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Dial Coyote: Ch1 (Recovery)


He woke up in a strange world, surrounded by a grid of hard metal bars he could not bite through. He was trapped, though his body was still weak so he had no hope to escape yet. It was days before he felt well enough to stand and then tried vigorously to get out. Soon the racket attracted strange humans in white coats. He cowered and growls instinctively showing his wild side.

"Strange I thought you said he was a pet"

"No but he did show signs of being raised by humans though maybe he realized I was there trying to help him. Now that he is revived do not turn your back on him or take any chances"

Dial squirmed a bit and watched with adrenal fear even with his new mind he was too much of an animal right now to listen to his brain. The humans brought him food; He threw up a few times, but they gave him plenty of water. Some of the food was mashed up and easier on his belly. When he was able to eat solid food again the humans came one day and pulled out his cage. He had become more used to them so he did not cower and growl but was very alert and hoping to make his escape. His mind had calmed and he realized they had been very nice to him. Somewhere inside he almost wanted to be kind and thank them but was still far too much a wild animal to trust them.

A big tarp was covered the cage and he was afraid of the strange new smells and sounds but could not see anything. His cage was lifted and a strange growling metal beast took him very far. He tried to stay awake for the trip but eventually his body gave way to sleep. He was still weak so his full energy had not returned. He awoke to the sound of the truck stopping. He was moved a short distance the tarp lifted and the door lifted. He cowered in the cage and then realized the escape was right there. The humans were standing behind the cage and he did not know what they were up to. He found courage and darted out.

He ran far and found a wall. Then he ran along the wall until it met another wall. He circled the enclosure three times before he realized he was contained. He wanted to dig but there were humans in here with him He wanted to climb but his brain told him his large pen had a mesh roof and he was not small enough to fit through. He panicked and tried to stay as far away from the humans as possible. They talked and then soon left. He saw the door open and ran up to them. He realized they were just as cautious about him as he was of them. His brain clicked and he realized he could intimidate them. He growled and approached them and they backed away from the door but when the coyote entered there was a second gate.

"Curses!" he thought to himself. He tried to gnaw and claw at the gate and could not open it. He could smell meat in a bucket just outside. His belly gurgled and for a moment he forgot about his containment... he wanted that meat more than anything. The humans behind him made a sound and he hopped back into panic. When one approached the small area he felt cornered. He dashed around the man’s legs and out into the pen again. The humans were quick to run into the gate and close in. He then watched as they opened the second gate.

"Dam it!" he would have said if he knew how to speak, instead a growl came out. He then realized he had become much more intelligent. He was able to figure it out. Rather simple as it was, he was now able to think much greater than a coyote. The humans left and he smelt that meat and whimpered. The humans ignored him. He realized they were not in a good meet and seemed to have a temper with him. He was not brave enough to attack them but manipulated them. They seemed not to like his threats. In the end they had the meat he wanted and he realized they were not giving it to him because he had been aggressive. He switched his strategy and whimpered and begged.

"See that there, he is domesticated, he is begging for food, he is used to humans enough to know it. Perhaps though he has been in the wild so long that he has adapted"

"Fascinating, captive born animals so rarely survive in the wild"

"Perhaps he is not captive born but rather socialized with humans enough, he may have been simply fed by humans at a park and learned that humans give food if he begs."

"Ah, that sounds much more likely"

Though his whines went ignored but he was interested at the strange sounds the humans made. He tried to yip and yap and howl, and make coyote noises; but he seemed to be amusing them. They clearly did not understand coyote speak. He then tried to use canine signals and rolled around and submitted and used his tail. Again they ignored him. Dial became convinced that for him to get food he would need to understand their language.

The next day he was fed, he wanted more but they limited food for him. He had become somewhat familiar with the smells of other coyotes, wolves foxes and one very angry cougar. Though he never saw them, he was isolated but could hear and smell them. Some of the animal scents reeked of fear while others seemed happy and content. He realized they had taken notice of him and his smell of fear but he was more relaxed and had time to contemplate. First he wanted escape, then realized he could live here and be fed. Both choices had their pros and cons. The key was the humans. If he could learn to understand their dialogue he could outsmart them.

