PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

It was Christmas eve on the Rainbow Bridge. All the animals were there with Azuradawn and the rest of the caregivers. The Lightkeeper was there also. It was story time for the pets. Everyone was eager to listen, except Kaidyn, tonight he was extra sad.

Azuradawn went and sat next to him. She knew why he was so sad tonight. Down on Earth his mommy was reading baby Savannah a story called The Night Before Christmas, but as she read tears fell from her eyes. She was thinking of Kaidyn and how tomorrow it would be 3 years since he left her. Still she tried not to show the tears. Christmas was supposed to be a special time if year, but since Kaidyn left it just brought sadness under the Christmas tree.

"Mommy is so sad. Will her heart even mend? " Kaidyn asked as he leaned into Azuradawn 's pets.

" Maybe someday, Kaidyn, but never a day goes by that she doesn't think of you and the day she laid you to rest." Azuradawn answered as she pet the most beautiful Bengal she had ever seen.

Normally happy and loving, Kaidyn had loved his human so much, he didn't send her another cat, he had sent her a baby human instead. Every day he came here and sat and watched his mommy and baby Savannah play. How she loved her gift, but it could never replace the hole in her heart that the loss of Kaidyn had left behind.

"Was I wrong to not send her a kitten? Is that why her heart has never mended?" Kaidyn wandered out loud.

How could Azuradawn explain it to her Sweet Kaidyn? "in your mommy's mind, no cat or human will ever replace you. Do you remember when she was looking at Brown marble Bengals thinking about a kitten? You see in her eyes, there is only one Kaidyn Makahne and no other Bengal compares to the beauty of you. She doesn't want another you, because she understands that even if the cat may look like you, you will never be able to come back to her, so take comfort that she has loved you more than any other cat has ever been loved. Yes she cries, but she wouldn't trade one single memory of you for all the happiness on Earth! You were loved that much."

Kaidyn watched as mommy kissed baby Savannah goodnight. Then he saw Savannah kiss the painting that hung outside her bedroom of him. It was a nightly ritual that Savannah had started. "Good night cat," Savannah said in her sweet 2 year old voice.

Just then there was a loud crash! All the pets panicked as they saw a new arrival come through the bridge! His nose was red and glowing and he had sleigh bells on his neck! Behind him were others all attached to a strange harness and even a sleigh! But inside the sleigh sat a man. A human man, with a white beard and a red and white velvet suit.

"The Bridge! It is destroyed" cried the other pets.

"How will our humans find us now?"

"How will the new cats find their way here?" Kaidyn asked Azuradawn as they ran towards the chaos.

"I don't know Kaidyn this has never happened before."

"HO HO HO, " yelled the fat jolly man, " where am I? "

Just then another reindeer ran out of the forest. It was known he lived there but he had never spoken to any of the other animals. It was rumored that he was as old as the bridge and that his human had simply never came for him. He was a small dear with a green glowing nose and horns as big as a Christmas tree. His name was Reynard.

"Santa? Is it really you? Have you finally come to claim me? "

" Reynard? Is that you? Where am I? You died years ago when a hunter shot you from the sky! How can you be here? The man questioned as he rubbed a huge knot on his head.

Just then the Lightkeeper appeared. As confused as the others, he knew not how the man had arrived as only pet owners that had passed on and come to claim their pets were supposed to be able to find their way to the bridge, but this man was alive, as we're his reindeer.

"My name is Santa Claus," the man said. "I am apparently lost, as tonight I am supposed to be flying around the world to deliver toys to all the good boys and girls on Earth. My sleigh is damaged though. Look at this broken runner. I can't fly like this. The children are all going to be sad tomorrow when they awake. Can anyone help me? "

"You are at the Rainbow Bridge. No living person has ever been here before. I am the Lightkeeper and these are the many animals who have come here to wait for their humans. We will help you the best we can. "

"He never came for me. He never wanted me." Reynard said in a sad voice. "I knew it wasn't true. All the other pets come and go, all except the lonely reindeer. No one wants a reindeer with a green glowing nose. "

" Brother," said the red nosed reindeer, "that simply isn't true. I miss you every day They never include you in my song. No one knows the heartache of the brother I lost or the pain I feel when I think of you. You must understand, Santa is forever and the only way he dies is if people stop believing. Is that the world you want?

