Canyon's mother was like most Beaumont Collies. Bred and raised for their show quality and true to their name instincts; intelligence, loyal and driven. However upon her first litter, Canyon did not seem to show these typical qualities. He was a curious and intelligent pup though needing a job of sorts to do. He did his best to follow his mother out to the herds of the sheep and cattle but, was told he was too young to help with her job. Leaving him on the sidelines to watch. So quickly he became bored and distracted. A few times he caused such a disruption that the herds were completely scattered into multiple small groups taking the farmer,his mother and other farm dogs hours to bring them back. Finally he was told that he had to stay behind at the house. Perhaps when he grew older he might be able to join and learn his mother's tricks of the trade.
Why this little ball of fluff was always getting into trouble for not having something to do!
He chased the chickens, till he had so many feathers attached to himself he looked like one of the flock!
Then there was the time he got under foot in the kitchen and flour coated almost everything in there. Including himself.
He dug multiple holes trying to catch a gopher, digging up some of the farmer's wife's newly planted flowers.
Finally, he was tied up in the yard during the day. At least when he could not be supervised.
Yet, every night he heard the coyote's howl. Their song sounding so proud and defiant against the stillness of the night. His heart would leap at their first call, often rushing to the edge of the yard that separated the house from the rest of the property. Putting his paws up on the fence he tried to bark and howl back, at least till his mother came out to silence him. "We don't want those thieves here! They will trick and harm you and take the herds."
Canyon's ears went flat against his head as he sat and would spend the rest of the early evening listening till their calls seemed to fall as silent as the night and he was bid to enter the house and go to sleep. He didn't believe coyotes were that mean or bad.
And one evening when he heard the calls of them in distance he found himself without being tied down, and a loose board in the fence. "I'll prove I'm right! Mom doesn't know everything she just does what she's told." Determined he popped through the loose board and took off towards their calls, only looking back once.
Hear their SongHis little legs didn't stop running till he knew he was clear of the boundaries of the farm. When he did look back again, he came to realize, the darkness was surrounding him and not even the faint glowing light of the house could be seen in the distance. The scents that filled his nose mixed with familiar ones. New scents caught his curiosity and like a bloodhound he put his nose to the ground and began to follow one in particular.
He became driven by something primal, something he could not understand but, did not want to stop it. Nor could he stop, his paws kept right on moving till he came to the source. A young pup, close in age to himself, carrying a bone that was fresh from a hunt.
A soft gasp escaped his muzzle.
The pup turned sharply to see he had someone watching him and realized quickly it was a farm dog. Dropping his bone he sharply spoke. "Go home pet! Coyotes only!"
"Wait! I want to see what life is like for you." His tail wagging excitedly.
The coyote pup studied Canyon, eyeing him up and then with a shrug offered to let him play.
It quickly became apparent to anyone watching that these two blended together well. Canyon quickly lost the imagine of being a pet to the coyote pup. However, to be allowed to run with the pack it wouldn't be just the other pups he'd have to convince that he was as wild as they.
"Look," spoke the coyote pup out of breath, "My mom's pretty easy going. She don't mind dogs. But, it's the elders. They'll be the ones you'll have to convince!"
Canyon paused in his play and swallowed hard. In his mind he could feel the circling of intense eyes about him, staring him down for any weakness and reason to get rid of him. How was he going to prove to this to them?
"C'mon!" The coyote pup yipped. "It's almost sun up. We need to head back to the den."
Sun up. Canyon's mind flashed on his mother and home for a brief moment, they'd come looking for him. He also felt bad for just leaving his mother. But, she'd never listen to him when he spoke on coyotes or answered anything informative when he asked her about them.
"C'mon!!" The pup barked at him. With that Canyon turned and headed with the pup back to their den site.
Pack TrialsAs things go the elder coyotes barred down hard on Canyon. Their noses so close he could hear every time they took a breath. They grilled with questions, gave him chances to take off and never look back before finally setting up the trials they would have him perform.
Canyon, though just a pup, would have to fit in closer with the adult coyotes and help them successfully take down a hunt!
The trials, grilled him good, and at a few points Canyon considered taking the chance to just head back home. He was tired and hungry and just wanted to sleep away his aching body. But, then came the hunt.
By the time the hunt was due to take place it had been almost 24hours and somehow he'd not been found yet by his mother. He knew likely she'd not been allowed to go off and follow his scent thanks to the farmer. And when the coyotes set up the hunt it became clear that yes they were going to try and target the cattle or sheep on his old farm.
He just couldn't let this happen! He pleaded with the elder saying it was not advised to hunt human cattle. But the elder wanting to test the recruit would not budge.
When darkness had fallen and all the coyotes had gathered for the hunt edging closer towards his old home, Canyon came and sat in the open facing them all with a stern expression on his face. "Look, chase me off if you want. But, I won't do this! I refuse!" He glanced around to see all the coyotes sit and look at him almost as if unphased. "There is still other things to eat out there." Silence still as the elders looked amongst themselves.
It felt like ages to Canyon before the elder came up and chuckled. "You got a back bone kid. I can respect your reasons why you don't want to go after the human's food. But, know this! There may come a time when it is either them, or us in order to survive. We will see if then you will be so brave. For now though, you may stay with our pack."
Present timeSince joining the pack, Canyon has grown into a full sized collie, bigger than most of the coyotes and has become a skilled hunter. He has also seen his mother now and again. And watched from afar her working the cattle and sheep. The farmer tending his crops.
