Coyote

Chapter 21: The Coyote-Moot

After Lulu and her fellow wolves were picked up by animal control and taken back to Yellowstone where they belong, we said our goodbyes to the friends we had made on Long Island.

"Thank you for inspiring us to live up to our full potential," Summer said, puppies sprinting around her on the lawn. "You've made me appreciate just how much I love being a dog. The next time I take a nap, or steal a pizza, I'll think of you."

"We couldn't have defeated Lulu without you. You were amazing at organizing all those other dogs. It pays to build a loving community around you." I responded. Summer nodded wisely, swishing her tail back and forth. She shook our paws one last time, and then rounded up Hunter, River, and the sleeping Ollie, and brought them all inside. We were no longer welcome inside on account of having been rude to her human, but she had graciously accepted our invitation to meet outside.

The journey back was less eventful. There was an altercation with a lion at the Bronx Zoo, and a few cats were reported missing back on the island, but we made it home without any major issues. This time when we got on the train to head north, we were the only furry animals in our compartment.

The forest was a little greener than it had been before. Or at least, it felt that way. It was nice to be surrounded by trees and shrubs and interesting ground cover again, rather than by lawn after lawn after lawn. Humans often complain of boredom, and I can see why. I'd be bored too if everyone I lived with took care of a useless patch of monotonous grass. To any humans reading this, try replacing your grass with moss. Or maybe put in some trees. A flower garden would be a lovely alternative. Rather than repulse every living creature that happens to see your disgusting lawn, you could plant some cardinal flowers and attract hummingbirds. I've never understood why people like hummingbirds – they can't carry a tune no matter what people call them – but wouldn't you rather see a bird and some nice flowers than endless blades of grass? Regardless, it made me appreciate my forest home all the more. The moment I stepped into the forest I had to stop and breathe in the scent of pine, and Canadian mayflowers. I immersed myself in the feeling of being surrounded by fresh air. I understood why people came from all over to hike in these woods. If I lived in a human settlement, I'd also need to escape every now and again.

Teary greetings were exchanged with relatives, my numerous friends and acquaintances, and the rest of good coyotes of the forest. My parents congratulated my brother and I on our accomplishments. They had already found bumper stickers that read "proud of my honor student" to commemorate the glorious occasion. What they put those bumper stickers on, I don't actually know. Coyotes do not drive cars.

A special Wolf-Moot was arranged for that night. It was imperative that we tell the community about our successes. Coyotes arrived from far and wide, all so that they could hear our story, to revel in our shared victory. As the fireflies began to dance in the evening air, we gathered around the great rock.

Our leader, Genevieve the Gnome-Gnasher, stood on the rock with all five of us adventurers. When everyone had gathered, she walked to the edge of the rock and let out a glorious howl that echoed throughout the trees. Birds flew away in terror, and moles dug deeper in the earth when they heard her. Tonight, we were fear.

"My brothers!" called Genevieve. The men howled back. "My sisters!" Now, the women howled in response. "My siblings!" Everyone else let their voices be heard. I smiled as I listened to my community. It felt good to know my people were excited and eager to hear what I had to say. Maybe once I wanted to rule over them and create my own little coyote empire, but knowing what we could accomplish together, that previous fantasy slipped from my mind. We would rule over lesser creatures (ie, everything else) together.

The crowd quieted down at Genevieve's prompting. We coyotes know how to be an audience. "Only a short, undefined, while ago, five of our members strode forth from this very forest and embarked on a journey. What journey was this, you may ask? This was a journey for justice!" The crowd roared, and Genevieve let them for a moment. "Five brave wolves were sent out to do unto the humans as they have done to us. They accomplished what they set out to do, but they also did so much more. They set out as wolves, but my dear, dear, people, they came back as something even better, as something even stronger, more cunning, more good-looking than any wolf in history could claim to be. They came back COYOTES!"

"AIYEEEE!" the howl sent shockwaves through the air. It was like an invisible firework had exploded, and yet we all could feel the sense of celebration and majesty that usually come from fireworks. What once would have been a profane comment was now a joyous and powerful recognition of our own worth.

"Today," Genevieve said between cheerful howls, "we gather for the first Coyote-Moot in generations! We gather as ourselves! As our glorious and impressive selves! And we have these five individuals to thank for it. I invite you now to listen to their story, to hear their words, and to marvel in their accomplishments. They have been through so much, and I'm sure we have much to learn from their account."

And like that, it was our turn to step forward. I felt a little nervous, just as I had when I first spoke to the crowd. Back then, a voice had come from the crowd just as I was faltering, giving me strength, and purpose. That voice had come from a beautiful coyote who now stood beside me, and whom I could count as a steadfast friend.

"Ready?" asked Asher, their red fur shimmering in the moonlight.

I nodded. "Ready." Would things ever progress past the point of friendship? Only the good Coyote in the sky knows the answer to that. But on that evening, I felt hopeful. There would be time in the future to get to know Asher even better.

Tonight, however, we would celebrate what we had already done. We would celebrate with Kai, our tracker and fighting expert. With Mr. Rodgers, our cranky neighbor who seemed all too ready to tell everyone about how he was the hero of this story. With Eli, my brother who had supported me through everything, and had done so while sounding so smug, yet in a way I now recognize as his form of caring. We would celebrate, reminding the world that we were coyotes, that we could accomplish anything we set out to be, and that we didn't have to pretend to be anything other than ourselves in order to succeed.

I put on my beret and stepped out onto the rock. I stepped out a Coyote.