Shadows and Snowfall // Male! Wereowl x Male! Reader.
The storm had come so suddenly.
His walk through the mountain path was the usual one, a long and difficult path that took him from his home to work and then back again. Today they had been short a few workers, meaning that Y/N had to stay late and finish up the uncompleted work before finally going home. It was hard work in the mines and it wasn’t for very much money...but it was enough to put food on the table and he’d be paid a little extra if he stayed.
It was pitch black out by the time he was finished and Y/N was exhausted, sweaty and dirty and cursing the world for his troubles. But a few extra coins jingled in his coat pocket tonight, giving him something to almost smile about.
Through the rough mountain path Y/N went, wandering deeper and deeper into the darkness and the cold. He’d walked it every day since he was fifteen, he knew it well enough. But with every step, the path he knew slowly began to shift.
One moment, it had been a cold and clear light and the next...it was dark and wild!
Clouds had come in quickly, thick and gray things that darkened the sky until Y/N could only see by the flickering glow of his lantern. Snow came with the darkness, first a few little flakes falling slowly and then it was swirling through the air, the wind howling like a mad animal, hungry and furious.
And Y/N was lost in its clutches.
Desperately trying to get back home, he hiked on and on through the wilderness and the snow, hoping and praying that he might make it back. But when a terrible crack resounded through the air, his heart froze at once. Before he could take another step, the ground had broken beneath his feet, rock and snow crumbling away into bits and pieces. In a single moment, Y/N was sent falling and falling into the darkness below. Spinning and stumbling through the air, he tried desperately to catch onto something, anything, in some effort to save himself.
Screams of terror echoed into the night air, what might have been the final noise he had made, as he crashed to the ground below. Pain ripped through him. Everything hurt and everything was beginning to spin, thoughts began to race through his mind.
Who was going to take care of her? Who was going to earn money for the home? Her seamstress work got them a bit of money but not enough.
He’d never, ever hurt this much.
Luca was far too young to take care of himself much less their mother. He needed someone...he needed Y/N to take care of him.
He’d never, ever see it again.
There would be no more warm dinners around the table, no more teasing his brother until Luca was laughing himself to bits. He was alone...and he would remain that way. The lantern, cracked and half buried in the snow, flickered a little bit still creating a faint glow in the darkness. He focused on it, watching that last little bit of light. And through that little light, something emerged.
A shadow fell from the sky.
There was something was coming towards him, some shape in the darkness that Y/N could not quite make out.
Snow crunching beneath soft footsteps.
Each step came a little closer and was a little louder. Y/N tried to keep his eyes open and discover who might be there...but he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t stay awake any longer. Closing his eyes one last time, Y/N only manged to catch a glimpse of something else…
A clawed hand reaching out to him.
Onacona looked at the human, a clawed finger gently touching his cold skin.
He was careful not to cut him with his talons, only wishing to look at the pretty creature before him. The stranger in the snow sighed weakly, the sound of it making the snow owl shiver. No, not from the cold. And not from the biting wind or the snow...but from something else entirely.
There was some strange feeling in his chest…
But he couldn’t think of that now. And he certainly couldn’t leave the poor thing here. It would be cruel thing, a long and slow death sentence. This mountain was without mercy. The remains of too many mortals littered this mountain, dead from the cold and their bodies left huddled and forgotten. It was a horrible thing, a horrible way to die. And Onacona simply didn’t have the heart to abandon the poor creature to such a fate.
The mountains were so unforgiving…
Knowing in his heart what he had to do, Onacona, scooped up the human in his strong, resting his shivering form in the large sling across the owl’s chest. The feel of anther person had long since been forgotten and holding him like this made Onacona shiver once more, that feeling returning in his heart. The human spoke softly, a faint mumble that Onacona’s clever ears just barely heard above the song of the wind.
With a flap of his mighty wings, the wereowl was soaring the sky and fighting against the mighty storm. It was a battle against wind and snow, one that he nearly lost several times. But knowing that the man in his arms was depending on his strength made Onacona fight harder. He just barely managed to find his way back home, nearly crashing as he landed. Safe inside of his cave, Onacona set the human down by the fire before closing the entrance and forcing out the cold.
The darkness had slipped away and now only shadows were left dancing on rough walls as a fire crackled and burned. Gone was the cold and the fear, the idea that he might not make it home tonight...home! Ma and Luca!
He sat up with a start, only to cry out in pain and fall back. It felt like every part of him had been injured in that terrible fall and it was then that Y/N noticed something.
The bandages wrapped around his body…
It became very clear that he had been brought to safety and taken care of by someone...But just where was he? And who had brought him here?
As though they had summoned by the internal questions, a deep rumbling began to shake through the...cave? Yes, it was a cave that he was in, a large and stony hollow somewhere in the mountain. Y/N watched as a large rock rolled away, cold and snow bursting in through the opening as a figure stepped forward.
