I haven't played any of the FFVII games, but I know enough thanks to my sheer curiosity and fascination for the characters and story. Since this is an Alternate Reality/Universe (whatever) I had to change Cloud's age to make this idea work. He's 1 year younger than Sephiroth. (You can also follow this story in AO3)
Everything started on that cold night after the winter celebrations in your hometown; the only time in the year where none of the town's people were dicks and treated you and your mom like normal human beings. Brian Lockhart and his wife Galdia give you the leftovers of their meat cake, your mom in exchange gives back what's left of her delicious stew.
The trek back from the town's center to your tiny house was a long one in this cold wintry night, but you and your mom have endured worst. You've gone with her to hunt down Dragons and Death Claws, you've helped her clean down the carcasses and pick up the remains of the important parts. You've gone with her to sell the goods to put food at the table. You've endured a blizzard in the middle of the forest with her.
You always survive.
When the Nibel Wolves howl at the dead of the night, you turn your head and hear the call. When the echo of the beasts rushes through the mountains, longing pierces your chest, and your mom turns to look at you with sad eyes.
"Legend has it that we descend from them; those wolves could turn and shift their skin and bones to match those of a human. Their purpose was to go along with Gaia's Children in harmonious coexistence, to guide them if they were lost, to help them if they fell, to fight with them in times of conflict."
Our purpose was to guard and take care of the people from the Promised Land.
Everything happens in a blur once you get home and the lights are turned on. There's three men inside your house, two in white coats and one in a dark suit.
"Claudia Strauss", one of the white coated men say.
And then, the casserole your mom was holding drops to the ground; your heart stops and everything freezes. You feel the tension on the room, you can hear the heartbeats of everyone, you can smell the intent, the eagerness. You can taste something dreadful in your mouth, and you can see the hungry and greedy looks that the white coated men are giving you.
"Cloud", your mom says, with a steady voice and giving the men a murderous glare, "Run."
And you do.
You sprint, going forward and never—ever—daring to look back. You run for your mom, you run for your safety, you run for your life, you run for you. You run because you have to. Because you promised. Because you promised Ma that you would stay alive and keep going ahead.
"Heavens forbid something happens to me," your mom once told you, "but if it does", she says solemnly, her robin egg eyes piercing yours, burning like scorching fire and sending electrical currents through your bones, "Cloud, if something happens to me, I want you to keep going ahead", her hand on your shoulder suddenly feels more heavy than it should, "If someone ever comes for us, I want you to run. I want you to get away the fastest as possible, you hear me?"
Your heart hammers in your chest, and fear cages your body.
"Know that I will always love you; but you must go away if the day ever comes, you must go ahead and never look back. Do never question why, accept things as they are. Trust me, okay?"
All I ever do, is for your safety.
Freezing wind rushes over your skin, your legs hurt, and your feet are itching. You can't feel your nose, and your breath is getting a little ragged. The heavy snowed path is making it a little difficult for you to mantain your curent speed; you trip on the rocks Ma and you use for mid trek point, and you fall straight on your face. But you immediately get up, and double your speed as much as you can. You keep going, you need to get to Town Center, you need to get to a safe place before the men get you.
You didn't make it past the mansion when someone catches you. The smell of gun powder and blood enters your nostrils, and your arms get restricted.
"Veld here, I caught him", says the man to a tiny device on his ear.
You thrash against his grip, fighting to get away from him and keep moving to safety.
"Proceeding to take target to base."
"Let me go!", your elbow connects with his gut, and you take the breath out of him.
His grip on you lessens and you take the opportunity.
"I don't think so."
He's fast and he has you restrained again, and now despair runs on your veins. Fear, helplessness, and dread cover your muscles and clench your heart.
You were planning on screaming your lungs out, to cry for help, to run your throat dry until somebody could come and rescue you and take you to safety.
What leaves from your very stomach and throat is a loud and intense howl that echoes powerfully on the vast Nibel Region; carrying with it your wish for help.
Everything is silent, for bare seconds.
And then Nibelheim is howling back.
Wolf howls start to rise all over the mountains, from different distances, with distinct tones, with sheer power.
You can feel and hear your captor's heart rate speed up when the nearest howl pierces the area.
Help never makes it in time, because in a blink of an eye…
Everything is dark.