He acted as gentle as he could think his nature aside he did not feel comfortable with them getting to close but he wagged his tail and acted nonthreatening.

"He is doing much better this week, it seems that he was just worked up and went through a lot. He is lucky we found him before a predator did".

Dial studied and studied and studied. He learned the words for meat were meet and food. He learned water and over time learned that the female human who smelt of food and urine was his handler. She brought him food and toys and water and treats. Little by little he senses she was gentile and not a threat. Most of the people here seemed that way in fact but she was like a delicate flower. He could even smell something nice on her something that smelt of wildflowers.

“You have been out in the wild a long time, poor thing. Looks like you are doing much better. However; you are definitely socialized with humans. Afraid but you have been fed from them before. You cannot be released into the wild as you will think humans mean food. You know to beg and submit for food. That is a problem. It looks like we will have to find a more permanent home for you at a zoo. ”

Dial tilted his head trying to understand any of that and maybe two words slipped by so fast that he was still clueless. She laughed at him for this behavior and he felt pleased. He then approached her and she stood up. He stopped and edged back a bit but then preceded slowly... he realized he had startled her. He opened his mouth and panted happily and tried to appear friendly and joyful wagging his tail which is rare for a coyote. At least not a wagging as actively as a wolf does. She stood there and stepped a bit back but then he stopped and dropped to his back and submitted.

“Come on now I won’t hurt you. See I just want to have fun” he thought. Though every bit of him wanted to fear that from her but he trusted her now, and she seemed to fill him with comfort and warmth. She walked up a bit closer and threw him a chunk of meat. Ignoring his belly he let it be. This surprised her; it surprised him too he could ignore food like that. His mind truly had become great. He continued to roll and tussle and then looked at her with big wide eyes cutely.

“Maybe you are tame after all? But I am not stupid enough to get my hand bit”

She then sat up and left. Dial felt sad, he was now lonely. He has never been with another coyote or had company really but he liked the attention. He was unsure the difference and his mind while smarter still was very much like a young child. He felt sad though. The next day she returned with the bucket of meat and grabbed a few chunks at a time to bring in. Dial approached and sniffed at the meat. He was hungry but thought maybe he could show the woman he was intelligent, though he had no real ideas until he saw the meat.

She tossed him a chunk and he ignored it. Another and he ignored it. She tossed another piece of meat, then one more. Eventually she ran out of meat and wondered why he was not eating.

“Hmm maybe he is sick again? No appetite?”

She walked out through the gate to get more meat. Dial grabbed a chunk of meat in his mouth and though it tasted heavenly he carried it over to the fence. She had not noticed him so he put down the meat and barked to get her attention, though she ignored him again. He howled a squeaky coyote yap and that got her to look amused. He then did something she did not expect. He picked up the chunk of meat and used his tongue to push it out through the fence grate. She stared at him like he was silly. He rushed over grabbed the second piece of meat and did the same thing. He finally had her attention. He then did it for the last few pieces. He was careful to return to the same spot and make a pile.

She stared at him bewildered why an animal would do this at all. Sure animals can do strange things at times so she was not thinking it supernatural.

“What’s the matter fellow, don’t like the meat I gave you”

Dial then glared at the bucket. He knew that word meat by now, but was not sure if he was exactly correct. She stared at him for a moment not getting it. He then whined and looked not at her, but straight into her eyes.

“Um ok?” she stuttered confused what the animal could possibly want. Those little words we say to fill space when we are thinking of words to better say.

Dial then turned to the bucket again. Then back to her.

“You are a weird one”.

Dial felt frustrated and wish he understood what she said. Though she simply walked off and his efforts were wasted. He studied her the next day and the next. He learned his own name. He actually had never had one. Upon learning his name, or the name they called him. He barked on cue. Whenever he heard his name he barked. It was a bit stupid in his mind but he needed to find a way to communicate and let them know he understood at least a few words. This was much easier to take notice of.

“Good morning Dial.” she would say and he would bark at use of his name. This seemed at first an excited to see her bark but then when she casually would say his name he would bark as well. He was always listening for it, careful never to miss a bark on command. An entire week passed before she started to notice this behavior.

