The hour is unknown but it's late. The air is crisp and the night cold and with each breeze it feels as if the wind is attempting to chill you to your core. It's a quiet night save for the shuffle and cries of the nocturnal nightlife. This accompanied by the rhythmic footfalls of booted feet crunching noisily through the dried dead leaves.

A twig is trampled, snapping in two by one set of feet. Another pair kicks it, sending it tumbling into the thick ground level fog which swirls around the marching figures' ankles. Guided only by the weak pale moonlight and the soft glow of the torches that the line of hooded figures dressed in black robes carried. Unfazed by the eerie sounds of the nightlife, the figures continued to venture on. None speaking a word as they continue onward. 

Deeper into the dark tangled woods. Tall black trees stand with their bare gnarled branches reaching up towards the sky while their lower branches threaten to grab or ensnare those who stray too close. The grass under foot is gray and just as dry and dead as the leaves that litter the forest floor. The fog that had been ankle high moments before now surrounds them from all around bathing the land in pale gray. The torches and the moonlight fail to pierce through the thin curtain of mist.

But still the group continues on.

"Brother Florian." Speaks a man with a frail timid voice.

"What is it, my brother Tone?" Answers another with a gruff voice, belonging to one called Florian.

The timid man says nothing as he follows along birthing a small irritable silence between them, the feeling similar to that of when one is called by another and they respond only to have the one that called them not answer back. But before Florian could say anything about the quiet Tone speaks up. And by the hesitation and the deep sigh that he utters before he starts talking Florian knows that he is having doubts about tonight.

"It's just that we're coming all this way, and for what? How do we even know that this night is even the night? And for that matter how do we know that he will even appear." He whines, his voice dripping in doubt "Coming this far only to put on a big show and to have our grand finale to be a no show, what's the point?"

The young man had every right to have his doubts, and Florian understood full well why he thought that way. The one that they were making their way to hasn't been seen for millennia. Considered to be nothing more than a rumor, a work of fiction, a mere scary story. But that doesn't stop their followers from paying their respects. From coming far and wide to take part in the festival called the 'L'ombre du chien noir' or 'Shadow of the Black Dog'. Where the people of the Land of Fenrir, who still worships the one whom the festival is named after comes to celebrate the Black Dog. The festivities consist of food, music, games, and it ends with the 'Dance of Dogs'. In which a towering black dog is made from wood and fabric and is puppeteered among men, women, and children in matching homemade dog costumes each dancing and stomping along to the music that rings out loudly and yet passionately though the town.

"I understand you have your doubts, but you mustn't lose faith." Florian reassures as he marches on, but Tone frowns. And despite his face being shrouded in shadows, Florian can feel the skepticism radiating off the other. He knows he isn't the only one who can feel it; from where he is in the line, he can hear muttering. He isn't able to make out the words, but he knows that it is about Tone and his wavering belief.  

Breaking from the snaking line Florian begins to speak "Tell me brother Tone, how can one of our own falter in his beliefs when the proof is but here right now?" Florian asks as he raises his arms up towards the sky "Even now the great Black Beast glares down on us." He adds in gesturing to the massive yellow moon that sits nestled amongst stars taking up a good portion of the sky as if it was attempting to swallow it up whole. The appearance of the monstrous super moon in Florian's opinion, should be enough to convince Tone. But still he carried on with his preaching just in case or perhaps to continue to sing his praise to the black beast.

"The Eye of Noir shines brightly only once every fifteen years. And tonight with Noir's eye on us we will do our part and welcome into this world our prince or princess who will help carry Noir into this life. It is our calling, no it is our duty to make sure that everything goes according to plan." Florian exclaims, his voice. A bell tolls as he sings the praise of their movement. "Tonight will be the night that those who had sinned against our protector will pay. And as they bend to the Black One's will we, my brothers and sisters shall revel in their anguish!" As he utters these words with fervor and wild eyes.

Unearthly howls and eerie disembodied wails ring out as if the forest itself agreed with the man's words. The rest of the marching figures stay silent listening to their passionate comrade. The sounds continue and a voice from somewhere up ahead chimes in their words full of the same passion "How much more convincing do you need Brother Tone? The Eye of Noir in the sky. And from below deep within the belly of the Black Shuck Forest are these beasts crying in agreement. Everything shall play out as it should." 

The one who spoke up narrows his eyes behind the dog mask on his face "This time I am certain of it."