rough:
a. Having a surface marked by irregularities, protuberances, or ridges; not smooth.
b. Unpleasant or difficult.
No city was too hot. No canyon too deep. But the coyote was alone. Roaming the darkest alleyway to the driest mesa.
Trekking across the land, the coyote accepted each obstacle as a new challenge, adapting to the surroundings.
The lone coyote’s paws were blistered by hot asphalt and earth. Marked and bruised from the day’s hunt, the coyote was determined to make it back to the other side. The treacherous ups and downs of the canyons and valleys wore the flesh, but not the heart.
Meanwhile, miles away, the family waited patiently at the den. The stillness of the prairie surrounding them provided little solace as the the sun faded. It was a rough time.
Then, just as the last blur of purple hazed gold from the day fell below the horizon, a familiar howl pierced the night. The family’s ears twitched and turned to the direction of the howl. In the distance, a deep purple shadow emerged from the abyss of the forest. The family howled in response to acknowledge. The coyote had returned with the day’s bounty for the family. Its fur tattered and matted, filled with dirt and brush. The coyote quietly, but swiftly approached the den and collapsed next to its family as they greeting it with gentle, feverish licks. After their feast, they nestled each other like a jigsaw puzzle as the thunder rolled through the night.
This is just one of my original stories that I have been writing here and their for the last few years. (While writing this one, I imagined the coyote was actually in a painting of mine, traveling over the hills and valleys of the thick paint.) It has been a little while since I have written one, so I hope you enjoyed this new one. I wanted to let you know that I am tossing around the idea of compiling a book of these stories (with illustrations, of course). Is this something that you may be interested in? If you could let me know with a simple yes or no reply that would help guide me as to whether it would be feasible or not at this time.