Elice was the kind of village that was surrounded by thick and tall trees. The people of Elice were both frightened and relieved that they were surrounded by forest. Predators could come in from all angles; on the other hand, anyone who tried to find them would get lost. This meant that they were lonely. They were so lonely, in fact, that they were desperate for companionship. Angelina was a ten-year-old villager with long and straight blond hair. She always got up early in the morning to see dawn rise. She loved seeing the colors being painted on the sky each morning as she lay on a grassy hilltop. Each day, as she lay there, she saw the same deer and thought to herself, Why do animals live in the woods?
Early one morning, as the sun was beaming down on the village of Elice, Angelina’s peace was disturbed by the frightening sound of howling wolves. The wolves that lived in the woods had been curious about the people of Elice. Angelina stood up on the hilltop and turned to see a wolf pup caught in a net. Angelina sprinted as fast as she could over to the wolf pup. She saw two figures where the wolf was. As she got closer, she realized it was her friend’s parents, Julius and Jenna. Tears were running from her eyes like water running from a waterfall as she screamed, “Wolves are meant to be in the woods, not in houses!” This was the third time she had seen wolf pups being captured and she couldn’t stand it anymore. Without thinking, she grabbed the net to free the wolf pup. As she did so, she thought back to a conversation with her mother.
Angelina asked her mother, “Why are all of the wolf pups being taken away from their parents?”
Her mother replied, “Because everyone has been so lonely lately. The wolf pups are a new member of the family to keep them company.”
Julius pulled Angelina back, but she had hold of the net, setting the wolf pup free.
Even though she saved one, many more were still being held captive. Angelina noticed that the newly captured pups had sharp and long claws, but the next day she saw them they were short and dull. On the fifth day of wolf pups being captured, the wolves that lived in the woods came to attack. They attacked Julius and Jenna’s house first. Angelina witnessed them circling the house and sniffing the air for a scent of a wolf pup. If they could not smell or see a wolf pup they would move on. But once they found a wolf pup they would use their sharp and pointed claws to break down the door. House by house the wolves attacked. One by one villagers were killed.
The wolves were now circling Angelina. Even though she did not have a wolf pup, she carried the scent of one that she had saved. The wolf pup’s scent was newly applied. Before she knew it, the glowing eyes of predators that live in the woods were hovering over Angelina’s face. The colors of the sky flashed before her eyes. Blended in with the orange, red, blue, and light pink was the face of Clementine, the goddess of animals. Clementine wore a robe of white scattered with animal prints. “I have seen what you have done and would like to reward you,” declared Clementine. “You have been granted the powers to be able to speak to wolves.” Angelina smiled with triumph, knowing the wolves would get off of her. “But, with great power comes great responsibility, Angelina. If you succeed in saving your village, then you must have all the wolves understand why the people of Elice are capturing their pups and you must set them wild,” explained Clementine. “Another thing that will happen is you will need to tell your people that the wolves should no longer be disturbed.”
After Clementine faded back into the colors of the sky, Angelina could now hear what the wolves were saying. The wolves were discussing why Clementine, the goddess of animals, gave this ten-year-old girl the power to speak to them. Angelina explained what happened earlier that morning, when she saved the wolf pup. The wolf pack leader held a meeting with the lower-ranking wolves, and they decided what would happen next. The leader gave Angelina the guidelines: 1) “All wolf pups must be returned,” boomed the wolf pack leader, 2) “No person of Elice shall ever try to capture one of us again,” and 3) “We must never be disturbed again by any mankind!” exclaimed the wolf pack leader.
Angelina always keeps her promises, so for as long as she lived no one in the world went near any wolf pack. Because of her promise, wolves remain in the wild to this day. Every wolf today is living their life in peace with no one to disturb them. They howl at the moon every so often in remembrance of Angelina.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Suamico, Wisconsin
