Coyotes: Denis

Chapter 12: Dance of Birth

   Today was a special day in our village, and everyone was lively in their efforts to participate.

   Every February, there was a ritual performed to celebrate the peak of mating season for our people. The season began in January, and ended in March. February was the ideal time for couples to create new life, and the new year's pups were expected to arrive in April or May.

   It was called The Dance of Birth.

   My family was one of hundreds who flocked to the village's central valley to partake in the festivities.

   As we approached, the rhythms of hand drums, tambourines, guitars, and the howls and barks of the talented musicians filled the air.

   The five of us held each other's paw, creating a chain so that no one was lost in the crowd. At some point, we would meet up with Benoit and his mother. She lead the group that created the costumes and props for the dancers, so she would be preoccupied with preparing the performance.

   The festival began early in the morning, and the dance would occur at noon when the Sun was strongest in the sky. It was also the hottest time of the day, but our dedication to withstand it was part of the festival because it showed our commitment to the Sun.

   Once we gained entrance to the valley, I was tasked with babysitting my siblings while my mother took an offering to the great sandstone effigy of the Sun to bless our family with wealth.

   I felt like the offerings were fruitless, but my mother often reminded me of the little blessings we received. When I had a particularly successful hunt, when one of the pups recovered from a cold, when we received gifts from neighbors. These were all fruits of faith in her eyes.

   I stood and watched as the three pups surrounded a magician, enraptured in his tricks.

   He pulled a coin out from behind Marione's ear, and turned it into a rose. I couldn't help but grin at the way her face lit up in astonishment. Sadly, we didn't have any tips to put into the bucket he had next to him.

   I could see Antoine's brain at work, trying to figure out the man's tricks. The magician seemed to notice as well. "A magician never tells his secrets!" He exclaimed proudly, and the other children gasped in wonder. Antoine just stuck out his tongue and trotted back over to my side.

   "Denis, do think he's really magic?" He asked. I stifled a laugh behind my hand, glancing over to make sure no one was watching before shaking my head in response.

   Some of the tension left his little shoulders, and he sighed in relief. "Good, 'cause I was starting to feel kinda stupid."

   I pulled him in for a hug. "No Antoine, asking questions instead of believing everything you're told makes you smart." I assured him. He smiled into my shirt and squeezed me tight.

   Eventually, he and I became bored and we pulled our sisters away from the act. They pouted, but willingly linked hands again as I led them over to another performer.

   This time, a carver caught my eye, and we stopped there. She was hunched on the ground over a table, whittling away at a bone. Behind her, there were displays of bone jewelry and even some large skulls that were carved into shapes, beads, or had designed etched into their surfaces.

   The kids didn't seem to impressed, but I was captivated by the beauty of her works, and the focus that she had on the piece before her. Some people were asking her questions about her prices, what animals the bones were from, and she answered them between her work.

   That gave me the confidence to speak up with my own question. "What is your favorite piece?"

   She stopped her work, and looked up at me with a curious gaze. I was afraid that she was going to chastise me, but her smile quelled my fears.