“Come see David. Dial seems to bark at his name. Maybe he thinks it is like the speak command.”

“Odd, possibly he was a pet or simply you have accidentally conditioned him. he knows food comes from you so may have learned a weird behavior to get meat”

“Oh you doctors take all the fun out of this”

“...and you handlers have all the fun” he said in a joking tone. This man scared Dial a little but the woman seemed to trust him, maybe he could also. Dial approached mimicking excitement though he was acting super friendly. He had learned to keep distance now not for his own fears but for theirs. He understood now he was wild to them. His knowledge was still very primal and limited.

Dial rolled around in the dirt which was kind of fun to do anyway. He then slowly inched his way forward.

“Careful Rosie, he is still a wild animal. Do not lower yourself to submit or he may attack or try to dominate. He still may bite you so do not get careless.”

Dial who still did not understand the conversations stood up and slowly approached with a friendly wag. He really wanted to get close. He tried to smile with his tongue out the way they liked. But when he got to close they moved away. Dial was a bit frustrated. He forcefully moved in and the man then shouted firm yet softly enough at him.

“Cha” he ushered, “Back!”

Dial jumped back timidly... Then studied and thought the man did not want to hurt him he mealy invaded his space. Though he tried again to approach and again he was yelled and jumped back. He then stood there and waited.

“David do not do that, you are going to keep him distrustful”.

“He may have attacked Rosie”

“Dial does not seem vicious”

At hearing his name Dial barked on queue

“Bark”

They both looked at him. He felt special for a moment then hoped they would do it again.

“See dial knows his own name”

“Bark”

“Odd I guess you are right.”

The man looked at him and he looked over at May.

“Dial”

“Bark”

“Wow that is amazing.”

And so Dial performed the trick a few more times and they knew he was intelligent just not sure how much so. Then the mere mention of meat made him whine. The complicated man left and out came the food. Dial had been so hungry he spun in circles at the sight of the bucket.

“I think you deserve a extra portion today Dial”

“Bark”

“Hmm that could get annoying after awhile. But it also makes you special. I wonder if I could teach you to bark at bark not your name”

Dial ate to his heart’s content and became full, nowhere near meat drunk but very satisfied. He then spun in a circle again happily. When finished she stayed in the pen and socialized with him. He attentively wagged and listened. The more she talked the more he may figure out her language. Then she got an idea and picked up a stick slowly and calmly. At first dials instincts kicked in and he was cautious but he did not feel she would hurt him and did not want to dare show fear or she may think him wild again. He was wild but he had enough of this pen and wanted to be free and needed to earn it with trust. She threw the stick for him.

“Fetch!”

Dial sat confused and tilted his head to where the stick had fallen.

“Nah, I didn’t think so. Just took a guess.”

Dial sat there for a moment and tilted his head. He was confused but she wanted something. Why did she throw that stick? She stood up to leave and he knew what that meant. He dashed over to the where the stick had been thrown. She noticed this behavior and stopped leaving. He sat there and hovered over the stick. He looked at the stick, then her as she watched him attentively. He did not want her to leave. What did she want? Maybe she wants the stick back? She watched him waiting and it was the only logical thing that made sense for him to do. He picked up the stick and walked towards her. She edged back again when he got close and he stopped and tilted his head with the stick.

“Does she want it or not?” he hesitated and then dropped the stick being entirely confused. He then stood there and she waited. He waited. Then he thought maybe she wanted to get the stick herself and he backed up.” When she approached the vacated stick and bent down to pick it up again, Dial was overjoyed and spun in circles.

“She does want the stick!”

She then threw it again.

“Not wait! What! Why would she?” he then stared at her again confused and she waited. And he waited and eventually he went to go get the stick for her again.

“Gee, humans are hard to train,” he thought to himself as he picked up the stick and the whole cycle repeated. Eventually though he realized this was a game humans wanted to play with him. They throw he retrieves. He rather much liked it and started to run after the stick when it was still in the air. Sometimes he even tried to leap at it and snatch it high in the air.

