Coyote

That happens sometimes, if the ewe is a young one and not clever enough to find good enough cover.

But that was it.

Then I happened to be in the feed store, and one of the ranchers that had property South of mine was talking to the clerk about what a good year it had been since he had lost none at all.

Out of 500 head, we could always count on losing 10 to 20 animals. In our area, it was soon clear that no one had lost any to speak of.

I went down and talked to Carl at the Sheriff's office, he told me the same thing.

"Strange year, almost no reports. Real strange. You sure that critter you had wasn't out raising hell at night?" He asked me.

I just walked out and drove home, no point in saying anything when folks have their minds made up.

Henry let it be known that he was the one who solved the problem, getting rid of that damned thing I had been raising.

I let that slide, Henry was just Henry. Crabby old bastard but he was an OK neighbor. One looks past people's faults to keep the peace.

Inside, I had a feeling I knew what was going on though.

Just a feeling.

+++

It stayed like that, none of the locals were losing any stock except for one had a dog get in and kill a half dozen. A bullet stopped that, I read about it in the papers when the fellow from the city sued the rancher.

Of course, he not only lost the case but got to pay for some Sheep. That was a damned shame, it was a beautiful German Shepperd and of course it's not the animal's fault.

In Sheep country, folks need to be keeping their dogs to home.

It was the following March when I woke up in the middle of the night. There is no missing their calls, the Moon was full and high in the sky, a pack of Coyotes were on the hunt and singing.

I rolled out of bed and grabbed my rifle, they were close by. I walked quietly up to a high ridge that looks over my lower fields when the flock comes in at night to bed down.

I could make them out clearly in the moon light, some were standing, nervous, others pressed tightly against the west fence line.

It wasn't very long before I saw them, a line of shadows moving down my side of the hill towards the pen. One of the smaller shadows started out around the flock, they began to bunch up and move away.

I slid the hammer back, raised my rifle. I knew I could make the shot, it was now within 50 yards.

Then I heard the call. Far up on the rise in the trees, one let out a string of yips, fading into a long howl. The lead Coyote headed for the pens turned and ran back up the hill, followed quickly by the rest.

I released the hammer on my rifle, sat there and watched for over an hour. Other than some Crickets, it was dead silence. My flock began to lie down again, soon all was calm.

I headed back towards the house, feeling chilled now from the moist evening air.

As I opened the gate to head towards my house, I saw the big shadow come out and stop by one of my barns. It was quickly joined by another smaller animal, then three more moved into view.

It was huge, nearly as big as a Wolf. Bigger than I remembered, but I knew who it was.

"Slash?" I said.

The female retreated at the sound of my voice, quickly the pups did also. Slash just stood and looked at me.

"Hungry, big fellow?" I asked. He just stood there. Huge black eyes shining in the moonlight.

"Sit." I told him. Slash instantly sat down.

I went into the house, set my rifle down and got a large bowl of dog food. When I came out, Slash stood up and backed off a few feet.

"It's OK, boy." I told him in the same tone of voice I had used with him hundreds of times.

I set down the huge bowl of food, turned and went back to the porch.

Slash trotted away, I thought at first that that was it but then they all came back and approached my offering.

The pups dug right in and fed, the female was tentative at first but then she ate also as Slash stood there watching me.

"Come here, boy." I told him, patting my leg.

But he didn't move, just stood there.

Then all at once they turned and vanished into the night.

+++

After that, I began to leave food out every night. Some nights they came to it, some nights they didn't.

That went on all the way through Summer into Fall that year.

Just once I woke up in time to see Slash moving out through the bedroom door. I had taken to leaving the doors open, hoping Slash would come in.

He did, too, but only after I was asleep, and he was always gone when I woke up.

I knew because the small bed of blankets I kept for him at the foot of the bed would be disturbed.

+++

Fall comes regular as clockwork and with it comes harvest time.

I was out with the Collies rounding up my flock, to separate the lambs for market. I had two Hispanic helpers working the gate and loading chutes, moving the animals up onto my big double deck trailer.

"Hey, boss! Coyote!" One of them yelled.

I looked up and there was Slash, running happily with the Collies. He darted out and cut off a dozen that made a break for the open field, dropping down low and staring at them as they stared back. Then when they finally broke and turned to run, he headed them for the pens just like he had done when he was a pup.

He stopped short, keeping his distance from the two men who stood there and stared in shock. The Collies swung in and took up the gap, putting the animals into the pen.

With what I swear appeared to be a satisfied grin, Slash threw his head back and let loose with a long howl.

Then he was gone.

"What in the fuck was that?" One of the men asked me.

"That looked like a god damned Wolf!" The other one said as two lambs broke past him, forcing the Collies to turn them back.

Once back in the pen, the Collies gave the man a dirty look, he finally closed the gate.

"Boss? What in the hell was that?" The man asked me again. His expression was priceless.

I started laughing.

"Long story." I told him, as the lambs climbed the chute up into my truck.

"Long damned story."