The Middle Ages in Europe was a period of great danger. Rulers in the land lived in sturdy castles and used knights for protection in battles. Ordinary people farmed or lived in small villages where they practiced a trade. People living in our Modern Age have different challenges but the same concerns as in earlier times-threats to face, choices to make, and hopes for a happy life.
Fourteen-year-old Stephen and his ten-year-old brother, Francis, lived a peaceful life on a farm and took care of their family's flock of sheep. Stephen had abandoned his training for knighthood, finding a life of fighting and killing was not for him.
When a strange beast begins killing animals and threatening people, he must decide if he should confront the predator. This may threaten his own life, but he feels he cannot refuse to help and expect someone else to protect his family. He places his trust in God even though he knows his choice puts him in danger.
