Night has fallen and the full moon rises.

A howl silences the forest except for the owl

That said "Who"

Who or what it was nobody knew, but everybody suspected.

This was the year of the wolfen.

All of the natives of the forest knew of the tale of the Wolfen

But no one really had experience it since the last time it had happened.

The elders had wrote about it saying that every one hundred and fifty years

The Wolfen returns to the forest to feast.

The feast would not just include Forest animals but humans also.

The natives of the forest met in the circle to discuss whether this was myth or fact.

Shiloh, a descendant of the elder manitu had been handed down writing of the Wolfen, and he stood before the forest dwellers and read from it.

In the year of our lord 2054, the Wolfen will return to the black forest to feed.

The wolfen will feed for seven full moons, and the Wolfen will feed on animals and humans alike.

The only way to avoid this feeding frenzy is for everyone to give up their youngest child to the Wolfen by leaving the child at the forest altar.

After the Wolfen have consumed what it came back for it will go away for another one hundred and fifty years.

If it doesn't receive what it came for, it will bring hell upon this forest, and not one-man, woman or child will be left alive.

Sky bird, one of the forest chieftains asked, "Why can't we fight this Wolfen to protect our young? And Shiloh responded, "The writings speak of a tribe that fought back and they all perished.

I won't give up my two-year-old child to this monster; I will fight to the death said Sky bird. Then he asked who would fight with me to conquer this Wolfen?

No one spoke a word; just silence covered the whole forest.

Sky bird said, "So be it" and walked away into the forest.

As Sky bird walked through the forest on his back to his tribe, he heard a noise, wheeled around quickly, and pulled his knife from its holder.

He stared into the darkness behind him and then looked up into the trees above himself.

Then the thick bushes split open, and as Sky bird turned his knife in a stabbing motion and through the bushes came Nanati a sixteen-year-old forest dweller from the kucatoo tribe.

Nanati, said Sky bird "what are you doing out here, I almost killed you.

"I followed you from the tribal meeting because I can't accept giving up my little brother to this animal, and I needed to know how you plan to defeat this Wolfen.

Sky bird said "I don't have a plan; I just refuse to let this Wolfen come in and take my child. I will fight until my death before willingly handing over my youngest to this beast.

I will join you," said Nanati, No! Said Sky bird this is a fight for elders, you are much too young to fight this fight. Go back to your tribe and seek out elders to help in this fight that will be your calling.

Sky bird turned and walked away into the forest and left Nanati standing there.

As Sky bird disappeared into the forest, Nanti turned and went back to the dwelling from which he came.

Back at the circle Shiloh was finishing reading the writings of his elder Manitu, and was ending the tribunal when there was mighty roar that seemed to come from all directions. The natives all got to their feet and closed in to the circle so that everyone could see in all directions.

Everyone pulled out their weapons and fortified for an attack.

Out of the forest came a voice, a voice that was thick toned, gravely, and it seemed to come from all directions.

"I AM THE WOLFEN; I COME FOR YOUR YOUNG.

GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I WILL GO AWAY.

MY FEAST WILL START WITH THE FAWNS AND MOVE ACROSS

THE FOREST FLOOR UNTIL ALL THE YOUNG HAS BEEN CONSUMED.

THEN I WILL COME FOR THE DWELLERS.

LOVE AND CHERISH YOUR YOUNG FOR NOW, BUT THEY MUST BE LEFT

AT THE FOREST ALTAR TO SAVE THE REST OF YOUR LIVES.

I AM THE WOLFEN; I COME FOR YOUR YOUNG.

GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I WILL GO AWAY.

The winds blew in to the circle hard enough to blow some of the elders and dwellers

To the ground then it was gone...

The forest had returned to the unusual silence.

Shiloh stepped up to the high rock and silenced all the dwellers that were speaking amongst themselves and said, "Go back to your respective tribes and spread the word you have heard here tonight.

We must obey this Monster or we will all perish.

‘Shiloh! Yelled out one of the forest dwellers, this is easy for you since you don't have a child to leave at the forest altar! You stand there and say this like it's no big deal!

You are talking about our babies!

Shiloh responded, "I am truly sorry if I seem hard hearted towards you and every forest dweller in this forest. I do feel your pain, I have brothers and sisters who have to give up their young, and those young are my nephews and nieces, so don't think that I am without pain!

This meeting is adjourned.

All the forest dwellers went in different directions towards their tribes to relay the news of the Wolfen to the others.

Shiloh and five others of his tribe was making their way through the forest when they

Started to see the remnants of the Wolfen.

Young fawns lie dead in pieces scattered about the ground.

All the way back to his tribal home Shiloh witnessed the devastation of this monster. He could also feel the presence of the Wolfen all around him as he walked through the forest, knowing that if the monster wanted to he could destroy them in seconds.

The smell of dead carcasses was constantly in the wind as a reminder that the Wolfen was collecting his bounty as the dwellers waited for him to come their way.

Once back in his dwelling Shiloh call a tribal meeting to relay what the Wolfen had said to them at the forest tribunal.

"People of the Manituan tribe, as your Chieftain I bring bad news to the tribe I love.

We are in the year of the Wolfen, I have read you stories from the writings of my descendants in the past, and now it has come to fruition.

Everyone must sacrifice their youngest child to the Wolfen by leaving the child at the forest altar.

