Coyote At Starbuck's

by Amperage

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asa/amperage/coyote.php
Summary: Why Coyote loves Badger, why Badger stays with Coyote, and why Daniel Descended
Info: Some general understanding of the American Indian Cultures would be useful, but not necessary

Coyote was quiet, sitting on the edge of the ledge. Bear had said that Old Woman wanted him here, and Bear was seldom wrong about what Old Woman wanted. Now if Bear had said Old Man wanted him here, Coyote would've said fuck that and trotted off after a rabbit just for spite, but Coyote rather liked Old Woman. Hadn't she saved him from Badger's wrath that one time he'd forgotten to bring home the lighted sticks Badger had asked him to get from the Moon?

Anyway, Old Woman knew just where to scritch behind Coyote's ear.

So what the fuck was this about anyway? Coyote had much better things to do with his time. See, there was this coyote pack five rivers to the east that Coyote was teaching how to get into the coolers back of a Man Food Place, McDonald's. Coyote didn't like McDonald's even to spit at, and teaching some of his own how to get into the coolers without being caught rather made him chuckle, especially since the coyote pack lived on a Rez, specifically on the land of one Robert WalksWithWind and his wife, Susan StandsWithLysol.

Susan was of Coyote's spirit pack, so Coyote didn't have to worry about what would happen when Man found out about the coolers. She'd laugh her head off and threaten McDonald's with a lawsuit if any of the coyotes got fat.

A human had wandered out here. Coyote pricked his ears. Huh. Not one of Coyote's pack. He smelled of Coyote's pack though. Coyote wrinkled his nose. He smelled a lot like. . .well fuck. He was one of Badger's people. Coyote buried his face in his paws and whined. Coyote didn't care what anyone said. The Old Woman's sense of humor was sicker than Coyote's on his worst day. One of Badger's clan and he hung with one of Coyote's pack a lot. There was also a strong smell of Cougar about him. And Fox. Huh.

Coyote scratched at his ear with his front paw, watching the human. The human turned. "Are you the one Oma said I was here to meet?"

Coyote sat up, eyes popping open. What the fuck? It had been years since a human. . .Coyote narrowed his eyes, suddenly aware that the good, rain smell emanating from the human meant he was not exactly a human after all. "Oma? Desala? You mean Old Woman?" Coyote asked, letting himself become Spirit Coyote. "Huh. You're Spirit. . ." His eyes roved over the human form. "Not bad packaging." He said approvingly. "So how many girls can you fuck with a body like that? Don't answer that. Let me guess. You prefer the leather bar downtown."

The human spirit's eyebrow arched. "You're Coyote?" He asked in a dubious tone.

"And you're not as dumb as you look. Who're you besides a hunka' hunka'?"

"Daniel Jackson."

"Ascended, no doubt."

"Uhm. . .yeah." The human looked uncomfortable for a moment.

Coyote used the time to sniff him, then tilted his head. "Huh. There's gotta be a story here."

"I'm sure." The human tilted his own head. They stared at one another for a moment before the human smiled. "So you're the famed Coyote."

Coyote felt himself smile, felt his tongue loll a little. "Hey. You wanna get a Latte? I've been out on a rez for the past 3 months and I've got the worst craving for a latte." Coyote wagged his tail hopefully. Wasn't this how he'd come onto Badger, all those many years ago when the world was still so young it smelled of birth? You, me, some hot coca?

"I didn't know you'd look so. . .anthropomorphized." The human was oddly amused.

Coyote felt his own eyebrow arch. "I didn't know you'd look so. . . butch."

The human looked down at himself. "Well. The sweater. . .it was one of my favorites, but it was silk. Now I don't have to worry about dry cleaning so. . .Listen, why did Oma want me to speak to you?"

"Fuck if I know," Coyote shrugged. "I'm just Coyote, inventor of time-shares and EBITDA."

The human's lips quirked, "I don't drink latte."

"Espresso? Arabica Ground Roast? Frappachino?"

"I wouldn't say no to an espresso."

