Chapter Text
Barking can be heard in the dark. At first it was a low growl, a few dogs stirred, awakened by the sound of prints being left in the snow. The dogs grew agitated, barking at the passerby, but whoever it was, they seemed unfazed by the barking. The prints continued, walking slowly and methodically. However, someone did stir in the house.
Technoblade, having a rather restless night, was already half-awake when he heard the barking. He slowly opens his eyes, sitting up in his bed. He turns on a lamp, light fills the room. He looks around, his eyes training on the clock on the wall. It's 1 o'clock in the morning. He sighs, rubbing his temple with his fingers, why the heck would they be barking this late at night? It could just be a passing zombie or skeleton, but they know better, this is something different. He pulls on his cloak, grabbing a torch off the wall. He opens the door to his room and takes a peek into the other room. Phil is asleep, lazily sprawled on the bed, must have passed out when he came home from exploring. Techno continues walking, pushing the door open, and stepping outside.
It’s snowing, a light haze of snow falling onto the already snow-ridden ground. Technoblade gazes out into the open, there’s no one in the front yard, but he can make out prints. These were not from a mob, these were shoeprints. He walks down the stairs, following the prints. He walks until there is a faint purple glow, the nether portal lighting up the dark. Of course, the prints stop there, leading into the portal. Techno glances at the portal, who would be walking around this late at night? He shrugs, whatever it is, it's gone for now, and it's not his problem anymore. He trudges his way back home, closing the door behind him. He crawls back under the sheets and just lays there. He doesn’t go back to sleep for the rest of the night.