Rubbing noses with his brother, Reynard lowered his head in shame." No, I guess it isn't. I have a beautiful world here, but I miss the North Pole. What can we do to help?"

"Quick pets let's all gather some vines from the weeping willow trees. Are all the reindeer unhurt? " the lightkeeper asked.

One by one the reindeer chimed in that they were fine. And as the pets brought the weeping willow vines, the sled runners were reattached as they should be. Kaidyn sat a d watched as the sled was ready. He had an idea on how to get home, but he didn't know if it would work.

"Santa, my name is Kaidyn and I died on Christmas 3 years ago. Do you think I could ride with you tonight? I want to see my mommy one more time. She won't know I am there and you can return me in the morning. I just want to cuddle up to her and give her one last snuggle. The one I didn't give her when I had the chance. Please? I will be a good kitty? "

" HO HO HO, I'm sorry Kaidyn but if I let you ride they would all want to go, " replied a sad and sorry Santa.

Kaidyn looked away with tears in his eyes. He knew the answer would be no, but still he had to ask.

"Would you be willing to take her a present for me? It would mean the world to both of us. "

He handed over one of his many cat toys, but this was his favorite. It was a little green mouse with a red Santa hat, much like the one his mommy had given him the day he died. He wanted her to know he was thinking of her and missing her too.

Santa walked to his toy bag and pulled out a diamond collar with a golden heart shaped name tag that read Kaidyn on it. He placed it on Kaidyn's neck and scratched him behind his ears.

"Your mommy asked me to give this for you she found it a few days after you came to the Bridge. She had thought it was lost and she wanted you to have it. I will take her your mouse and leave it under her tree. She will treasure it forever, just as she treasures each and every memory of you, "Santa told Kaidyn's, knowing he was always a good cat.

" No no," Kaidyn said, "leave it in Daddy's left shoe. That way I know she will know that it is from me. I won't tell you what I left in his right shoe. That will get me on the naughty list!"

"Ho Ho Ho I already know Dear Kaidyn! Remember, Santa sees all! I must be going now, but I will make sure your mommy gets her present."

The rest of the night Kaidyn watched at the lake as his mommy slept soundly. She held her other marble Bengal close and Kaidyn knew she dreamed of him and their lost time together. Tomorrow would be a hard day for her, as it was every year, but he knew with the love of her other cats, his daddy and the daughter he had sent her, that she would make it through the day. His soul cuddled up next to her, and purring he drifted off and dreamed of the days gone forever.

"I love you, Mommy," he purred in his sleep.

"And I love you, Sweet Kaidyn. Merry Christmas,"she whispered in her sleep.

Morning came sunny, bright and bitterly cold. Kaidyn watched as Savannah opened her gifts, including a soft stuffed Bengal cat that came from her grandma. kaidyn saw the joy amoung the sadness and knew his mommy missed him more today than any other day of the year. he waited and waited, but his daddy never put on his shoes, One day soon turned into 3 days before the mouse was found.

"Honey," said Kaidyn's daddy, "i just found the stangest thing," He pulled the mouse out and showed it to her. "In my shoe!"

Smiling Kaidyn's mommy remembered the other present that Kaidyn had left. GIggling she had to ask, "Was there any poop in the other one?"

"NO!" His daddy replied as Savannah giggled.

Kaidyn watched as his mommy placed the mouse to her heart. A tear rolled down her eye and she placed it next to his walking jacket.In her heart she knew who had sent it.

"I miss you Kaidyn, she whispered,"If only you knew just how very much.

And with that he ran off to play with the other pets at the bridge and one lonely reindeer. They were all there waiting for the days their humans came to get them but Raynard would never go home. They all made sure to include him in the Rainbow Bridge games now because unlike them, his person would never come for him.