Goodbye old friend walkonthewildside.org

Ms Tess came to me 6 years ago after being moved from place to place. Today, this 8^th day in Jan under a brilliant blue cloudless sky, with the warm sun shining down on this 70-degree day, today I got to hold her in my arms.

A gentle southern breeze brought in the warmth from the south. Today I got to hold her and stoke her soft and silky fur. For the first time since she came here, I held her in my arms this magnificent lynx. I lifted her up from the green grass and cradled her in my arms, her head resting on my chest. Today I got to hold her and stroke her soft fir that had been warmed by the sun. I gazed into her face that lay against my chest and ran my hand across her fir, today I held her in my arms for the very first time. You see today my Tess died and crossed the rainbow bridge as she lay in the green grass in the sun on this warm day in Jan. Today my Tess left this earth and now is well again, she can hear and see again today Ms Tess crossed the rainbow bridge, today I got to hold her and tell her goodbye.

Today a promise was fulfilled a promise that I made the day that Tess arrived, she would remain here safe and secure until it was her time to cross the rainbow bridge. Today on this warm Jan day under the bright blue sky, Ms Tess chose to leave and cross the Rainbow Bridge.

Tess had a long life, though unsure of her true age; she was up there in years when she arrived here 6 years ago. Towards the end of her life, her vision was failing and her hearing was almost gone. I would carry her food to her and hand it to her to make sure she ate. There were many days she did not hear me call to her and I would then hit the platform so she could feel the vibrations and knew then I was there.

Her life was long and she was a part of ours for 6 years, we loved this sweet & gentle girl and will miss her very much. She started her life many years ago at a fur farm, and was taken from there and moved many times in her life, until she came to us. She arrived 6 years ago and Draco & her fast became the best of friends, always together resting and at play. Her partner Draco cared for her towards the end, he knew she could not car for herself now.

One day as I went to feed I called out to Tess and she looked towards me but did not come. So, I laid the food on the lower platform where she would find it when she came down. I called again and then turned to go to the other cage and feed. When I turned away Draco jumped up and grabbed the leg quarter, I watched the most heart-warming thing take place. Thinking he was about to take the leg and leave with it, he proved me wrong. Draco picked up the leg quarter and carried it in his mouth to the upper platform where Tess was laying; he then dropped it in front of her so she could eat. A jester that brought tears to my eyes to watch him do this. He knew her health was failing and now he would care for her, his friend for 6 long years. I know he mourns her passing and will miss her even more than we do, his friend has crossed the rainbow bridge and a part of him has gone with her today on this warm sunny day in Jan..

Today she runs free again in the green meadows across the rainbow bridge, she can see and hear again. One day we will meet and once again, I will stoke her soft fur and hold her in my arms, until then Ms Tess run free and play again in the warm sun.

A sudden passing w/o warning a few weeks after Tess crossed the rainbow bridge our loving boy Biggie left us that same month. His best friend Rufus misses him greatley. These 2 were always together sleeping grooming, seldom would you find one with out the other. Both the boys loved people and attention. They would come running as soon as they saw you wanting to be petted and fight over who would get the attention first. He left an impression on all those who met him, they fell in love with him. He gave us 6 years of pleasure and happiness and for this we are thankfull, we just wish he could have remained with us longer.

He was one of the most loving and friendly boys you could ever meet. He'd wrap his big paws around your legs and hug your ankles as he slobbered all over your feet and shoes, leaving his mark on you.

I miss his woo woo calls and his big loud purrs, his big feet wrapped around my ankles, his leaping onto my back when I bent over as he chewed on my hair. You haven't lived until you have had a 55 pound Lynx perched on your back with his big feet around your head.

Biggie was one of a kind, and I know to this day his old buddy Rufus still misses his friend. I find him wandering the cage at times as if he is still looking for him and wondering why he isn't there. He looks so sad alone in his denbox, where there were once 2 always together there is now only one, he sleeps alone now. Biggie is no longer there to groom and clean his friend as he did so much in the past.

Biggie passed unexpectedley without warning or any sign of illness. This was very hard for us to deal with, no warning, no signs of illness, one day he is fine then the next he is not coming out of the denbox and not acting right. We called the vet. and loaded him up into a carrier by the time we got 3 miles from the house he had stopped breathing. One minute he was with us the next minute he had crossed the rainbow bridge. My 11yr old grandson Bradley was with him in the back of the car and started crying he's not breathing, it was so sad to know only 10 minutes before he was alive and in a distance of 3 miles he left this earth. Bradley was so heart broken Rufus & Biggie would always greet him and play.

