As we stepped out into the night, the atmosphere shifted. The air was cooler, carrying a damp chill that seeped through my clothes.
The village was eerily quiet now, the earlier commotion giving way to an oppressive silence. A faint mist had begun to roll in, shrouding everything in a ghostly haze.
Seraphine and I moved quickly, our breaths visible in the cold air. The distant howl echoed again, this time closer, sending a shiver down my spine. We exchanged a glance, the unspoken understanding between us clear. Whatever was out there, it wasn't good.
As we reached the edge of the village, the moonlight cast long, twisted shadows across the ground. The mist thickened, reducing visibility and making the world around us feel claustrophobic. The villagers had retreated indoors, leaving the streets deserted and the windows dark.
"Stay close," Seraphine said, her voice barely above a whisper. "We don't know what's out here."