzy, her precious puppy, living in her cave home. 

As things are ever-changing in our lives, Billie bear announced having a very new occupant in the back of her cave whom she hoped Bea would like to meet and invite to be that heartbeat she so needed to have beside her in her dark, hollow, hallow cave.

Bea did not expect this news. She wondered what the maker was up to, but smiled in her heart, knowing this could be the answer she was seeking. Nevertheless, it would be the answer best for her.   

Billie bear told the story of how her friend Osala bear and her kitty little Osala were enjoying a walk in a people’s park with picnic tables. They frequently visited  this ideal area to find delicacies to munch on. 

Osala kitty’s favorite was the tuna sandwiches dropped or thrown under the picnic tables. When it looked as if someone had come through, cleaning up any scraps of food, they meandered over to an out of the way, undiscovered section of tables. 

There was a body of water nearby with gravelly ground leading to the picnic table. Checking to see if there were any other occupants, they approached the closest table. Peering beneath, Little Osala was the first to see it. 

When her mom investigated, she observed there were actually several. They discussed how they could carry them. They usually ate on the spot, what they discovered, never with a need to carry anything. 

This was a unique situation, with a daunting task. Little Osala’s stare was fixed on her remarkable find. Her mom double-checked to see if there was any life left there. As she got closer there seemed to be only one still stirring. 

The medium-sized kitty lying there weakly whispered his concern, his two sisters and mother were too quiet. They’d neither spoken nor moved. He felt alone, as we would say abandoned. He did not understand they had left for the bridge of rainbows.

After Osala explained the situation to little Osala she reached out to gently lift the  sad kitty and tell him he would be all right. She explained she was going to take him to her cave home and briefly introduced herself and little kitty Osala. 

Respecting his need to sleep, neither spoke on the hike home. Both likely had many questions, hopes and apprehensions. Osala set him carefully onto the soft cedar boughs. The two of them watched him as he slept, wondering what frightening experiences he had lived through in his short life.

His gentleness and preciousness were overshadowed by his vulnerability, which led to defensiveness. Sadly, it was not long before Osala’s certainty about the outcome of this short-lived stay grew. Being a protective mom, this stranger to her, would not be able to stay long.

The newly discovered kitty acted as if he were the boss of Osala and kitty Osala’s cave home. He was bullying little Osala so much, mom Osala was worried he might seriously harm her. That would not do.

She asked kind-hearted Billie bear if she could take him. It seemed it would work out. She was mom to her puppy Jazzy who was slightly larger than the smaller frightened, on-edge kitty. 

It was a good thing Billie bear had an extensive cave and fortunately was strong. Having to separate them into two different cave rooms, far from each other, called for lifting and lugging short logs to attempt to make a wall of safety for Jazzy.

However, this adept climber and hunter, bolted over the wooden wall built to block him.  His oppressive presence was soon made known to a jumbled Jazzy who was sure the intimidator would attack. Our list of self-defenders grows longer. As with Scruffles, Sweet Puppy, Annie, and Stormy, Jazzy made ready to be zinged.