Chapter 1:

"Papa, I see them."

"Just keep running, baby, we can outrun them."

The darkness become pitch black while the cold wind brushed against her skin like teeth. Valerie squeezed the neck of her red hood tighter under her chin. Her other hand clasped on her father's. No torch. No lantern. Just complete black. She turned her head around.

"They're coming closer."

"Just keep running, baby, we're almost there."

An aching sore spread across her arm as her father ushered her forward, running faster. Hand in hand, daughter and father ran across the snow at full speed. Her throat burned and she wanted to stop but the villagers behind them furthered the chase. Turning her head she could see a great big yellow glow pierce through the darkness of the night. Burning brighter and bigger than their torches. The angry villagers were burning grandmother's house down!

"Papa!"

"Don't look back! Keep running!"

Her feet couldn't keep up! Papa was much stronger and faster than her. His wolf blood overpowering. Before she could collapse in exhaustion, Papa stopped, skidding across the snow and turning around. The torch lights, like fireflies, within the woods reflected in his eyes. She looked up at him. Why was he stopping? Growling, his eyes dilated. His brown eyes to big yellow eyes. At last she could hear what he was hearing with his wolf ears. Horses. More than one! Thundering their hooves towards them. Papa, pulled her behind his back, kneeled down readying to spring forward with his teeth barred.

"Papa?"

"Get behind me, baby," he growled in his human/wolf voice.

With wide blue eyes Valerie watched his body transform from his human robes to his wolf robes. Skin to fur in a blink of an eye. The horses were nearing. Their hooves were louder. With two firm paws, Cesaire hunched his head up high, puffing his furry chest exhibiting his power and strength. A wolf protecting its only pup. From the mist of the snow, the horses appeared with their owners holding torches and swords. It's leader, Father Solomon, on his white stallion carrying a silver spear.

Silver!

"Papa! The silver!" Valerie cried.

Run, baby, run! Don't argue with me!

"But Papa—"

Run! I will find you. Go now before they see you! They're not taking my only child!

Quickly panting in her nose and out her mouth, Valerie turned and ran into the cast of the blackness. Quivering tears ran down her pale cheeks as her legs carried her as far as they could! The burning returned to her throat! Little snowflakes burned her skin like ash. She could hear everything from behind. The neigh of slaughtered horses! Father Solomon's war cries! The fearful cries of the villagers that were once her neighbors. Growling and barking and snapping of powerful wolf jaws! Just keeping running! Keep running! Her papa roared, louder than a lion, echoing across the trees.

Just please come back Papa! Valerie grabbed the hem of her dress and lifted it higher, running faster than she did before! The blood red moon upon the clouds over her head beamed the only light she could use to cross the snowy woods. The torch lights were far behind her! The snow crunched beneath her feet. As she ran, she ran away from the only home she ever knew. The only family she ever had. From the friends she had played with growing up. Everything she knew was gone. From Henry whom she rejected and ignored. From Peter who left her for Prudence. The only person she had was her Papa, the infamous Big Bad Wolf that children feared after sunset.

The only thing that frightened her was the silence. Once more she turned her head. She had to stop! She had to make sure he was ok! More darkness and no torchlights. The blood red moon gleamed from the clouds, luminous and beautiful.

Slowly, her legs stopped running. Coming to a slow stop, she turned back.

Fat snowflakes floated.

There was no sound.

No horses.

No crickets.

Nothing.

Valerie gulped.

"Papa?"

Bursting like a crow from black ashes, Papa came galloping through the snow at full speed! His ebony black fur bounced around his neck. Powerful paws propelling him forward and faster! He skidded to a quick halt, perked his ears and lowered his entire body. Bending his limbs down, he snorted. Valerie placed a hand on his large snout and climbed on his back. She tried to settle down on his shoulders. Her legs bent, gripping him between her knees, trying to secure herself tightly. He was twice the size of a horse! She tightened her cloak and patted his neck, gripping onto his fur like reins. With another snort, he began to run.

Father and daughter, runaways, outcasts fled under the eye of the blood moon. Never to return!

For hours they continued this.

Deeper and deeper they delved into the dark woods, forbidden to anyone who did not want to die from a painful death. These haunted woods protected its inhuman inhabitants from people like Father Solomon and the villagers, serving as a refugee zone. This land was cursed. But to Valerie and her father, it was sanctuary. It was home. Home to the cursed, the damned, and the blessed.

Cesaire huffed and puffed through his open mouth! His snout tightening and untightening, smelling and snorting the cold air! His big yellow eyes rotated back and forth, trying to detect any danger. His big triangular ears flat against his wolf head.

On his back, his daughter, his only daughter, held on tightly using his thick wolf mane as a shield against the snow flying against his face. The snow storm would cover their tracks. Cesaire knew that their destination was at least a week's travel. The city would provide an excellent cover. He needed to give his little girl a home. His yellow eyes glanced to the east. The sun was rising.

No! No! No! Soon he would be human. He and his daughter had no horse. No carriage. No shelter. Nowhere to claim sanctuary! The morning skies glowed their usual pink dawn. Frantic, he turned his head in every direction. His galloping paws coiled and pounced off the ground, over a racing river, hitting the bank on the other side. His snout pointed in the air smelling. Chickadees and thrushes chirped excitedly, flying in flocks from trees.

Cesaire circled and circled and circled pointing his snout to the sky. He could feel his daughter squirm on his back, cold and shivering from the late night escape. She need warmth. A fire. Something to comfort her.

Wait.

He sniffed.

Unsure, he sniffed, snorted and barked!

His powerful hind legs pounced in a new direction. His limbs ran faster and faster until the scent of bears became clear. A bear with matted fur, mud, dirt, pine sap mixed together. Just as Cesaire expected, it was an uninhabited bear cave. It wasn't worthy for wolves. But as a father he was desperate. Entering the bear cave, he sniffed, looking for signs of danger or threat. Carefully lowering his entire body to ground level, his daughters' tiny body slid to the ground gently. His yellow eyes looked at the blood dripping off her fingers. The crimson color stained her arms and hands. It was the blood of the horses and villagers that covered his fur. His large snout nuzzled her shoulder, poking her body for signs of consciousness.

She was alive.

Just sleeping.

Baby girl, baby girl

The Big Bad Wolf raised his head proudly. He shook his thick mane and sat on his legs. The sun was here. Time was up. Closing his eyes, Cesaire allowed the warmth of the sun to touch his body and reclaim his human robes. The ebony fur retreated back into his skin leaving him covered in slick sweat. As usual, he pinched the human flesh from his teeth and brushed the hair on his head. A powerful energy flooded from his body leaving him shaking and gasping. His knees buckled. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, opening his mouth and breathing through human lungs.

He felt exhausted. But happy.

His only child, Valerie, accepted his offer. Tonight was the last night of the Blood Moon. They ran away from home. Within a week, they'll be back in the city.

To richer hunting grounds.

This would the most brutal winter they'd ever remember.

But at least he had his baby girl with him.

That's all that mattered.