1 Chapter One

It's normal for wolves to howl at the moon, and it's normal for a human to go to a circus. Though I had responsibilities to take care of, I was only a seven year old who was curious and craved adventure. Being a kid was the best part of my life, being a cub was the hardest. Learning how to hunt, keep ourselves a secret from others and learning how to be a good leader. But a seven year old, who acted like a five year old, can't resist their curiosities. Lights, popcorn, fairy floss, sausages, balloons, clowns, animals, magicians and acrobats.

Sneaking through the back as a wolf and entering the sizable and vibrant tent filled with animals and people in extravagant and eye-catching costumes mixed with the sounds of people having small talk, waiting for the show to start. Whenever I took a seat I always took the last spare seat at the front, waiting anxiously for the ring master to come in and start the show.

The ringmaster looked cunning and mysterious. But he was really something you would never expect. You know how you walk through the tunnel and as you keep walking through the tunnel you see the light at the end of it? He's like that. He seems dark and scary but as you get to know him you see how kind and light hearted.

Normally after shows, I normally form back into a wolf so it looks like I'm a stray animal looking for food, instead of a kid trying to steal food, and cause it's a full moon, you know how it is. One night I went out looking for leftover sausages after the show, when I heard a small group of kids gasping and saying things like "That was amazing!" or "how did you do that!?". I peeked around a corner and saw the ringmaster pulling a few daisies and roses out of his hat, He handed each kid a flower and proceeded to pull two coins from behind their ear, and handed each kid the coins and said.

"Go and get yourself something to eat and play a few games, if you're lucky you could win a prize." He said in a joyful tone. The kids looked at each other before running away into the crowd.

As they were running around the corner, I fell back not to be seen. But making a box fall on top of me including the things in it. There were juggling balls, bowling pins, small hula hoops, and so on. All of which fell on my head, making me whine in pain, just loud enough for the ringmaster to hear. He walked over and saw me curled in a ball and feeling so uneasy about what he would do. Would he shoot me? Would he make me a circus animal? Would he turn me into a fur coat or a carpet? All these thoughts were going through my head as I shut my eyes so tight that I could barely feel my eyelids. A few seconds passed and I felt two arms that felt velvety, pick me up. As I felt the slight motion of walking, I slowly passed out.

I opened my eyes and was sitting on a thick layer of red velvet in front of a crackling fire. Once my eyes adjusted to the brightness, I noticed a plate of what seemed to to look like a steak on the floor, that had probably been freshly made considering how much steam was coming from the meat. I slowly jumped off the chair and landed on the floor to feel a soft carpet which felt a little too rough to be velvet. I took a good sniff at the food with the suspicion that it could be poisoned, after all, why would someone save a wolf. But the food looked and smelled clear. I debated for a good two to three minutes whether to eat a little or leave it. But a starving seven year old cub can't resist when it is meant freshly cooked, the meat also seemed to be the highest quality so I couldn't pass. I took a nibble and it was sensational. The flavours bursted in my mouth and melted with a single bite, and the meat itself was something I had never experienced before, and thought that I would never have the experience again.

As I was eating I heard the door open with a faint creak. I turned my head to find the ringmaster with a bowl of water. In fear I pushed away the plate of food and hit my lower back really hard on the chair leg, letting out a big thud and sending the chair back a bit. I felt a slight bruise on my lower back that probably would last for about a week. He gave me a soft gaze before walking over and placing the bowl next to my plate and sat down in front of the bowl and plate. I did whatever it took to avoid eye contact with him, but soon realised that the plate was back to its old position before pushing it. I was a bit confused for a few seconds, it'll I noticed the ringmaster push it slightly closer to me. I slowly started to eat and as quickly as possible. It came to the point where I started to get hiccups. The ringmaster gave out a light-hearted laugh and said

"Slow down, you're going to choke!" he said as he pushed the bowl full of water closer to me.

I took a few sips and he asked.

"So, what's your name?" I looked up at him and looked back down and continued to drink the water.

"It's the moustache isn't it? I've been thinking about shaving it off, you know so the kids don't get scared. What do you think?" He asked, as if he was having a normal conversation with a kid.

But the question instantly got my attention and I firmly shook my head. His moustache made him iconic! So what if he made a few kids scared, deal with it.

He let out a laugh and said.

"You're right, why was that the first thing that came in my head when I thought kids were afraid of me?" He said.

I nodded agreeing to what he said and continued to eat and drink. It went silent and there was a stillness for a few minutes with only the sound of the small crackles coming from the fire. Just as I finished, I felt a light touch on my head. I looked up and saw the ringmaster gently caressing my head and scratching the back of my ear. You know that one spot that's just out of reach, that spot.

