At the beginning, when the Isles had just been pulled from the sea and the land was fresh and new, the creatures of Mycorzha walked and crawled and swam in all of their myriad ways the same was they do today. But the nights were cold, and everyone had to huddle close together for warmth, for there was no fire to be had in those days. Stories were told of a time that flame had fallen once, from the sky people. But before any could find it, it had been snatched up by the deep dwellers, the watchers of stones, and now they kept the fire guarded fiercely in a deep cave in the earth. The creatures of Mycorzha saw where the mouth of the cave was lit by the embers, glowing against the mountains, and many had dared to approach. None had made it past the watchers, who roared and shrieked and frightened them all away.

It would take a fool to attempt to steal from them, and Coyote was feeling very foolish indeed one morning. Perhaps it had just been that Rabbit had kicked him one too many times the night before, or maybe it was just Coyote being himself, but an idea had come to him, and he called all of the other creatures together to hear it.

“I have a plan to steal fire from the deep dwellers!” he said. “It is a good plan, you will see. Many nights I have not been able to sleep,” and he glanced at Rabbit. “So I have crept to the cave of the watchers, and I have watched them. And I have seen a chance, each morning, when we can snatch fire from them! It will take many of us, working together! But then we will have warmth at night, and hot food, and light for those who cannot see in the dark, and we will not have to sleep so uncomfortably.”

Many of the animals murmured at this, for it was true that the nights were uncomfortable, especially in the winter, or if Rabbit had a bad dream. Coyote saw many heads nodding and smiled to himself, because he knew that his fellows loved a plan where everyone worked together. But the stones around them rattled, and mushrooms sprang forth in clusters as the land spoke. “It is a cunning thing you propose, young Coyote. But you also should speak of the dangers, for long are the claws of the watchers of stones, and their teeth are sharp. And none are as fast as they are! All should know of this, before you begin.”

Coyote laughed long and loud at this, even as worried glances traveled around those gathered there. “Hahaha! The land worries overly. The watchers may be fastest, but I am the sneakiest! I have thought of this too! Now I shall go and creep close to learn what I can of what the watchers are up to, and we shall meet tonight at sunset, at the base of the Tree of Dreams, to prepare to steal the fire!” And with a swish of his bushy tail he vanished into the hills, while the rest of the creatures were left to ponder his words.

That evening when Coyote sauntered up to the foot of the Tree of Dreams he found himself disappointed. There was no crowd of creatures calling to hear his wisdom. There was only Chipmunk and Pronghorn and Frog, curled up among the great roots. As he approached Coyote called to them, “Is this all of you who came? Haha, I did not think the rest so easily scared by the land’s rumblings! Very well, than it shall be us four who steal the fire, and the rest can tell stories of us for season to come. So, my friends, sit and listen.”

And Coyote told them all of what he had seen while watching the deep dwellers. He spoke cunningly of the watcher at night, who rose stiffly due to the chill in the dark air, and stumped slowly deeper into the caves to wake their sibling. He spoke more of the deep slumber of the watchers of stones, that the night watcher must call two, or even three times to wake their companion. “And so, that is when I will strike!” he finished at last, puffing up his chest. “And then it will be your time, Chipmunk. You, who can burrow so well, must see that the coal gets out of the cave swiftly!”

“I will dig a tunnel this very night,” vowed Chipmunk, whose heart soared to be thus called on - very few remembered her, or thought to include her, and she was as proud as any to be part of the plan. “It will be hard to spot, though. You must be prepared, Coyote.”

“I will be!” laughed Coyote. “No one will be moreso! And then you will pass the fire to Pronghorn….”

“And I shall run,” said Pronghorn grandly, “run as I have never before! We shall see, if these watchers are as fast as the land says!”

Coyote clapped his paws together happily. “Yes! And then to Frog, to swim into the marshes!”

“Yeeees.” Frog croaked. “Safely shall I swim, the flame kept dry, and the dwellers will be kept from it.”

“Yes, my friends! With your help we will succeed,” crowed Coyote, but all felt the ground tremble once more, a cluster of mushrooms sprouting.

“Be warned, all,” spoke the land, “for the Watchers are creatures of the deeps, the cold, and they will not be stopped, not by tree nor rock nor flood. You will need to be clever, and careful!”

