by Eve Redstone

Created on: November 09, 2008

I always go for a walk through the woods when it's the full moon. I leave the back door on the latch and slip over the back fence into the woods. I'm lucky that the woods back right up to my fence here, but then that is why I bought the house, the easy access to the wild woods. I know that some of the neighbours are campaigning to have a fire-break cut along our back fences, but I don't think they'll get permission. All the environmentalists will see to that.

The fire-breakers are not really concerned about fires. They are more concerned by the wild-life and the way the woods loom over their gardens at night. I, along with the rest of my neighbours, try not to get involved. When asked what we think directly we mutter non committal phrases and hurry on. We can here them behind us, " Well, really, you'd think they'd have an opinion."

They don't get it. We have an opinion. The woods must stay and we'll do whatever it takes to keep them there. We'll convert the fire-break supporters to our view point, or they'll die trying.

On a moonlit night the woods are full of life as my neighbours and I stalk the woodland paths to our meeting place. The light of the full moon casts a peaceful and serene light on the woods. Everything is lit in gentle shades of grey. The harsh daylight colours don't intrude on me. Some how sounds and smells are clearer by moonlight.

For the first hour or so I randomly follow trails through the woods. I track a deer here, or a rabbit there. I stop and play hunt with a group of children. Eventually I turn to the centre of the woods and head for the meeting place. At the meeting place I see my friends, and neighbours, and fellow pack members. We sit and discuss our plan of action. Who shall we invite to join the pack, who shall we not? Who shall we encourage to leave the area? How will we get them to leave?

The haunted woods plan works well with small children, but we are getting more trouble with teens since the Blair Witch project. Luckily the teenagers are so self centred they don't notice us keeping an eye on them. One of the new neighbours is an outdoorsman, he seems to suspect something. He has found our meeting site after a previous full moon: we decide to convert him, and then his family.

As we eat the fresh venison we form our plan of action. It is important that we stay invisible in the community. No-one must know our secret, but it is equally important that the woods stay large and wild and untamed for our moonlit walks.

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