Starless Night

*this poem is only a draft, please comment if you have any ideas/suggestions to improve it*

As the moon makes its silent greeting to the world,
spreading its calm, erie light,
calling darkness's shadows to come forth,
creeping,silent,beautiful,deadly,
into the starless night.

The howl of the dark wolf,
calling,demanding an answer,
the flutter of wings,
the screech in reply,
the rustle of leaves,
the patter of unknown feet,
the song of night,
a quiet warning,
a silent threat.

unknown figures,
unrecognized scents,
strangers,
silence.

the smell of smoke,
rhythmic beating,
ordered steps,
quiet chanting,
growing louder, louder,
the ritual has begun.

yellow eyes watch,
disbelief clearly visible,
as the black, hooded figures circle,
round and round the fire,
like moths to a flame.

the chanting grows louder,
the figures raise their arms towards the sky,
the flames leap and soar,
into the once peaceful night.

as one,
the figure's hoods fall back,
flickering firelight revealing the intruders,
silent,beautiful,deadly.

the flames become a tower,
rising, disapearing into the sky above,
suddenly they return to earth,
and extinguish themselves.

the darkness flows back,
surrounding,engulfing the figures,
as the melt back into the night.

departing as suddenly as they had arrived,
the figures leave no sign of the strange activity that had taken place,

no bent blade of grass,
no ash or coal from the fire.
no sign,
other than the star filled sky,
a gift,
a silent thank you,
an unvoiced farewell,
peace once again.