After the twentieth throw Dial tried again to approach her. This time stick in mouth and wagging and being very friendly and happy. He hoped to have shed any fear from her. To his joy it worked. He got closer than ever before. She started to edge back and he whined and stopped. She stared at him. Then he crept closer a bit and she edged back. Then he sat and leaned in and tried to pass her the stick with just his head. He looked quite silly and was short the reach. She found this odd.

“You are quite strange aren’t you Dial”

He tried to bark but could not with the stick in his jaws. She laughed at him and he wagged happily. He then approached whining cutely and with stick in mouth his teeth were occupied. This time he was able to get close. She took the stick cautiously and he waited. Then chased and brought it back. Another twenty or so times she got the courage to reach out and touch him.

“FINALY!” he was so happy but contained his excitement to stay calm in front of her. He liked her smell up close and her touch of fingers through his neck fur. He brushed up against her and she rubbed at him.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING” David shouted.

Dial could not help himself. He jumped up dashed turned around and growled barking defensively, his mind filled with adrenal animal clouded thoughts.

“You scared me half to death. He could have mauled you”

“Scared me?! You scared him. He is only acting that way because you spooked him stupid. He was letting me touch him. He trusts me. Dam I if you just ruined it”

Dial ran off to the back of the pen before calming himself down and regaining his composure. He thought for a moment before concluding that the male was trying to protect the female from him. He heard them both arguing with each other and they both left and Dial was sad. He sat alone in the darkness and started to howl. By then the pair had gone home for the evening. Soon some of the wolves joined in and he heard the loan coyote yapping with a squeak similar to his. He thought about the howled of the wolf. It usually filled him with fear as he may be killed if wolves were close. Yet for the first time in life he truly listened to their song. It was beautiful and sad and his squeaky howl was nothing in comparison. He wondered why wolves and coyotes have such different voices. And then he lay down for the night.

A few hours later he was awoken form his nap at the sound of one of the interns waking up in their trailer. He was hungry again and whined as she passed his pen. He had become a bit familiar with her at night but lacked her name as humans rarely say their own name aloud. She did not have the privileges that Rosie did but at night when no one could watch her she had fed him scraps and even trusted him enough to rub his side when he leaned sideways against the fence for a rub. She was the only one who trusted him this much but he had been trying to interact with Rosie and David for weeks now. He was so frustrated that just when he made progress he destroyed it. He did not know what may happen next.

“Uh uh. Bad boy.” The female intern commented as she passed. “Dr. Miller would be rather unpleased if I gave you meat now sweetie. He is quite unhappy at you right now. Though he knows it is not your fault, he is mad at his wife for endangering herself. Though we both know you are harmless aren’t you. Come here you precious daring”.

She coaxed him up and over with a soft whistle. This time he felt sad and did not come. Then she accused him of being a mope and took a scrap anyway and pushed it through the fence. That was enough to get him over. He then waged happy like a dog and rubbed his body against the fence.

“Well aren’t you a gentleman tonight”

She gave him a few more scraps for his good behavior and deemed his sentence served. Then smiled she and laughed and rubbed him and he chirped happy. She put her hand flat against the bars but was wise enough not to stick fingers through. Dial was so tame now due to his newly gained higher intelligence that helped him not fear or act stupidly. He licked at her hands as they tasted of the meat but then hoped up onto his back legs and whined. He stated to lick at the top of the fence and she smirked and then touched her hand to his face and he liked it.

“Are you going to give me a kiss too eh?”

She turned her cheek to him and moved it close to the fence and his tongue just had enough length to give it a wet little lick with his tip. She smiled and giggled and then walked off. He was sad to see her go more than any other night before. He had been so worried and lonely. He watched her on her night duties. Security, feeding, fixing things, paperwork in the office he could not quite see well except a window in the distance. He wondered what her name was.

He started to drift off back to sleep around 4am when the second intern woke up. By morning he was up and about doing all the more labor intensive jobs on the wildlife ranch. The doctor would be in at 9am. Though before the male intern started his shift Dial was fast asleep and never woke up as the man walked around the ranch in the first light of dawn.