Xuewuguang

“Do not follow the angel dancing under the rainbow of light, or more than a cold you will catch this magical freezing night.”

A warning the natives tell tourists when venturing alone in the freezing wild where danger hides in plain sight.

Such as the Xuěwǔguāng, a bird-like creature white as snow with black spots all over its body. This creature is known to venture near secluded cabins hoping to get something warm to fill their bellies. Once they find one with a clue of being occupied, they will secretly land a few kilometres away from it, keeping hidden from any view.

With their eyes capable of spying any potential prey from miles away, they will observe the residence and its occupant for several hours. While doing so they will let snow cover their wings while at the same time using their heat to melt it into a thin layer of ice, hiding any trace of spot or feather. Leaving only an illusion of long sleeves shining in the reflection of light.

Once the disguise is set, they will target an isolated resident. Dancing from afar, hoping to lure the target out of the house away from any assistance. Each time the prey gets a certain distance from them, they would dance further away in a teasing manner, hoping for the prey to follow. Putting more and more distance between the prey and its hideout.

Away from the residence, they would let the prey get much closer. Letting them see them dancing elegantly in the boreal light using their disguised wings to hide their body leaving but their face to contemplate. The wings reflecting the boreal light would add to the seductress dance, luring the glance of the prey towards the wings and the beauty’s face.

The prey, charmed by the dance, would lose any awareness of their situation and surroundings. Forgetting the cold temperature attacking their body, sapping their strength away. Not even noticing the mass of the beautiful angel increasing the closer they get.

Once the Xuěwǔguāng sees the freezing condition of the prey, now too cold to fight back, they will open their wings, shattering the thin ice away as well as freeing their wings from the disguise. They would then bounce on the now terrified prey, pinning them in the snow. Letting the cold devourer any burst of energy that could remain.

They would then start consuming, jerking their head up and down, making the prey slide more and more into their hungry gullet. Warming the prey all the way down. Regaining their strength too late to fight back as they soon find themselves trapped in the warm, fleshy prison.

With a struggling meal keeping them warm, the Xuěwǔguāng would then fly away, covering any trace of the poor meal’s end. Instead, making it look like another victim consumed by the harsh weather of the north.