Dingo’s belly was stirring with something big. Something brutal. A hunger than expanded even as it drew inwards. The vacuum of a black hole reaching out with eager fingers to ensnare all within its grasp. It seemed unwavering in its hunger, and unflinching on its path.

Dingo was drawn to a river nearby. A fast flowing stream tossing and twisting over silky smooth rocks, caressing the curves etched into mamma’s belly. He hoped rivers nourishing flow would ease the ceaseless yearning in his gut, as his mouth opened to let a rush of water enter his body. It felt so good it sparkled from the inside out, sending shards of light out that tickled his insides. The rinse was wonderful and filled his veins with delight, but the emptiness still tore at his belly.

He shook himself off in the light of the moon and ventured into the forest. Under the silver strands of light the forest floor glowed with the bounty of nature sprites and medicine. Dingo was drawn to a pile of fallen tree ferns and especially the dense carpet of moss that lay thickly upon the rotten wood.

His nose sniffed at the bright green foliage and he tentatively nibbled at some greens. They danced all the way into his mouth, down his throat and into his stomach. The dance was a joyful celebration and brought laughter out from his belly into every limb of his body with such intensity it made him shiver. For a moment he was happy but the gaping hole remained.

Frustrated he ran. Deeper into the forest, faster into the night, trying to escape the darkness inside. The soft floor of the forest opened into rocky outcrops and his run shifted into great leaps and bounds as he pushed to clear crevices and gaping chasms between stony settlements. The air rushed over every inch of skin, reached deep into eyes and lungs enlivening his senses and refreshing his mind. His pounding heart grounded him into his body as he recouped from the effort of movement. But still the gaping hole screamed for attention.

Bounding off again his legs pounded the rocks until they found the face of a steep mountain. Every muscle was beginning to ache from the relentless drive forwards, but it hurt much less than his belly. As he moved the ground warmed beneath his paws, and the sound of forest creatures faded into a low gurgling drone. The sheen from the moon above was suddenly met with the glow of red hot lava below, and they danced in a mesmerising play of light on Dingo’s fur. He ran around the lip of the gaping wound in the earth, taking in the blood boiling in the centre and the huge expanse of forest below. The heat burned and his head throbbed but it felt good to be in this extremity. He ran until his vision doubled and his heart raced up to meet his head. The whirling vision spun faster than the ground was moving and suddenly his legs collapsed, sending Dingo toppling down the mountain, rolling faster and faster until his spent body came to rest in a panting mass on the grass.

Images and whirls and swirls greeted his eyes as he slowly came to, worn out and breathless and so done he felt his body merge with the earth. Maybe he truly was done, he thought, maybe his body was actually starting to melt into the earth. But the pain in his belly told him he was still very much alive.

Betrayal fell over him. Betrayal of his own body. He didn’t know what to do. How to fight. How to surrender. So he just lay in wait.

And waited.

And waited.

Caterpillar astonished him by appearing in the middle of nowhere. The green pearls of his body were almost fluorescent against the subdued tones of the earth beneath.

‘I seem to have lost my way’ said Caterpillar. He paused as he looked Dingo up and down. ‘As have you, it would seem.’ Dingo barely had the strength to lift his head after the weight of his ordeal.

‘Yes it would appear so.’ He squinted as his eyes strained to focus on the little creature, a few inches from his nose. ‘Who are you?’ he asked

‘Who? Well, I’m not sure I’ve ever questioned that. But I do know what I am, and that is a caterpillar, in dire need of a tree, and a feast of leaves to prepare me for the big change.’

‘So, you are hungry too little friend?’ Dingo’s mind sharpened a little with the curiosity of the moment.

‘Starving! I feel as though I haven’t eaten in months, although I don’t think I’ve actually been alive that long.’ Caterpillar laughed.

Dingo grew stronger with a sudden anticipation. ‘I know how that feels. Climb aboard, there’s a forest not far from here, with more trees than you can imagine!’

‘Oh happy days thank you ever so much dear Wolf.’ Caterpillar sighed happily as he crawled up Dingo’s nose and onto his back.

He made his way warily down the mountain, glad for the glimmer of dawn that was beginning to highlight the land. The two chatted like old friends about the shared trials and challenges that had brought their paths to this crossroad.

Dingo was curious. ‘Caterpillar, why did you call me Wolf earlier?’ he asked.

‘Well, you look like a wolf. You smell like a wolf. And you sound like a wolf. I’m sorry, was I mistaken?’

‘Oh! Well, I was brought up by Dingo’s as far as I can remember. But the winds of change took my family away many suns ago. So how could I find out?’ he wondered.

‘Well, what sound do you make when you are happy or sad?’

‘I’m not sure. I don’t remember ever feeling happy or sad. Just… empty.’

‘Hmmm…’ Caterpillar had an idea. He searched far back into the history of his ancestors, whose tales of struggle and suffering were far greater than his own. He talked about what they endured and the sacrifices they made to maintain their breed long after they had munched their last leaf and breathed their last breath. After a while Dingo began to feel a stirring in his heart, a strange tugging, an explosive pulling that made its way to his throat. Something moved him to raise his nose to the sky as the longest howl he’d ever heard poured out into the sky.

There was a moment of astonished silence. And then the echo of his howl bounced across the landscape to greet his ears. And then another. And another. A great chorus of howls filled the night sky under the moon. Caterpillar and Wolf yelped and jumped and cried and laughed amidst the ruckus that played in the airwaves.

Caterpillar grinned at his friend, ‘You ARE a wolf! And that is your pack out there calling you in!’ he was so elated his grin was bigger than his face! ‘And now my dear friend, this is where we part ways.’ He said merrily as he climbed a tree to nestle in amongst the branches and leaves for a huge feast and a very long sleep. ‘I’m so glad we met, thank you for your help dear Wolf.’

‘Oh, thank YOU little one.’ Wolf felt into his body and a jiggle of laughter bubbled up from his belly. ‘The big black hole has gone!’ he howled joyously into the chorus.

‘Mine too.’ Smiled Caterpillar, already beginning to weave a blanket around his body for the big change. ‘Mine too.’

Wolf gently nuzzled him with the tip of his nose to say goodbye, and bound off towards the blood rising in the sky to join his pack at long last, with his heart humbled and his belly full. At long last.

If you are interested in having Tjoni Johansen write a personal dreamscape or myth for your self or a project please get in touch.

Her email is info@eccentrix.com.au. Many thanks.

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