“On that, we are agreed, cousin! It is good then, that I am the cleverest of all. Now!” Coyote brought forth a bundle of tender morsels, and a skin full of dark, bitter drink. “Let us eat and drink to our success! And then I will see you in place at first light.” The creatures past a while in good company, and soon went their separate ways to prepare.

The next morning, the pale dawn light hid the twitching of Coyote’s fluffy tail as he crouched near the entrance to the cave of the deep dwellers, lying in wait. He wiggled in anticipation, and turned his gaze to the opening in the rock where his quarry waited.

The watchers were tall, thin, and gaunt; they moved about cloaked in whipping layers of cloth, and veils hid their face. Only the long, long arms could be seen, with hands tipped in hard claws. The night watcher had crouched motionless for hours. Now it stirred, and Coyote felt the deep creaking as its joints popped. His breath steamed and tongue lolled in anticipation as the creaking form turned and slowly stumped its way into the cavern.

He crept closer, to the very mouth of the cave. The watcher plodded on, deeper, and Coyote could see the bed of coals now. He shimmied further still, paws silently falling on the ashen floor. And still the watcher did not turn! It shuffled forward to another hole in the rock, even as Coyote slunk closer. Closer. Closer still. It raised its arms to its face, and called loudly. “Sisters! Dawn has-”

Coyote did not wait to hear what else it said. He sprang forward to snatch a coal from the fire! He whirled, his bushy tail fanning the flames, making him yelp as he raced away once again. Sparks flew as he beat his tail against the ground to put it out, but the tip of his tail has stayed scorched and blackened even to this day.

Behind Coyote there was a great wailing and gnashing fury, as the deep dwellers cried aloud at the theft. Even as Coyote sped up the tunnel, two more shapes of fluttering cloth burst from their den, and all three gave chase! Claws scratching against the stone, Coyote’s ears flickered to a chittering, skittering noise. Earth fell away, and there was Chipmunk! Tossing the coal to her, Coyote turned to taunt the watchers. “Haha, we have stole-Oof!” They slammed into him, sending him tumbling! Chipmunk spun and clawed back into the dirt, but not before the watchers spied the orange spark disappearing into the tunnel. Shrieking, they ripped into the earth itself, the land groaning in protest as it was torn asunder. Chipmunk fled before them, scurrying as fast as she had ever before in her life. She sped under the mountains, while behind rocks cracked and smashed apart in the wake of the watchers.

Down, down into the dark they went, then up, up, up again! The tunnel was long and windy, but Chipmunk knew her way, her claws sure. But where she twisted and turned with her digging, the deep dwellers crashed and tore through the stone, the very mountains seeming to tumble aside. They were gaining, closer and closer even as weak daylight shone up ahead. Heat crept up behind Chipmunk, her tail smoking as the closest watcher reached for her, its claws raking across her back. With a terrified, triumphant squeak she shot into the daylight, throwing the coal to Pronghorn, who caught it neatly in his horns. “Go!” she yelled, collapsing in a heap and tending to her wounds even as Pronghorn raced away.

The cliffside exploded with the fury of the watchers. Their screams pierced the sky, and they spun towards Chipmunk. Looming over her, they were preparing to fall upon her when there was a gentle cough from down the rocky slope. Whirling, they saw Coyote grinning. “Cousins! Is perhaps that what you’re looking for? It seems to be getting away.” And he pointed with one paw towards Pronghorn in the distance, the sparking coal glowing in the dim morning. As one the watchers whirled about and launched themselves after it; Coyote only had moments before he was tossed into the air like a child’s toy, sent nose-over-tail bouncing down the rocky slope with a laughing yelp.

The shrieking of the watchers quieted as they flew in pursuit of Pronghorn, replaced with a low chanting that put Pronghorn’s fur on end. He spared a glance behind him, only to see the tall beings hurl out their clawed hands, casting forth fluttering clothes that shot forward with unnatural speed to cover the land in darkness. Pronghorn could barely see his way forward! Thinking quickly, he tossed the coal into his antlers, where the racing wind of his passage made it flare and crackle like a torch. Snorting as the darkness was pushed back, Pronghorn sped onward even as the shrieking returned, and he felt the watchers growing closer. Soon his breath became ragged, and he felt his muscles start to falter. “A little further!” he snorted, but even as the marshes came into view he felt his breath growing ragged, and he stumbled. The shrieks of the watchers grew closer still, and the coal in his antlers singed his antlers and nose, burning his breath. With a last burst of speed he drew alongside Frog, dropping the coal to him. “Your turn, cousin!” he cried, and trotted away to dunk his head in the cooling waters.