"My treat. Triple espresso." And then, maybe he and the cute human spirit could go out and do the. . .hey. He was Badger's tribe. It wouldn't be cheating. Well. Not exactly.

Coyote remembered a Starbuck's in Vancouver he'd always been slightly partial to and drew it over them.

========================

The windows were steamed and the newspapers strewn on the heavy wool rug in the sitting area were a bit careworn.

"Where are we?"

"Simulacrum." Coyote answered. "My favorite Starbucks in Vancouver." He moved behind the Mahogany counter, frowned at the barrage of nozzles, cups, thermometers, and switches. "When did coffee get so complicated?" He asked, dubiously, picking up something that could've been mistaken for a sex toy under other circumstances. "I know I put coffee in this, but damned if I know how."

The human raised a brow. "Where's the grinder?"

"Grinder? Isn't that a sandwich?"

"Coffee grinder." The human leaned over the counter. "There it is. You put that under the grinder."

Coyote sighed. Frowned, tossed the whatever-it-was down. "Fuck it."

"Okay. So who's the double Mochachino with the caramel shot and extra whipped cream?" The girl whipped around, still holding her drink.

"Meet our barrista." Coyote smirked.

The girl, dressed in a standard Starbuck's uniform, stared at them both for a moment, then her mouth and eyes narrowed.

"You're Cree?" Coyote asked, hoping he was right. He'd once had quite an affair with a Cree woman.

"My father's half Cree half Lakota Sioux. My mom's all Choctaw." The girl replied suspiciously.

"So what's a nice girl like you doing in a place like Vancouver."

"Until someone slipped LCD into my water, I was working my way through Grad school."

"I'm Coy. . ."

"I know who you are. Who's he?"

"Daniel Jackson. Listen, I'm terribly sorry. Coyote wanted a latte and. . ."

"Save it. I know all about Coyote. My Mom's a Shaman, she trained in the Chickasaw tribe."

"Quite the mongrel, aren't you? Coyote smirked.

"You should talk."

"I never said that was a bad thing."

"And you're studying?" Daniel interrupted.

"Post-Modern Comparative Feminist Literature with a specialization in Second Generation Shoah novels."

"And you're not in Coyote's tribe?" Daniel couldn't help asking.

"I don't know. I haven't had time to find my spirit animal. Mom did a dreaming for me, but that only finds your guide, not your tribe." She raised a brow. "Since you're only a hallucination and I'm going to wake up to find myself strapped to a bed, foaming at the mouth, I'll ask. What's your story?"

"Oma. . .Old Woman brought me into the spirit world."

"Oh," she considered this for a moment then shrugged. "Whatever."

"Look, I want a latte and he wants a triple espresso," Coyote cut in. "Could you do that? 20 dollar tip."

"In spirit money?" She snorted.

"Hell no. I won it at Mystic Lake-that Sioux casino in Minnesota?"

The girl considered them both. "All right. And I want a blessing from you both."

"Certainly, I can. . ."

"I know how you operate. I get to choose the blessing."

"You sure your mother never trained you?" Coyote asked suspiciously.

The girl smiled broadly. "Didn't know I was a two spirit, did you?"

"Really?" Coyote's smile was huge. His tail thumped on the floor. "You wouldn't be interested in. . ."

"I don't do doggy style."

"I've never given a blessing." Daniel confessed, intentionally interrupting. "I'm kind of new at the whole spirit thing."

"Really?" This seemed to intrigue her. "Okay. So a Triple Espresso, huh?"

"You know. One of the deprivations of being ascended. Incredible powers. . ."

"'Eetsy Teensy little living space?'" Coyote said in a credible imitation of Robin William's voice.

"No caffeine." Daniel finished, ignoring Coyote.

"I'm Anna."

"Daniel."

They shook hands. Anna went to work on the espresso. "She's handling this well." Coyote observed, leaning over the counter to watch Anna.

"She's a graduate student. This is no weirder than some of the study groups she's probably in."

Anna glanced up, grinned. "You sound like someone who knows."

"Double PhD and two terminal master's," Daniel confessed.