He was a tall, Native American man with long white hair neatly braided down his back and starry black eyes. Wrapped in thick white furs, the man looked at Y/N and he returned the stranger’s gaze.
Y/N couldn’t look away from him. They were black as night and full of light, the stars themselves in his eyes. He was lost in them for what felt like forever until Y/N realized that he was staring...they both were.
The realization made Y/N flush as he looked away, silently kicking himself.
“Oh, are you okay?” The man asked, quickly walking towards Y/N, bending down with a worried look on his face. “When I found you out in that storm, I wasn’t sure if you would be alright...how are you feeling?”
“A little roughed up, I think, but mostly okay.” Y/N replied. “Where am I? And...who are you? And the creature!”
The man grinned, a sweet smile gracing his warm face. The sight of it sent butterflies in Y/N’s belly, a warm glow casting on his face once more. Silently praying that it was too dim to tell how flushed he was in this cave, Y/N looked back at the stranger and awaited an answer.
“Creature? I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.” He replied. “My name is Onacona. And this is my home. When I found you in the snow, I brought you here to watch over you.”
Walking over to the fire place, Onacona opened the top to a little black kettle.
A savory smell filled the air, some delicious smelling creation hot bubbling away inside. As Onacona stirred the stew, Y/N watched shyly, those damned butterflies still flapping away.
Y/N had never seen someone that was so pretty. There were certain girls in the village that all of his friends went on and on about but, honestly, Y/N had never really noticed that. But him! This handsome stranger! Y/N was more then noticing Onacona! His cheekbones were sharp, his lips perfectly curved and so soft looking, his hair long and beautiful, like a sheet of snow spilling down his back.
But just who was this stranger? As far as Y/N knew, there was no one who actually lived this deep in the mountains. All of the Native people had been driven away years ago…
So why was Onacona still here? And why was Y/N so enamored with him?
There were too many questions rushing through his mind and, well, he couldn’t really ask any of them...not right now. Onacona filled two clay bowls with the stew, steam rising from the top as he handed Y/N a bowl and a spoon.
“Eat up.” He encouraged. “You’ll need to eat to get stronger.”
He listened. As the two ate, Y/N found a hundred more questions running through his head. Just who was Onacona? And why was he here up here? He thought of the stories about the Native Americans being driven away, leaving the mountain so empty...And yet, here he was, living proof that there were more then just stories living here.
The silence was unbearable.
Every so often, the two of them would glance at one another, only to look away suddenly. Those butterflies still fluttered, no matter how Y/N tried to crush them! Unable to take it anymore, he finally spoke up.
“Do you live up here alone?” Y/N asked.
“Yes.” He replied. “My people were driven from the mountains years ago but I...I was left behind. I’ve been here ever since. What about you?”
“I live in the village, just at the base of the mountain.”
When Y/N looked at him with confusion, Onacona blushed a bit. Obliviously, he’d said something that he hadn’t really meant to say and Y/N was left wondering how this stranger even knew his little brother’s name.
“You said that name when I found you.” He explained. “I figured that this Luca must be important to you.”
“He is.” Y/N said. “Luca’s my brother. I take care of him and my mother or at least I try to by working in the mines.”
“It’s not pleasant work.” Onacona noted.
“No, it’s not. But it’s far more pleasant then going hungry. There were many nights growing up when I didn’t eat and I...I don’t want that for my brother.”
They spent the rest of the night in silence.
Onacona knew goodness when he saw one and he saw it in Y/N. When he had spoken of his mother and little brother, there had been happiness and love and worry within his eyes. He obviously cared deeply for his family.
It must be nice...having someone like Y/N…
Sitting up, Onacona shook the thought from his mind and steeled himself. It was silly to think such things, he told himself. It was absolutely silly of him to think about Y/N’s pretty face and kind heart and anything else of the sort! The loneliness of the mountains was something he had made himself get used to and he wasn’t about to doubt himself now.
Keeping his eyes on Y/N, Onacona carefully slipped away into the night. The winter storm still persisted, wind screaming and snow swirling...it was perfect. A storm like this was terrible for a mortal man but wonderful for him!
Fingers turned into talons, white feathers bursting over his brown skin. As a man turned into a beast, he soared away on white wings and flew away into the night.
For many days, it continued the same way.
Y/N was made to rest in the day, with Onacona being away often.
He always returned, carrying something that he had hunted and making them a warm and delicious meal to share. At night, after he had returned to the cave and as the two were eating, Onacona would ask Y/N all kinds of questions.
It seemed that he wanted to know everything about him!
What the village was like, what the people were like, what his family was like. Y/N had plenty of stories about his little brother getting into trouble, which Onacona seemed to greatly enjoy.
“It sounds so wonderful!” He laughed. “I wish I could see it!”
