Tricked

undershirt, big silver belt buckle, and shining black hair falling from underneath a black cowboy hat. I watched him and the brush nearby to see if there was any movement. He kept calling, and his voice sharpened with an edge of irritation when I didn’t reply.
    » Don’t make me hunt for ya! I ain’t in the mood! « he yelled. Deciding it was worth the risk to show myself, I tested out my vocal cords and let out a high-pitched otter call. It sounded a bit rough but the volume was there. Coyote swiveled his head toward the sound and spotted me walking down to the bank. » Oh, there you are. Took ya long enough. «
    Pausing at the riverbank, I chittered at him again. Now that I was in the open, he could point me out to any unfriendly creatures he might have hiding nearby, if that was his plan. Instead, he just stood there, hands on his hips, bemused at my behavior.
    » I don’t speak Otter, ya dumbass. What are ya waitin’ for? Get over here so we can get back to the rez. Unless I’m talkin’ to a real otter, in which case I’m the dumbass and you can just stay over there. «
    I cheerfully suggested that he juggle hedgehogs, since he couldn’t understand anything I said, and slipped into the river. Keeping my head above water was manageable this time, though it hurt like one of Torquemada’s special tortures.
    When I emerged, dripping, Coyote squatted down and spoke with more venom than I’d ever heard from him before. » Guess how much I like being eaten by a huge fuckin’ dog, Mr. Druid, « he said. » Chewed up an’ swallowed, an’ I didn’t die until I hit the acid in his stomach ’cause he gulped my head down whole. I remember every horrible second of it. An’ afore that I got turned into mincemeat by a buncha thunder gods. I’ve died twice now for you, an’ both times were some o’ the worst ways I could possibly go. You better be worth it. «
    Making otter noises would be insufficient reply, so I bound myself back to my human form and gasped at the pain as a few of the muscles tore again in the shift. My vocal cords held it together, but just barely.
    » Thank you, « I rasped as I lay on the riverbank, cold and naked. » Sorry about the trouble. «
    » Aw, don’t thank me yet, « Coyote said, a wry smirk on his face. » I’m takin’ ya right back to them skinwalkers. They’re prob’ly still hungry for Druid. An’ if they ain’t, they’re still pissed about us bein’ in their territory. They gotta be dealt with one way or another. « He paused, thinking of something else, and gave two short barks of laughter before adding, » Plus your hound and your girl are going to kill ya for makin’ ’em worry. «
    » She’s not my girl, « I said, which was probably not the smartest reply I could have made.
    Coyote snorted derisively. » Yeah, whatever. «
    » She’s my apprentice, « I reminded him. For some reason this conjured a vision of Leif in my head, anxious to start a Shakespearean quote duel, and I could hear him say, » The Druid doth protest too much, methinks. «
    Coyote shook his head. » I don’t care, Mr. Druid. Can you walk now? «
    Experimentally, I pushed against the ground with both hands and discovered that I couldn’t keep my head up or endure the excruciating pain the movement caused. Bunching the muscles in my shoulders and back affects the neck—check. I could cut off the pain, but it was there for a reason. I tried to lever myself up using only my left arm, on the theory that it was the side opposite the wound, but that was a no-go too. Bunching up the shoulders in any way made those torn muscles scream.
    » Wait. Let’s try something else. « I rolled over gingerly onto my back and then held up my left hand. » Help me up. Just pull gently. «
    Coyote locked his hand in mine and pulled. The pain this time was more of a wail than a scream. I tried to keep my shoulders as relaxed as possible, and once I got my feet under me it wasn’t so bad. What I needed was a brace.
    » All right? « Coyote asked.
    » Yeah. I’ll have to move slowly, but I can walk with my head tilted like a zombie. «
    » Good. I got a truck parked and waiting in Fourth World. «
    » Any clothes in it? «
    » Nope. You got clothes right there. « Coyote pointed to my jeans and shirt on the riverbank, which had been thoroughly nosed and stomped on by Garm.
    » Wet and muddy ones. «
    » So walk back naked, Mr. Druid, it ain’t no matter to me. «
    Getting into my jeans was an exercise in