"Well I don't have to ask how a nice guy like you wound up as a Spirit," Anna snorted as the rich smell of grinding espresso beans filled the shop. "Anyone who can manage to stay a college student that long can probably out trick Coyote."

"Hey!" Coyote said, outraged. He paused. "How did you manage that, anyway?"

Daniel smirked. Shrugged.

"So. . .other than fixing your coffee joneses, and giving you the chance to insult me, why did Old Woman have us meet? I mean, it's not like you're one of mine. You belong to. . ."

"Badger's tribe. I know. I stayed with her a while back." Daniel shrugged.

"How is the old girl? Haven't seen her in a couple of. . .well. I need to get back before she puts my shit out in the yard. She's done that before." Coyote opened the refrigerated display case. "Want some cheesecake?" He asked.

"I wouldn't say no to a scone."

"'I wouldn't say no to a scawn.'" Coyote mimicked. "Cinnamon or cranberry."

"Cinnamon. Badger's fine. She's had a few yard sales."

"Yard sales?" Coyote questioned, a small bit of panic in his eye.

"Yard sales." Daniel confirmed. "But I think your good hockey stick's still there."

"Well, that's a relief. What about my bong?"

"Bong?"

"Bong?" Anna echoed.

"Yeah. Man. Hand-blown glass. And trust me, I know. I had to blow Vulcan to get it," Coyote muttered. "Stupid Badger."

"I never understood why Badger stayed with you." Anna said over the gush of the espresso machine. "I mean, she's such a nice person, and you're. . .you know. And she's always pulling your ass out of a crack."

Coyote shot her a look. "You notice the stories also go on about how many kids we had?"

"Yeahhhh. . ." Anna's reply was cautious.

"Well, there you go." Coyote looked at Daniel. "Ask him. He's from Badger's clan. His spouse is a Coyote."

"Sha're wasn't Coyote, was she?" Daniel asked.

"Sha're had membership in two, maybe three clans, if I remember correctly. Including mine. But she's not the one I'm talking about."

Daniel's turn to look puzzled. He accepted the plate Coyote handed him and took a seat at the coffee bar where he could watch Anna make their drinks.

"Okay, book boy," Coyote said, digging through the display case. "Think about it for a minute. Duh. Who's ass did you just save after he got it in a crack. Again? And you did it how? By completely ignoring the Old Woman's stupid rules. Hellll-ooooo? Ring any bells?" Coyote said, carrying an entire cheesecake with him over to the coffee bar.

Daniel felt his eyebrows shoot up. "Oh. Jack. I'm not married to Jack. I'm not even ga. . .two spirited."

"*You* don't have to be." Anna replied, dumping espresso grounds into the trash. "Just the other guy. At least in my culture."

"What culture? MTV?"

Daniel ignored Coyote's sarcasm, worked his way through the rest. "Jack's. . ." He stopped. Jack was bi. Kinda. In a weird sort of buddy-fuck way. "I'm not the wifely sort." He finished, lamely, as Anna put a lid on his drink.

"Neither is Badger." Coyote muttered. Anna shot him a look.

"Oh come off it." Coyote said, before burying his muzzle in a slice of cheesecake. "A good wife would defer to me."

"What tribe you been livin' in, furry butt?" Anna snorted. "The deal is, we defer in public and kick your asses in private."

"Typical feminist re-appraisal of the culture," Coyote muttered through the cheesecake. "I fucking wish I hadn't helped Badger invent it."

"What? Feminism?" Daniel asked. "Good espresso."

"Thanks. That was a latte, right, Fleabag?"

"Watch the comments. I'm a god."

"Yeah and I'm a Princess." Anna began grinding more beans.

"She is," Coyote said with a sidelong glance at the barrista.

"Hmm?" Daniel asked around his scone. A little stale. Typical Starbucks.

"A princess. Her Father's a chief."

"Yeah yeah. That and 3.50 American will get you a cup of coffee." Anna replied, busy at her work.

"A certified Indian Princess and the only daughter of a powerful shaman."

Anna snorted, "and I work in a Starbuck's."

