Chapter 16

                                    

                                          
The herd and the pack were the two main groups in the circus. Everyone belonged to one or the other, regardless of whether their animal did or not. The birds were complicated. Some were hunters and deadly ones at that. They were predators which suggested they belonged to the pack. Some were not and were as fluffy and vulnerable as any herd member. Not the sort that the herd would allow to flutter about the wolves. In the winter quarters, they formed a flock and were a third power in their own right. On the circuit, there weren't enough of them. So the mix of birds depended on where they landed. 
                          


                          
Toby was a predator. His eyes locked onto the Terrence were the same intensity that Marquez had the previous night. Only while Marquez wanted to pin Terrence down to reclaim him into the circus, Toby wanted to remind him of health and safety and not to do stupid things on the high rope. He stood on the edge of the ring watching as some of the younger birds practised their tricks. They weren't predators but smaller bird types from the looks of them.
                          


                          
"Hello, Terrence," Toby reached out and let his feathers flare-up. Birds didn't grow whole new wings. Instead, their arms became the wings, filling out with layers of feathers. They usually retained their hands though it wasn't odd for their little and ring fingers to fuse together. Toby was one such bird, complete with talons instead of nails. 
                          


                          
"Toby, good to see you," Terrence said. Brad let go of Terrence and pushed him in Toby's direction. Terrence glared at the wolf who laughed and wave as he jogged off to his next location. "Who's your new brood?" He walked over, not afraid of a falcon. 
                          


                          
"Lisa, Kiera and Ana," Toby said, feathers cupping around Terrence and pulling him in. "Ana's our most recent addition. She's a sparrow." His chest poofed up proud as he watched them tumble over each other. Ana moved with the ease of any veteran of the circuit. She was at home with her partners. 
                          


                          
"Are you the only birds this season?"
                          


                          
"Yes. Sam wanted to stay at home this season and no one else passed the bar," Toby had his arm draped over Terrence's shoulder. "Truthfully I think they picked the girls so Ana could fly. She was moping about being forced to trained but not being allowed to fly for most of last season," he said, voice low and conspiring. "Though they deserve completely. The crowds love them. The darling trio."
                          


                          
"They like us young," Terrence snorted, leaning into Toby. 
                          


                          
"Girls, enough. Go shower and get ready. Curtain's up in an hour," Toby called, the girls waving over to agreed before rushing off the ring and into the back. Toby's beak brushed over Terrence's hair and he pulled. "Come on you, we got a conversation to have."
                          


                          
"And a PowerPoint to watch."
                          


                          
Toby laughed at Terrence's resigned tone. Terrence tried to ignore how Toby's wings around him filled with the safe feeling of home. And how his stomach tensed unhappily as he was pushed backstage. More hands and tails and one or two other limbs brushed over him as Terrence walked through it all. A few others greeted him, a few kissed his forehead and one held his hand for a brief moment. Felix, a mink hybrid who Jaz had been close friends with. Toby let him stop long enough to hug him at least. Felix whispered a 'good luck' that had Terrence shivering again. 
                          


                          
"I'm not that bad," Toby clicked, leading them into a back office and sitting Terrence at the desk.