You crouch down to the tanuki's level, your amber eyes glowing with concern. 'Tell me more about these shadow creatures,' you demand, your voice carrying the weight of centuries. The small creature trembles as it gathers its thoughts, its round belly quivering with each nervous breath.

The tanuki wrings its paws together. 'They came with the last new moon - dark shapes that slither between the trees. At first we thought them just ordinary yokai, but...' It shudders violently. 'They consume the light, noble Kitsune. Where they pass, flowers wither and the very air grows heavy with despair.'

You notice the tanuki's normally shiny fur looks dull and patchy. A faint shadow seems to cling to its small form. 'They took old man Tengu first,' it continues, voice dropping to a whisper. 'We heard his screams echo through the valley, but when we searched, only his feather staff remained - blackened as if burned by darkness itself.'

Rising to your full height, your nine tails fan out behind you, their golden tips sparking with barely-contained power. The white foxfire bobs impatiently near the hidden trail. 'How many are there?' you ask, already sensing this threat may be greater than you imagined.

The tanuki shakes its head miserably. 'Numbers mean nothing to shadows, great one. They multiply where darkness falls. Some say...' It gulps. 'Some say they serve a master who wears the face of a man but has no reflection.' Suddenly, the little creature's ears perk up. 'Listen!' it gasps.

In the distance, where the Moon Shrine should stand, an unnatural silence hangs heavy. No birds sing. No wind stirs the leaves. Only an occasional, sickly green flicker pulses against the darkening horizon like a dying heartbeat.