"That too, so you're extremely powerful, as far as I'm concerned," Coyote said seriously. He looked at Daniel. "So what did you and Badger talk about?"

"She made me help her card some wool, and we re-plastered her house," Daniel shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. She said Old Woman told her to come get me."

"Speaking of Jack. Pretty fucking cool." Coyote dug into another slab of cheesecake.

Daniel shrugged. "I should have tried to make Jack ascend."

"I thought you did?" Coyote asked, attention still on the cheesecake.

"I. . ."

"Hello, Daniel." The woman sat down beside Daniel in an empty bar chair. "Coyote. Get your muzzle out of the cheesecake. I might want some."

"Old Woman!" Coyote looked up, flinging cheesecake everywhere. "What are you doing here?"

Anna was looking up, hands still on the pitcher of milk frothing in her hands, mouth agape. Her eyes were huge.

"Calm down, child. I'm not your grandmother or the head of your department. No need for that."

"Uhmm. . .uhmm. . .yes ma'am," Anna stammered, face going pale.

"You're a sweet thing. How is your mother?"

"She's fine."

"And your father?"

"He's fine."

"Is he?" Oma asked, looking at Anna sharply.

Anna had the grace to become embarrassed and flush bright red. She gulped.

"Well," Oma gave her a shrewd look. "When you get finished scalding that milk, I think I'd like a frappachino."

Anna yelped and finally noticed that she was very close to burning the milk.

Oma laid a hand over Daniel's. "Triple espresso?" She observed.

"Mhm."

Oma nodded. "How are your friends?"

"They're. . .fine," Daniel allowed.

"Neat trick, whispering that suggestion into Teal'c's ear."

"I didn't whisper. . .I just sort of. . .nudged a neuron or two."

"Call it what you will," Old Woman sighed. "Do you know the story of how Badger and Coyote met?"

"No." Daniel glanced at Coyote.

"She and Badger love to drag this story out," Coyote muttered, "every time they get together. `Do you remember back when the world was new and you met Coyote with his nose in a trap?'" He mimicked sarcastically.

"Why don't you tell it then?" Old Woman asked.

"I'll just go see if I can get killed and skinned for my bounty instead, thanks."

"Why? You don't love Badger?"

Coyote sighed.

"Truth now. You can trick in a moment." Old Woman demanded.

"I love her. You know I do."

"Why does Badger get frustrated with Coyote?" Old Woman asked, turning to Daniel and Anna.

Anna shrugged.

"Because she sees the good and the strength in Coyote." Daniel answered. "And she sees how he hurts himself with his tricks. And sometimes Coyote isn't. . .as heroic as she thinks he ought to be. Because he is the greatest of the heroes. Not Bear or Wolf or Cougar. Coyote."

"Why is he the greatest of them?"

"Coyote tricks for us." Anna's voice was soft. She gently handed Coyote his latte.

"Why does Badger love him then?"

"Because he has died for us. Over and over and over again." Daniel swallowed hard.

"Even though he gets her and his children into trouble?"

"Well. . ." Daniel grinned.

Coyote had his nose deep in the cup of latte. He looked up suddenly, brown froth covering his muzzle. "What'd I miss?"

Oma frowned. "Coyote's first wife died. She was the daughter of one of the great star gods. Her hair was full of stars and her. . ."

"She had good make-up and a great beautician," Coyote interrupted dryly. "Don't make it out like she was some kind of ethereal, foamy spirit."

"So you tell us."

Anna went to fill the blender, actually went to fill two blender cups with ice.

"She had a body that went on for miles. Oh god. Nipples as big as your thumb and breasts that were firm and ripe and round as summer melons. Her ass was such a perfect circle that scientists measured their instruments by it. She had these eyes. . .man. And these perfect sort of pouty lips." Coyote sighed, tail thumping in remembrance.