The whole tribe gasped at the same time and Women started to sob and hold their babies tightly in their arms. The grown males of the tribe crowded the front and Jumada, another chieftain of the tribe asked, "Are we going to fight this monster or just give it our children?

Shiloh said, "We must obey"

Shiloh's brother and sister approached him with tear filled eyes and children in tow.

Coltran, Shiloh's brother walked up to him and said, "You would ask me to give up my son, your nephew without a fight? Shiloh dropped his head and looked at the ground then looked back up at his brother and sister and said "We must obey or we all will perish" Shiloh's sister Sheandra walked up to him and slapped him in his face and said "I will die! Before I give up my little girl to be eaten by an animal!" You do something about this Shiloh! She said, "Please don't let this animal take my child" as she ran away into her hut.

Shiloh just stood there on his perch rubbing his face where he had been struck by his sister watching the tribe go back into their domiciles with much anticipation as to what was to be...

Sky bird upon returning to his tribe called all the tribal chieftains together and declared war on this Wolfen. "We will fight this monster to the death" said Sky bird,

There are other tribes who would just give up their young to this beast to feast upon, but I will not! We will not!

Go back to your families and prepare to go into the forest for the fight of our lives.

We are two- hundred strong and every man will go into this forest to protect his family.

This tribunal is complete!

All the tribesmen of the Sky bird tribe walked away chanting;

Will defeat the wolfen beast

Will avoid this awful feast

Will defend our tribe till death

Against this Wolfen Beast.

The forest started to smell of death, the Wolfen was feasting on the young of all animals in the forest, and no adult animal even tried to save their young.

Lions, Tigers and Bears alike stepped aside and let the Wolfen take their young.

This was the third moon and it was time for the human feast and all the tribes were in their own ways preparing for the full moon that night.

Back at Shiloh's tribe, the men had set a fire around the perimeter of the tribe, hoping that would keep the Wolfen out at least that night. Shiloh came out when he smelled fire and yelled at the tribesmen "The Wolfen is everywhere and nowhere my brothers, you can't avoid this!

The writings of our ancestors are true, and though it will destroy many of us we must do the only thing that will save the rest of your children and your wives.

Let the fires burn, but the fire won't keep it out when it want's to come in.

May the Sky Gods be with us in this time of turmoil?

All of a sudden through the fire came Nanati.

What brings you here Nanati? Said Shiloh, with tears in his eyes he said my tribe tried to fight this Wolfen and they all perished just as you said Shiloh, I escaped amongst the massacre. I stopped for a second and looked back at my tribal home and it was gone.

Shiloh pulled him into his arms and said "you are now my son"

I feel your pain, and though I know it will not pass in many moons I will be your rock. Nanati fell to his knees and thanked Shiloh for the blessing he had bestowed upon him.

Sky bird and his two hundred fighters were in a ferocious battle with this monster, and after a heroic fight they all were dead, and every elder, woman and child were killed there after. The Wolfen passed through every tribe that didn't obey him and massacred them all. You could hear the screams of the women and children as he was on his killing spree.

Shiloh at this time was leading his tribe to the forest alter and everyone was crying and holding their young tightly in their embraces.

When they reached the altar they all made a circle around the stone altar and lit fires to the torches around it.

Everyone sat and waited for the Wolfen to appear.

The screams were deafening through out the forest and Shiloh noticed that no one else decided to give in but his tribe and that made him very unhappy. He fell to his knees before the altar and screamed to the Sky Gods "WHY MUST WE BE THE ONLY!!! WHY!

As he said that the winds picked up and a howling came from deep in the forest.

A voice came from all directions and it said;

PUT ALL THE YOUNG INTO THE ALTAR...NOW!!

The women got up with their young, crying and screaming for the Gods to help them.

They put the babies in the altar, walked away and fell to the ground weeping as the Wolfen approached the altar.

This was the first time the people of the forest actually seen this monster not in battle.

It stood eight feet tall, and walked upright. Eyes green as lime and teeth that were as sharp as knifes. It was bloody from head to toe and it smelled of the worst thing we had ever smelled.

It walked up to the altar, bent its head back and howled so loudly that it hurt our ears.

Then it spoke again;

SILENCE! ONE AND ALL!

BECAUSE OF YOUR OBEDIENCE YOU WILL ALL BE SPARED.

BECAUSE YOU GAVE ME WHAT I ASKED, YOU AND YOUR YOUNG WILL

LIVE TO WRITE THE STORY OF THIS NIGHT.

I WILL RETURN AND I WILL WREAK HAVOC AGAIN IN ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS!

TELL THEM ALL OF ME, AND TELL THEM THAT I AM THE WOLFEN

AND IF THEY GIVE ME WHAT I WANT I WILL GO AWAY.

As he said that, the winds blew ferociously and the Wolfen disappeared.

Shiloh got up and asked was everyone okay while the women and men of the tribe raced up to the altar and grabbed their young and began hugging and kissing them.

Shiloh yelled ‘Silence!" and everyone turned to him, and Shiloh said "We thank you Sky God for this blessing you have bestowed upon this tribe.

Because of our faith we were spared, because of our faith we are left to replenish the forest with tribes that will come from the fruits of our love for one another.

We will remember and we will tell the story as it happened to our children so that they can relay the message to all future tribes.

"THE END"