Where the White Jasmine, with the Rose Gathers

The Coyote steered the flat-bottomed boat toward the riverbank nearest the pavilion. It was one of Mercy's favorite places. She loved the heavy smell of jasmine, roses, and wisteria, and loved watching the sun glint of the graceful webbing that stretched from pilar to pilar. "Can you jump far and wide?" Mercy asked, as the Coyote lept out of the little boat to stand calf-deep in the water. He grabbed the rope trailing its bow and pulled the boat to shore.

"I sure can," Gabriel laughed, in a voice that sounded oddly like a man barking. "And I swim too, slowly." He offered Mercy his paw. She took it and scrambled over the side of the boat to the shore. "I've never been here before," Gabriel said, as he looked up the little hill and took in his surroundings. "It's very quiet."

Mercy pulled at Gabriel's paw and lead him up to the pavillion. "Miss Spider's been here... see?" she asked, indicating one of two enormous webs.

"That's a big spider web," Gabriel said admiringly.

Mercy nodded, "She's a big spider. She doesn't like to eat things that make noise, either... just like you. But she... " Mercy pursed her lips a moment to think of how to describe it her new friend.

"She makes things be quiet?" Gabriel asked helpfully.

"Yes, that's it," Mercy agreed. "She wraps things up and kisses them... then they're very quiet. She says that's the polite way."

Gabriel laughed again. "I can imagine she would, at that. Very tidy, too, I expect?"

Mercy nodded vigorously. "Except... she leaves a bit when she's through. I think she should clean up more, but she says that's not her way." Mercy heard a slight movement behind the vines and was drawn to a pair of dark eyes, watching over her carefully from behind the wisteria. Gabriel seemed to hear the noise, too, but he didn't turn around. She looked back at Gabriel, taking in his fox-like ears, his caramel fur and his long bushy tail. "You remind me of someone."

"Anyone in particular?" Grr asked as he dropped to his haunches. "I'm not a real person, you know."

This news quite surprised Mercy. "You're not?" she asked, as she drew a bit closer and poked him on the shoulder. "You feel real."

"No, Mercy," he replied, "I'm like something that is there, but not what it seems. Like... how do you fit a tree in an acorn?"

"Oh!" Mercy smiled. "I know all about that! Little Red Cap told me."

"The Mushroom Man?" Gabriel asked.

"No," Mercy laughed. "She's a girl. But she's not like me. She doesn't have teeth." She paused, frowning a bit as she explained. "I mean... she has teeth but... they're not very useful. They're all round except for a couple."

A look of understanding crossed Gabriel's face. "Does she carry a basket?"

"Yes," Mercy and gestured further up the hill toward a clearing in the forest. "Her grandmother lives up there. Red Cap likes the wolves, but her grandmother keeps telling her to stay away from them because... well... one tried to eat her!"

Gabriel nodded wisely. "Because that's what they do."

"They wouldn't eat me," Mercy said, full of bluster. "I'm fast."

"No, I imagine not," Gabriel grinned. "You have proper teeth."

Mercy said proudly, "That's what Father says. Some day, I'm going to travel far, far away, just like him. Mrs. Fox says everyone wants to go somewhere."

The Coyote GrrBrool smiled. "Yes, the Foxes are like that too."