"She didn't want to marry me at first. See, I won her in a poker game. Cheated too." He added proudly. "She was so pissed, that I had to put her in a bag to get her home. I took her with me to the far end of the worlds. She wouldn't have anything to do with me though. I tried to trick her. Well. I did. Several times. But it never worked I'd juuuuustttt be getting her into bed with me when she'd figure it out. Damn, that woman was smart. I had to go one day. I left her and told her that if she could find her way home, I would let her go. I didn't mean it, of course. But you know." He sighed as the blender began crushing ice.

"She followed me, silly git. Wound up watching me destroy these giants that were hurling stones down on man. Saw me give my breath to an old woman. Next thing I know, she's all over me." Coyote leered. "We must have fucked for days. God. We tried positions that. . ."

"Ahem," Oma warned.

"Oh, like there are any virgins here. Okay. Okay," Coyote sighed. "One day I left to go hunting. I met this evil goddess who thought I had money. Never did find out who told her I had money. I mean, some spirit animals do, but Coyote? Half the stories are about Badger getting after me to earn money to feed our children. . ." He mused. "So anyway, I tricked her into thinking that I had hidden my gold in some boulders at the bottom of a lake. Once she got down there, she could only get back up if she let go of the gold and asked for my help." Coyote shrugged. "She croaked." He stopped. Stared at his latte and the mess he had made of the cheesecake. "I won't talk about it." He said without looking at anyone.

"I will," Oma promised gently.

Coyote sniffed, wiped the back of his eyes with his paws. A moment later he surprised everyone by pointing his nose at the sky and howling for all he was worth. The sound shook the coffee shop and found its way up into that part of the spirits and the human that held their souls.

"When Coyote got back to the hogan he shared with Beautiful Woman, Beautiful Woman had been slaughtered like a pig. The goddess's brothers had heard of Coyote's actions and sought their revenge on Beautiful Woman. They tied Coyote to a tree and made him eat Beautiful woman, one piece at a time. Coyote acted like it was horrible, that he couldn't bear it, but he was pleased. Just so long as he didn't shit Beautiful Woman out, so long as he held her inside his body, there was a chance, just a chance, that perhaps he could vomit Beautiful Woman up and get me to bring her back to life.

"But before the brothers were done, an evil djinn came and told the brothers what Coyote had planned. So the brothers cut Coyote open from his throat to his genitals and let all the pieces of Beautiful Woman spill out. They ate her while Coyote hung from the tree, howling. Then they shit it all out and left the piles of warm dung at Coyote's feet.

"When Coyote finally managed to get himself lose from his bonds he lay there, crying over the shit that had been Beautiful Woman for many, many days."

The café seemed frigid now. Coyote was watching the gray windows, pretending he could see out them. Anna and Daniel supposed maybe he could, maybe he couldn't, but he could pretend he wasn't paying attention as Old Woman dragged out the worst moments of his endless life for their perusal.

"One Day, Badger came by. She saw Coyote there, bereft in a pile of shit and asked him what he thought he was doing," Old Woman's voice was warm.

"Coyote tried to explain. Badger paused and thought about it. `Shit cannot live, but it can bring life to others.' She said. She started shaping the dung. At first, Coyote ignored her or snapped at her, but finally, he started paying attention to her work. Badger used Coyote's tears for water and the dung for dirt and finally she fashioned the earth, this planet. It was far greater than any other world, and far more beautiful. "Go trick the Brothers." She said. "Go trick them and bring them back here and we will light them like fags and imprison them in the center of the world.'

"So Coyote did this, and when he was gone, Badger found a small bit of one of Beautiful Woman's nails, torn and gnawed, but still beautiful for all that. So she hung it from the sky and made it the moon. There is a tale to be told about how Coyote found the Brothers and sent them to the center of the earth, but it is a story of another day."

Oma stopped. "That is why the Earth burns inside and that is why Coyote howls at the moon. And that is why Coyote loves Badger more than life itself."

Coyote was crying now. He turned his nose to the sky once more and howled long and howled hard. The howling grew as Coyote's kindred joined in mourning and celebrating Beautiful Woman.

"Now let me tell you why Badger loves Coyote." Old woman said. "Once Anna gets finished making those Venti Frappachinos."