"What's your name?" He asked, I didn't answer since I was enjoying the scratch of my life so he continued.

"Don't have one? How about… Robert?" He said. "Robert!?" I thought to myself. The name Robert seemed to be way too… Formal for me. I was a wild reckless and curious cub and kid. I shook my head very firmly and he continued.

"No? Well my name is Norman."

He said. So that was his name. At least I can go up to my mother and tell her I'll be going to Norman's circus instead of saying I'm going to the ringmasters circus. As he was telling me a few more things about him I heard the door open slightly and I saw a pair of dark, yet soft hazel eyes peek through the door. I kept looking at it and made Norman turn his head. He gave a bright smile when he saw who it was and asked.

"Hello. Why are you still up?" he asked as the little girl came in.

"I couldn't sleep, and I wanted to see you." she said, running into Norman's arms.

The girl seemed to be no more than six or seven years old, her hair looked quite silky and long and she had the look of a puppy almost.

"Who's this dad?" She asked.

So that's why she came here, her dad was Norman. But she looked nothing like him. Norman had thin black hair, and his face shape was more pointed, whereas the girl, she had thick lush dark brown hair and had a more round face.

"The bigger question is how did you get in here when the door was locked." he asked, tightening the hug. "I picked the lock, that's how." she said innocently.

"Is she training to become a thief?" I asked myself.

"Ha, just like her mother, you know her mother was the queen of escape acts. I still can't pull them off like she could." He said, looking at me.

I simply tilted my head and he let out a laugh till he realised he hadn't introduced the little girl to me.

"Where are my manners, more like this monkey's manners. This is my daughter, Kane." He said. I had never heard of a girl called Kane but the name had some sort of charm.

Kane left Norman's arms and sat in front of me and said.

"Hello, my name is Kane." She let out her hand as if she wanted to shake my paw.

I wanted to, but I was scared that I might scratch her and they would kick me out thinking I'm some sort of monster, though my claws weren't sharp, I wanted to be safe. But after a lot of thinking, I slowly let out my paw and she slightly shook it. Then she let go and asked,

"What's your name?" I wasn't a human unlike you, currently, I thought to myself.

I was an animal at the time, and even though I had a name, I couldn't tell her even if I wanted to.

"It's not Robert, that's for sure." Norman said in a playful tone. But Kane thought otherwise. She kept staring at me like I was some statue. Not gonna lie it was kinda intimidating and awkward. Well it was till she started to yell out names in my face.

"Lucus, Jake, Neo, Ben, Chris, Christopher!?" She blatered out, and I kept shaking my head to the point that I thought I would lose my brain, literally. She went on for another five minutes or so.

She seemed pretty annoyed when I kept shaking my head and I didn't think it would end any time soon.

"Axel, Rowan, Sebastian, Derrick, Ace, Hunter, Jeffry, Rob, Bob!?" Has she gone insane!? If my name isn't Robert then I don't think it's Bob either.

"Then what is it!?" She said falling onto the floor and started to glare at me again.

She looked like a lunatic! I didn't know whether to laugh or be scared.

"I can't think of any more names! Dad, don't just sit there holding your laughter and help me!" She said in a tone which made her sound even more annoyed.

"Ok let's think, what name haven't you used?" He asked.

"Well there was this really annoying kid called Noah at my old school but I don't think this pretty wolf would be called Noah-" I started nodding very aggressively, and her jaw dropped.

"Are. You. Serious!? You're called Noah and I didn't even guess it! Wow…" She held her head in her hands and her eyes wide open.

"Well now I think Noah has to go, look at the time. His mum must be waiting." Norman said, I looked at the clock and saw that it was practically midnight. I ran to the door and started to scratch it.

"Alright, alright! Careful that the door is made of soft wood." he said, opening the door. I sprinted out and didn't even bother looking back.

I came home and everyone was asleep. As I was walking towards my sleeping spot I heard a little growl from behind me.

"Hello, mum." I gulped down hard and slowly turned around to see my mother glaring at me with burning eyes filled with rage.

"Young man, do you know how worried I was!?" She yelled, practically barking. I looked down, too afraid to speak till I felt her pick me up. I opened my eyes and walked towards a tree.

"Sorry mum…" I said in a low yet hearable tone.

"Don't do that again, your uncle already hates that you go to the circus." She said putting me down.

"No, not 'The circus' , it's Norman's circus."

"Who's that?" she asked.

"The ringmaster. But I promise I didn't talk to him!" I said.

"Then how do you-"

"People were shouting 'Norman!' because he did a really cool trick." I said cutting her off.

"Alright then, now go to sleep." she said. I nodded and closed my eyes for sometime till I felt and heard nothing.