Onacona froze, a half going half cold upon his face, and Y/N suddenly wondered if he had said something wrong. But the more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea of it. The idea of Onacona in his village, maybe even in his home...smiling that perfect smile…He didn’t see anything wrong with it.
“You would be welcomed in the village.” Y/N said. “And if you aren’t, I can take care of that. Some folks just need a swift punch to teach ‘em a lesson.”
“I can’t.” Onacona said quietly. “It’s better up here in the mountains.”
There was a clear and distinct message from the tone of Onacona’s voice which Y/N quickly picked up on:
This conversation is over.
Y/N couldn’t help but feel a little bit rejected. But more then that, he felt...concerned. There was so much sadness in his voice, a pained look in his eye.
Something had happened to Onacona.
He was certain of it. And whatever it was, it was bad enough to keep him in the mountains, keeping him away from the rest of the world in this snowy prison. But he couldn't imagine just what it could be. That night, Y/N found himself unable to sleep. As he lay in palate of furs, thinking over everything that had happened. And as he did, Y/N heard a soft stirring across the cave.
Barely opening his eyes, Y/N watched through his lashes as Onacona slipped through the cave opening, quickly closing it behind him, barely making a single sound as he did.
Unable to resist the curiously, Y/N followed.
It wasn’t easy doing so, the fall had left his body sore and hard. Getting up and stumbling his way through the dark cave was no easy task but he managed to do it. And by summoning all of his strength, he was able to push open the stone slab just enough allow him to escape into the night. Slipping open the rolling stone, the storm outside raged and howled, the hungry beast of the sky prowling once more. He squinted through the swirling snow but could not see Onacona anywhere. Was he lost? Was he hurt?
There! There was a figure in the storm. Just like he had seen before...just like that frightful night so many days ago.
Something fell in a graceful swoop, landing in the snow before him. Y/N glared at the figure, the cold stinging his eyes as he attempted to make it out…
Snow crunching beneath soft footsteps.
Step by step, it came closer. It moved with grace and ease despite its mighty size and hulking build, almost as though it were dancing.
A clawed hand reaching out to him.
Y/N watched as a creature stepped forward, revealing itself to be...a snow owl.
It was huge, bigger then he was even, with strangely human qualities about it. As though it were some mix of man and beast, like feathers blooming over a human like figure, with touches of a bird to it...and yet, Y/N couldn’t look away.
There was something so familiar about it...something beautiful…
Beautifully black eyes full of light...like the stars themselves. Y/N gasped, realizing at once that this was no mere monster standing before him, rather, it was someone who he knew and cared about quite a lot.
“Don’t!” He trilled. “Don’t look at me! I’m...I’m...”
Y/N reached out, a cold hand taking a talon softly. Feathers seemed to melt slowly away from his face, disappearing into the wind, revealing him once more. Dark brown skin and soft lips, black eyes filled with tears.
“You don’t have to be scared.”
“Everyone else is.” Onacona wept. “I was cursed...and they left me. Owls are bad omens to my people, the harbingers of death and sorrow! After I was changed the white man came and cast us out...and they blamed me for it, saying that I had brought misery onto the village. They left me behind. They were right...”
Onacona looked at him in surprise as he continued, angry at the world and at everyone for the injustice his friend had faced.
“They were wrong. You were a child, not a curse, and they never should have abandoned you or blamed you for something you couldn’t control. They may have left you...but I won’t.”
He pressed a hand to Onacona’s cheek and the man curled into his touch, tears sliding down his face. Y/N hated it. He hated to see Onacona so heartbroken...and in that moment, he swore that he’d never have to see it again, not if he could help it.
Casting away any fear, Y/N did the one thing he had been dreaming of::
He pulled Onacona forward and he kissed him. Surprise turned into sweetness and Onacona quickly fell into the kiss, wrapping his wings around the human.
The storm had finally passed.
The wind was now peaceful, no more then a gentle nipping, and a blanket of snow was cast over everything, fresh and pure and white. The children of the village ran around like wild animals and played...all except for one.
One boy say at the window of his cottage, looking out into the snowy mountain with sadness in his big brown eyes.
“When’s he coming home, Mama?”
A woman with tired eyes sighed sadly, placing a warm hand on her little boy’s cheek.
“I don’t know, dear. We can only hope and...”
She never bothered to finish what she was saying. Two figures had come stumbling down the mountain, that of a tall Native man dressed in white...and another that she knew very well. Her eldest son leaned against his companion, hands clasped as they smiled and laughed.
Luca bolted from the cottage, not caring a bit about the cold as he ran for his older brother.
“Little man!” Y/N laughed, rumpling his brother’s thick curls. “I’ve missed you so much! That mean old storm wouldn’t let me come home but luckily...” he squeezed his companions hand and kissed it softly. “Luckily I met Onacona.”
A family sat around the fire, now one member fuller.