======================

The Frappachinos were huge. Enough for everyone to have a Grande. Daniel waved off, so there was enough for 3 Venti's. They moved to the messy sitting area for this. Anna sighed. "College students," she said in explanation as everyone moved books and papers out of the way.

Daniel held up a piece of paper, "this looks like a Wormhole Extreme fanfic."

"Hell, it might even be a script. A couple of their writers come here," Anna snorted, stacking up newspapers, "Sutton Pig is like a half a block down."

The three spirits looked at her for explanation.

"Oh. Sutton Place is a hotel. The film people who shoot TV shows up in North Vancouver like to stay there."

"So like, the cute chick on Wormhole Extreme stays there?" Coyote asked.

"The big android guy does," Anna shrugged. "You ever wonder why they don't ever visit many Indian tribes on that show?"

"Becauuuussee you're American Indian and only you notice?" Coyote suggested.

Anna made a face.

"So you were going to tell us why Badger loves Coyote," Daniel intervened quickly.

Old Woman took a sip from her Frappachino and sat down on a velvet couch. "All right. Well, the world. . ."

The jangling of bells on the door made everyone turn to look. Made Old Woman pause.

"It's my story. I'll be the one telling it if you don't mind, Oma." The little figure wore a faded fake pashima and a Burberry trench coat that did not disguise her fireplug physique.

"Badger!" Coyote was the first one up.

"Old fool!" Badger sputtered as she kicked off her galoshes and slapped away Coyote's hands. She got her own pashima and trench coat off.

"Daniel said you've had some garage sales?" Coyote said reproachfully, hanging up his wife's outer clothing.

Badger snorted. "Just some things our grandchildren gave us. You know that awful elephant planter you always bruise your toes on? Panther bought it. What he wants with it is anyone's guess. Now give us a kiss."

Coyote leaned down and began kissing his short, stubbly wife gently, short little smacks on her forehead and nose and cheeks and neck. Finally he worked his way down her short snout to her mouth and really kissed his wife.

"I love you," he said, finally, when Badger broke away.

"I know. I love you. I sold your Bong."

Daniel and Anna had never seen the air literally turn blue with curses. Now they knew where the expression came from.

=======================

"I'm not going to let you tell my story," Badger said, hopping up on the couch beside Oma. "It's mine to tell."

"My apologies," Oma dipped her head.

"So who bought my bong?" Coyote asked, following his wife, curling up on the rug in front of her. "It wasn't Bear, was it? You know he's broken it by now and gotten the shards in his paws."

"It wasn't Bear," Badger replied, nudging her husband's shoulder with a claw.

"Then it had to be Ant. He's probably building his children a condo in it even as we speak."

"It wasn't Ant. Now hush and give me some of that frappachino."

Coyote reached over to the coffee table where his frappachino sat, the cup slick with condensation, and handed it to his wife.

"Hello, Daniel," Badger greeted him warmly.

"Hi." Daniel smiled. "How did that rug turn out?"

"The co-op gave me good money. Not like it used to be you know, when the White traders ripped us off." Badger took a long slurpy drink of the frappachino, her claws curling around the wet surface of the mug. "So. You were going to tell why I fell in love with Coyote." She said, looking up, handing her mate the plastic cup.

"Yes. But you are right. It is your story," Oma and Badger gazed at one another for a moment and whole volumes of conversation passed between them.

"Well. Back when the universe was young, I worked with Oma, creating the worlds and setting them spinning in their places. After I had created this world, I found it lovely. I built myself a pueblocita and tucked it up under a ledge in a mesa. It was a beautiful little place, cozy and tidy and warm.

"But I was alone. I created some worlds and I added finishing touches to others and I learned the ways of them all. Then Old Man made the humans. Old Woman and I took them through the sky roofs into this world and taught them to stand upright and weave cloth and capture fire and play music. So I was busy.

"But I was alone. I built more rooms to my pueblocita and filled them with things. I wove blankets and spread them across the worlds and they became grass and trees, air and water.

"But I was alone." Badger sighed deeply. "I went to the other spirits and joined them in the Power Dances. I spun among them and drank with them and did as they did. I became wise and was second only to Oma.

