The Wolf and Owl

This story is by Savannah Whitmire and was part of our 2017 Fall Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.

To Zac and Esmeralda this was the most wonderful time of the year; with the leaves changing, the warm days and cool nights. The cool nights had gentle rustling of the wind through the trees as a red owl hoots, and grey wolves howl welcoming the moon. It was on a night like this that they met under the first moon of fall, to the melody of the owl and the wolves. Esmeralda a young woman with fiery red hair, and eyes that sparkled like emerald stars alongside the moon; she was a mystical, charming, and a young beauty with a soul of an owl so wise and calm. Zac a young man with eyes the color of the dusk and hair as dark as the night shadows under which they met; his soul the wandering lone wolf of the night. Their two souls had crossed paths, in such a peaceful, mysterious way. They would be magical together, a wonderful pairing to say the least. Yet it was the wildness of their animalistic spirits, the wolf and owl, that could also lead both of their worlds down a path of love and mystery.

On a cold, mysterious night Esmeralda was out adventuring the town, trying to find whatever it was that would fix the craving within her soul; the craving for something simple yet unique. Esmeralda pondered on what to do, and continued down the path, being amazed at all the shop windows of things so extravagant and beautiful. One such window had beautiful paintings and art hung on display with the words Wolf Tattoo above the shop door. As it captured quite a bit of interest in her she opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit front room. Esmeralda walked around the shop and was mesmerized by all the art work on the wall. What she didn’t know was that within a few minutes was that she would meet a man that would have her mesmerized for years to come.

Zac watched her through the window of the back room as she walked around the front of the shop looking at all the designs he had drawn and hung on the walls for reference points. As Zac watched her he couldn’t help but feel a pull from deep within his soul to Esmeralda, with her long fiery red hair walking around the front of his shop. Esmeralda felt as if she was being watched, and grew anxious. He noticed the anxious look on Esmeralda’s face and rounded the corner to approach her. Then unfortunately Zac got tangled up in his feet, and fell with a loud thud that shook Esmeralda inside and had her highly frightened. Zac slowly got up with his bruised pride, and looked at Esmeralda to ask if there was anything he could help her with, but was star struck by her beauty and stood there in awe of the gorgeous female before him.

Esmeralda was shocked when she looked up at the boy, no, man that now stood before her. His chiseled features and his shoulder length black hair causing his dusk colored eyes to stand out on his face. She looked him over slowly almost as an owl observed from the trees at the prey and predators below. Blinking she looked down quickly as a blush started to appear on her cheeks.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your work. I was just curious when I walked past and decided to come in,” Esmeralda said looking down to the floor with a blush on her cheeks. Her voice was the loveliest thing Zac had ever heard; it sounded like the owl’s midnight call along with the wind blowing through the fall leaves.

“It’s fine. I was just drawing out a couple new tattoo designs. Nothing that I can’t do in my free time,” Zac said rubbing the back of his neck smiling sheepishly. Esmeralda was even more shocked by his voice than she was with his appearance; his voice was a deep rich baritone, like the wolf’s midnight howl to the moon. Esmeralda blown away by his voice quickly found herself getting lost in his smile, and enchanted by his eyes. She blushed and looked down at the floor realizing that she was staring.

Slowly as if his arm had a mind of its own, Zac reached out and took a hold of Esmeralda’s chin and tilted her head back up so that he could look back into her gorgeous emerald green eyes. Esmeralda blushed more than ever as she realized just how close they were standing to each other. Slowly Zac tucked a piece of her fiery red hair behind her ear and gently cupped her cheek. Esmeralda slowly took a step closer to him; she was now close enough to feel the heat of his body seeping into her clothes and her skin. Slowly the two leaned into one another as if two powerful magnets connected their bodies. Esmeralda slowly closed her eyes as their lips came within millimeters of each other. Suddenly Zac pulled away enough to calm the storm of emotions with in his heart and mind; leaning his forehead against Esmeralda’s he took a deep breath in bringing with it the scent of the autumn leaves soaked in an afternoon rain. Zac took a step away from Esmeralda as her eyes slowly opened.

“I deeply apologize for being so rude.” Zac considered her beautiful eyes as a puzzled look came across her face and he quickly interjected saying “I mean I haven’t even bothered to ask you what your name is.”

Esmeralda smiled sheepishly, and said “Esmeralda, its Spanish for emerald.”

A grin spreads across his face. “A beautiful name for an equally beautiful woman.” Zac again reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her face and cupped her cheek once more. A blush ran across Esmeralda’s face, as a smile quickly followed. Esmeralda craved Zac for reasons unknown to her; Zac was also drawn to her but he knew that the fates had brought him the one that he had been praying for.

That evening under the first full moon of fall with the crisp breeze of the cool night air that only comes from an afternoon autumn rain, the two love birds that had met in a tattoo shop talked as if they had known each other their whole lives’. They felt chemistry that was for the history books. They left the parlor, and went outside to go their separate ways. As they started to walk away from each other outside the parlor Zac pulled her close and kissed her long and sweetly. When he pulled away He smiled and kissed her forehead and walked towards his home thinking of Esmeralda with the bright green eyes and the soul of an owl. As he walked away Esmeralda smiled and slowly started to walk towards her own apartment thinking of the man with the eyes the color of the moon and soul of the wolf. Little did they know the one simple kiss, would lead to a love that was beyond anything this universe knew. And thus, began a love story that the world would spend the next century talking of; a young man with the wander and drive of a wolf, and a young woman with the grace and wisdom of an owl.