Just before my demise into mania, when I was resting on the brink of insanity -but at a point that was still quite preventable had my medical team intervened- I went for a run with my dog in the foothills of the rugged Rockies I live by.
Shortly after I had turned to head back to my car, I heard a cry in the distance. It was far off and indistinguishable at that distance, but loud enough to be of concern to me. I paused and listened. I heard nothing. I started walking again and the call came again. It was coming from the opposite direction that I was now going. I was tired having already gone the distance I had intended to go but this cry intrigued and concerned me. It was not the normal yell of playful persons bouncing their voice off the great rocky walls towering above and it was not the time of day that such playful echoing banter would normally occur. As I slowly walked in the opposite direction towards my car my thoughts were disturbed with visions of newscasters announcing the disappearance or demise of a hiker in the area and I could not ease my conscience enough to ignore this possible cry for help. So equally-curious-dog and I turned to investigate. My speed increased when the cry came again, knowing that this cry for help would mean desperation indicative of injury that could be fatal if left without aid for too long
As I got closer to the area of the cries, I'd pause and listen. As the cries became more clear they sounded less human like. When I got close enough I could hear whining, yelping, and whimpering sounds that had not been audible further back and it became more evident that this noise was not from a person but an animal. It sounded to me like an injured dog and since these foothills were not far from the homes of potential pet owners and playful echoers I considered this possibility as I cautiously continued, hyper aware as I scanned for indications of location. Occasionally the sounds seemed thrown, as if they were coming form both sides of the trail I was on.
I continued until the sounds were directly above me. Then I noticed movement in the brush about 100 feet up the slope to the side of the trail I was on. It was a semi-steep slop and I wondered if it was worth checking out because I really had no way of helping an injured animal in this location and with my young dog accompanying. As I thought this, the brush started to move in careful waves that were heading down towards me and my dog. I repositioned myself. Ready to react, I watched until I caught the necessary glimpses that revealed who the maker of the sounds was.
A coyote.
And as he made a few confident and fearless bounds over thick brush, heading down towards us, I knew this animal was not injured and that my young k9 companion would make an easy snack for him.
All thoughts of injured hikers gone, my thoughts swiftly shifted to my and my pups safety as I instantly realized that the thrown sounds coming from the direction opposite the rocky echoing walls could easily be companions to this trickster who had been working to draw me in. My second wind set me into action as I made big noises and ran back the way we had come.
Dog and I made it safely back to the truck with no issues and seemingly un-pursued. But always curious and being the research nerd I am, we waited for a bit in the safety of my vehicle as I delved into the sounds of coyotes via my research apparatus, my phone. Although no coyotes reappeared as I researched, I learned a bit about how dynamic and versatile their language is and I was reminded of their wiliness and trickery.
Coyotes do in fact lure other creatures into traps through various calls that include sounds that feign injury and they maximize the effectiveness of this deceptive practices by working together in groups.
A different and new intrigue I found in my research was information about the coyote as a spirit animal and what the appearance of this creature meant from an ethereal and spiritual perspective. I do not now remember what the connective symbolism was that so intrigued me and I do not wish to delve too deep back into that divinatory aspect of this event but now from, this place in time and stability, it is interesting to see that the coyote was the first spirit animal apparition to appear; prescient to the trail of tears that followed.
Another thing about coyotes is that they are no respecters of person or creature and they have even been known to steal small humans from the perceived safety of the wee lasses' own yards.
It is a mournful realization that those are the types of creatures controlling the systems of checks and balances that are supposed to be protecting us and humans in our civilized societies and governments. Wily coyotes who beckon you in by tricking you into believing that you are answering the call of duty to help others and yourself, only to find that you are the prey who has been lured into a trap that was actually only intended, by the wily coyotes who set them, to feed their own.
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