"But somehow, I was still alone. One day Oma told me to go to Coyote as she had not heard from him in many months. So I did. I found his den, a filthy drafty, half-finished den that smelled of old sex and molding socks."

Everyone looked at Coyote who was slurping Anna's frappachino (which refilled every time it was emptied). "What?" He said. "What?"

"Never mind," Oma sighed. "Go on."

"But Coyote took me with him hunting. He took me tricking and taught me foolery. We curled together at night and our fur was warm. And I was not lonely. I took his filthy den as long as I could and finally went back to my own, neat, home.

"But I was alone. I called to Coyote and told him to come, live with me. When he saw the neat, bright rooms he cowered, for I had invested them with magics to keep them clean and to make each thing stay in its place. So I went up to the stars and called to Coyote to come with me.

"But up in the stars, Coyote could not trick. Up in the stars, there are no lies. And Coyote has no bright pelt to change into, only his own dirty pelt as Old Man made him give up his bright pelt as punishment many years ago for killing. So at the Power Dances we were all glittering and beautiful, but Coyote was dirty and ashamed.

"So Coyote went back down where he was needed and I sat among the stars. I missed Coyote. Coyote forces me to laugh when he thinks I have been too serious. Coyote kisses me with tiny kisses until my skin tingles. Coyote holds me when I am ill. Coyote is not ashamed when I cry." Badger paused, wiped some tears from her eyes.

"So I went back to Coyote's den. I put my star pelt up in a box with cedar wood. I cleaned up Coyote's den and finished it out just to listen to him complain. And I loved him." Badger finished. "This story is not heroic or full of mischief. But it is true."

"It is the most powerful of the stories," Oma said softly.

Daniel found his eyes full of tears. Anna was watching him, concern wrinkling her brow. Coyote was curled at Badger's feet, fast asleep. Oma patted Daniel's hand.

"Do you understand now?" She asked.

Daniel nodded, got out of his chair and went to Badger. Kissed her nose. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. It was already in you, you know."

"I know," Daniel admitted.

"Star pelts are worthless if your coyote is not beside you," Badger said gently. "Go to him."

"I will." Daniel stood.

"You're going to become human?" Anna asked, voice full of outrage. "Give up all that power to become mortal, just for someone from Coyote Clan? For what?"

"For something better. For something wonderful," Daniel replied.

Anna frowned like she didn't believe it and set her mouth. Oma smiled, "I didn't plan on you, little Anna, but I'm glad Coyote brought you. Do you know why you're here?"

Anna looked at Coyote, who was now snoring on the rug. "Well. Coyote was supposed to give me a blessing and a twenty dollar tip, but it looks like he's dead to the world."

"That's the trick," Oma observed.

Anna sighed. "I know why." She made a face at Daniel and Badger. "It's about my mother and father, isn't it?"

"And you. You're a coyote, even if you don't like it," Badger said gently. "And you're a story teller, so it's about everyone."

"I still want my 20 bucks."

At that Coyote snorted and woke, looking up, startled. "Beaver. I bet you sold my bong to Beaver." He said.

"No. I didn't sell it to Beaver, either," Badger said firmly. "I'll pay you, my dear, but I don't have any money with me. I'll send you a nice rug. How's that?"

Anna blinked, "floor or wall?"

Badger sighed, "floor. I'll consider it an investment in American Indian Higher Education."

"Deal. I still think you're stupid for giving up spirithood," Anna told Daniel as she shimmered out of their realm.

Daniel swallowed and leaned down to brush Coyote's muzzle with a kiss.

"See. Told you. You. Me. A leather bar." Coyote said, leering.

Badger stepped discreetly on Coyote's tail.

"Take me to Jack." Daniel told Oma. "And I will share his den."

And so Oma did. There is a tale to be told about who bought Coyote's bong and the trouble Coyote went to get it back, but that is a story for another night. For now, you know why Daniel descended and why the great shaman Crow Sleeps In Brambles remains married to the infamous Sioux chief Laughs at White Gamblers and why their daughter finally spent Christmas with them.