He is at rest now in his final resting place next to Tess. They spent 6 years next to each other now they once again are side by side in their finally place of rest. I'm sure they found each other across the Rainbow Bridge and now they are side by side again well and running together acros the lush green meadows waiting for their old friends to join them.

RIP Biggie your buddy Rufus misses his best friend and we miss our special boy.

He has gone on to be with Poco and run with Sheba, Nikki, and Dandy to be with all those who have gone on before him, now galloping through the lush green meadows.

He did not come up yesterday and his food and water were untouched from Thurs. I went into the woods looking for him, he stood alone underneath the shade of the trees, his head slowly moving back and forth he wanted to come to me but couldn't so I went to him and wrapped my arms around his neck and thanked him for all the years he has given us and all the joy he gave us. I told him to let go now and go to his friends his time here was done and he could do no more, we all loved him and did not want him to suffer, I said it was okay to go and I held his head and hugged him from all of us. I stayed with him down there in the woods for some time, he knew what I was telling him I could see it in his eyes, I thanked him again and told him it was okay to go now. Last night he crossed the rainbow bridge and he is now with all his friends who have gone on before him. Our Unicorn and Pegasus our white and faithful friend is at peace now and he is free to run again.

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He brought joy to all who met him, so many wanted him once they rode him, but that would never happen he was family. He loved the young children and babies, he would give an experienced rider a ride they would not soon forget, but was as gentle as could be with the children, he was wise and knew the difference. He was our champion this little gilding who was half Arabian and half Quarter Horse, the best of both worlds, with spirit that the grandest could not match. He left many of the high dollar horses eating his dust, he was unbeatable in games, untouchable in ribbon race, and bribe a horse. He earned many ribbons and trophy's for the spirit he carried within him. He set a first in barrel racing, he was the only horse ever to run barrels with out a saddle. My daughter ran him around the barrels bareback to the amazement of the judges and the crowds, he won first place. This stubborn little gilding was not a quitter, he fought hard right up to his last breath on this earth. He swam with us across lakes, and carried us through mountains and across streams, never had a shoe on his hoof in his life. He traveled to the Rocky Mountains in Colo. where a friend took him high into the mountains deer hunting. He proudly led parades, with his head held high and his neck arched and he carried his tail high as he pranced, he knew how to draw attention. He was amazing and one of a kind, he was our champion. There will never be another like him in our life, and we miss our old friend and companion, I still look for him in the field and listen for his whinnie in the early morning as he calls to me for feed. I can still hear the thunder of his hoofs across the pasture, I swear I hear him calling and see him standing in his stall.

He's buried now in the place he chose to die, a beautiful spot, atop a small hill above a spring fed pond, surrounded by towering old trees in our woods. A small spot was cleared for his grave and their he will rest in peace, the place he chose for his passing.

He left behind a little boy who loved him dearly and who's heart is broken now because his "BESTEST FRIEND" died on his 8th birthday. He doesn't understand why he could not live forever and be with him, he has cried and sobbed for him every night since we told him Rossi crossed the rainbow bridge. Just how do you explain to an 8 year old to ease his pain. Rossi became ill towards the end and Bradley took on the responsibility of caring for his friend to make him better. But age and cancer were taking the life out of our old friend, but the determination of a child to heal him I know kept him here on this earth far longer than he would have been. On the 1st day of school when Bradley was gone all day and his birthday party was the next day, this is the time Rossi finally chose. He had been shutting down his body for a few days prior, no longer taking food or water. When I went to him in the woods he was waiting for permission to go on. That is when I told him to go and be at peace, we did not want him to suffer we loved him to much. His time with us was done and he needed to rest now, I thanked him for all his years and said good-bye to him. That night he went to his spot on the hill above the pond and crossed the rainbow bridge, and a small young boy will mourn his passing for a long time, his "Bestest Friend" has left him now and he too has an empty spot in his heart that went across the rainbow bridge that night with Rossi. Rossi took a part of all of us with him that night he died, a friend to a little boy his entire life, and a friend in ours for over 25 years. He has left an empty spot in our hearts, we miss our friend. I know he will greet us again when it is time to cross that bridge, I will hear the whinnie as he calls to me and the sound of his hoofs flying through the lush green meadows, and the sun glistens off his pure white coat, where he is waiting to carry us once again.

Until then old friend thank you for choosing all of us to spend your life with, we all miss you. You were our Pegasus and our shining white Unicorn good-bye for now old friend .

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