No sooner had Frog hopped away than the watchers descended like a tempest. Rushing upon Pronghorn, they were once again brought short by a chuckling noise. Coyote swam there before them, laughing. “Come, cousins! The water is fine today!” He splashed at them gaily, the water hissing and bubbling from below. The watchers blinked in confusion, but only for a moment before they spied the retreating glow below the water. “Aaah, a warm bath. What a novel idea! I think I shall enjoy more of thes-”

There was a enormous splash, and Coyote was tossed aside as the watchers slammed their bony hands into the ground. Great stones lifted from the marshland, and the earth itself rose and rose, the water draining away. Frog, who had been crouching on the mucky bottom, was suddenly thrust into the air, and the land about him cracked as it dried, dust blowing about. He gulped, croaking in fear as the watchers fell upon him, and spat the ember into one of the great cracks in the earth.

The watchers shrieked and hurled themselves after it, but the land stirred, rumbling. Great, heaving mats of fungus sprouted, and from the cracks burst forth clusters of mushrooms, glowing orange like lit coals. The watchers fell upon them, tearing them open with their claws, but each time the mushroom only darkened and withered. They screamed their frustration, but the land itself roared.

“ENOUGH! YOURS IS THE KEEPING OF THE FLAME, BUT NO LONGER WILL I ABIDE THIS DESTRUCTION! THIS SPARK YOU HAVE LOST, WATCHERS OF STONES; I SHALL KEEP IT IN TRUST FOR ALL. NOW GO!!”

No matter how much the watchers wailed and gnashed and pleaded, the land remained stubbornly silent. And Coyote laughed and laughed then, saying “Hahaha! I am the schemer and the stealer, and I have taken your fire! And now there is nothing you can do!” And before any of his friends could say anything, or speak of their part in the plan, the watchers had snatched up Coyote!

Frog and Pronghorn and Chipmunk cried aloud and made to leap for him, but Coyote stopped them all with a wink, even as the watchers shrieked and sped away, carrying him down into the dark and shadowy places of the earth.

When at last all had quieted, Chipmunk and Pronghorn and Frog gathered together all of the other creatures. There were gasps and mutters all around, as they saw where Chipmunks fur grew white over the long clawmarks down her back, where Pronghorn’s antlers and nose had been blackened, and Frog’s skin bubbled and blistered by swallowing the glowing coals. “All for naught,” they cried, “and Coyote lost as well!”

“Oh, do not whine so, hahaha!” And there was Coyote, laughing as he came up the hill, bearing a large sack that was glowing from the inside. “You think the watchers could so easily steal me? For that was only my skin, and dried grasses, and mushrooms for the eyes! I scattered my bones all about the land during our chase, and so you see, they have only a silly doll now, and not your friend Coyote, haha! Now come, I have much to show you all!”

And he laid out the contents of the pack for all to see the glowing mushrooms within, and showed them the secrets he had learned from the land. The mushrooms could be brought together, or placed apart, and the glow within moved from one to another. And Coyote taught the creatures how to press and squeeze the mushrooms, to pull out a strange liquid which sparked into flames!

“The land has swallowed the fire, but now it gives it back!” the creatures all cried. “What a clever trick by Coyote, and how brave of Chipmunk and Pronghorn and Frog!” They cheered and hooted and set about lighting up torches and cookfires, and stringing the mushrooms all about their camps until it glowed like all the stars high above. There was feasting and dancing, where Chipmunk and Pronghorn and Frog told their stories and were given first choice of the food prepared, and Coyote laughed longest and danced the most of all of them, his bones rattling in time with the music. Even the land seemed to rumble and boom with the beat, although it said quietly to Coyote, “Do you not fear the watchers may return, cousin? And they will be angry with you, for tricking them so.”

But Coyote merely threw back his head and howled in delight. “Let them, my friend! We shall worry on that another day, for tonight we have warmth, and fire, and shall not be kicked in the head while we sleep!” And so those worries were put away for another day, and the creatures sang and told stories long into the night, reveling in the warmth of the fires and their friendships.

Such is the way of it!