Dreamscape II
Coyote slithered in through the chain link fence, just next to the rusting gate going into the teachers' compound.
He could tell Sunny was just about ready for him; almost into her morning dreamquest time. He'd have time to check
out the periphery of her little jail. Hmmmm, interesting fragrance here, maybe he ought to just acknowledge its essence
with his own sweet scent. . . Ahhhh, that felt good. Oooo, and here was another. Yes. Ugh. Yep,
that would do. Okay, here we go, little sunshine! And he entered through the door, slopping through the little
streamlette he'd made on her doorstep with his urine.
Sunny heard the tap of his paws on the cold tiles and watched as he leapt onto her bed. She wasn't surprised
to see him; she knew he'd been in her space lately. She'd even commented to Bugoo that this coyote seemed to be
following her around in her dreams. Sometimes, she could have sworn she'd seen him lurking around her waking moments
- a little flash of salt and pepper, slinking behind a hunk of furniture or a bush just there, in the periphery of her vision.
He never appeared when Bugoo was around, though. Huh. Bugoo had chuckled at his crazy little woman.
Coyote nuzzled Sunny's neck with his cool nose. "You are mine, you know," he whispered.
"Why?" Sunny whined. "What do you want with me?"
"Not much. I'll tell you a story."
Sunny relaxed a little although, as usual in this situation, she found it impossible to move her body; it seemed
to be tightly caught in the sheets. "Okay."
"How much do you know about me?" Coyote asked.
"Oh, plenty. I'm drawn to Tricksters like you. I loved Lear's Fool, and there's nothing funnier than
the Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote. Ravens used to hang around me at home, almost like they were spying on me; they are
the most awesome birds, don't you think?"
"Hum. Yeah. Maybe." Coyote lightly scratched Sunny's cheek with a claw. "So, do you know
how I got my name?"
"Hmm. No, I don't remember a story about your name. Tell me!"
"Well, at the begining of Existence, The Great All called a meeting of all the animals and announced each of
the animals would be given a special name along with an arrow of power. Some were to get long arrows and some short.
The one with the longest arrow would have the most power. Long story short, I got the short end of the stick,
so to speak, and a pretty strange name, too: Coyote. Nobody would change with me, so I pouted around until
finally I was given the power to change myself into any form. Did you know I could do that?"
"No!" crooned Sunny. "Show me."
Coyote melted into the familiar shape of Bugoo with a big boner. Sunny laughed out loud and then yelped,
"God! What a trip! I thought you were Coyote!"
Bugoo changed back into the saucy faced Coyote, and Sunny felt just a little frightened, even though she knew this
was not real time. Coyote giggled. "Had you there for a minute, didn't I?"
"Yeah." Sunny admitted. "Scared the shit out of me!"
"I can do that, too." Coyote admitted. "Anyway, I have Fox for a brother who helps me when I need it,
which is not much, I have to say, but it just isn't enough. I know I can enhance my powers by using some of yours.
But you have to give it to me freely."
Sunny frowned. "What do you know about my power?"
"I know you have lots."
"You bet I do," Sunny asserted. "And I worked damned hard for it. It wasn't always like it is now, I
can tell you that. I used to be scared of my shadow, insecure and unsure of myself, depressed beyond words. I
even tried suicide. I spent a lot of time in psychotherapy, pursuing spiritual light, and study. It was hard,
it really helped, and I deserve every piece of understanding and awareness I was able to achieve. I'm not about to give
it away, I'll tell you that." And she turned her head away from the mezmerizing golden eyes of her new friend.
Coyote cuddled against Sunny's heart. "Ah, come on. Maybe just a little, eensy weensy tiny
bit of your power? Not enough to even notice. I need it, you see. And you can always get it back.
Bugoo would like less in you, you know? You kind of blow him away at times." Coyote blew a little fart, and Sunny
giggled.
"You like Bugoo a lot, 'ey?" Coyote lifted his head and stared into Sunny's eyes.
"Yeah. It kind of scares me. I've never felt about anyone else like this. Like I needed them.
I don't really know what I want from him. Or me. All I know is that I feel happier when he's in my space."
Sunny tried to twist in her sheets, attempting without success to move away from Coyote's intense gaze.
"Nothing wrong with that!" Coyote cried. "But you're going to have to tone things down if you want to keep
him there. I mean, good, traditional Indian women just don't go hollaring around about what they want and how things
should be. They don't mind walking behind their men and doing what they're supposed to do. They're okay with being
a little subservient."
Sunny's body stiffened. "Oh, no. I am not giving up that much control of my world. To a man.
I know much better than that."
Coyote shrugged. "Well, you'll lose him, then. Like you've lost all the other men in your life.
Because you won't give in; you won't compromise. You have to be the boss. You want it all your way. And,
if you truly don't mind being alone, that's okay."
"Maybe." Sunny's spirit wilted, and she turned her eyes to Coyote, who seemed like the best friend she had in the
world at that moment. "What should I do? Where should I give?" she cried.
"Ahh. Glad you asked," Coyote responded. "You're ready for your first lesson."
