The Extent Tavern. Clara read the sign as she approached the small building that sat beside a weapon smith and a bakery. The windows here stained a dark brown with swirls of color mixed in, they were definitely expensive and high end.

The town-square wasn't very busy, Clara had passed a few dodgy characters as she walked. Her nervousness subsided as Cage placed his hand on the small of her back, guiding her up the old wooden stairs leading up to the tavern door.

Cage pulled the rickety door open and everyone stepped in, trying their best to not draw attention to themselves.

Loud fiddle music flooded Clara's ears and she glanced up to see many in the tavern turn to stare at her and the group that stood behind her.

Clara, Cage, Kai, Callum, Orion, Daniel and, a very excited Angelica, all pulled out a chair at a corner table and sat down hesitantly. They placed their belongings beside their feet on the wooden floor.

"I can't believe this!" Angelica whisper yelled at Clara from across the table.

"I told you he'd say yes." Clara smiled at Angelica's nervous fidgeting.

"And I'm starting to regret it now. . ." Cage placed a protective arm around Clara from where he sat beside her.

Cage eyed a man at the bar who was gazing intently at his mate. The man sat beside a group of two men who all had dark hair and dark eyes, their clothes looked new and unworn which was unusual.

A brown haired bar maid sauntered over to where Clara and the rest of the group sat, and asked, "What can I get you all?" Her tone was kind and inviting, and her eyes were bright and golden.

Cage didn't take his eyes off of the man at the bar who was glancing at Clara every few moments.  He answered the bar maid without even looking at her.

"Six pints of ale and one glass of pomace wine, if it's no trouble." Cage said flatly.

"It isn't any trouble. Give me a moment." The girl scurried to the bar and retrieved their drinks before returning and plopping them down on the table in front of the group. She set down Cage's small glass of wine last and smiled as his eyes met hers.

"Thank you." Cage thanked the girl before she left the table.

"This is so exciting." Angelica took a sip from her pint and smiled as she glanced around the tavern curiously.

"You'll have to tell me some time, why you were so excited about coming here." Clara laughed as she drank from her glass, her face scrunching up in disgust and surprise.

"Oh, that is terrible." Clara exclaimed.

"It's not that bad. My old grandad used to make it just like this, strong and fruity." Orion gulped down some ale from his cup and glanced at the dark colored liquid.

Kai had already drank his entire cup and he laughed as he pointed at Cage's small cup. "Now, that's pathetic."

Everyone at the table besides Cage laughed, and Clara picked up the small glass of pomace wine and took a sip.

Clara nodded her head in approval and licked her lips after setting down the cup in front of her. She gently slid her pint of ale over to Cage in exchange for his small cup.

"That never happened," Clara giggled and Cage smiled at her, his hand still snaked around her waist.

"Hmm..." Cage hummed and lifted the pint of ale Clara slid over to him to his lips, the sensual way his jaw tensed as he drank made Clara glance away, a blush in her cheeks.

Cage gulped and placed the cup down on the table. "Wow, that is bad. Can humans even try to ferment something correctly?" He groaned and everyone laughed once more.

As if she was offended, Clara placed her hand over her heart jokingly, earning a deep chuckle from Cage.

"We should go and dance!"Angelica watched as many in the tavern started to gather and dance together. The fiddle player started to play louder, the tempo happy and sweet.

"I don't think-" Clara hesitated as Angelica got up from her seat and pulled her up.

Angelica grabbed Clara by the hand and drug her over to where everyone was dancing- hand in hand. Both girls tried their best to follow along with the relatively choreographed dance, stumbling and laughing a few times as they did.

When Clara decided she'd had enough dancing for an entire year, she bee lined for the table where the boys sat and she took her seat beside Cage.

Clara noticed everyone at the table glaring towards the bar, and she turned to see what had caught their attention.

The man who had been staring at Clara earlier, was now harassing the bar maid. He firmly laid a hand on her backside and squeezed as he said something Clara couldn't make out from across the way. The brown haired girl struggled to get out of the man's hold.

"We have to do something." Clara began to get up from her seat but Cage gripped her forearm and pulled her back down.

"No. He's a Vagare hunter, we cannot intervene." Cage whispered in Clara's ear.

"What is a Vagare hunter?" Clara asked quickly.

"They are a group of humans that sometimes go around and exterminate creatures like us. I haven't seen one in years. . . And if he senses that we aren't human, then I may not be able to get you out of here in time. I won't put you at risk." Cage shook his head.

"I'm not just going to sit here and do nothing! That poor girl is being harassed!" Clara sat up again and fought against Cage's form grip, he begged and pleaded with her to not walk over there and cause a scene.

"When I go over there, I want you to go get Angelica and take everyone out of here. Meet me outside." Clara instructed and Cage huffed, releasing her forearm.

Clara walked over to where the dark haired man at the front of the tavern sat, and she tapped him on the shoulder. Her right hand was placed firmly on the small handle of her trusty dagger, just in case.

The man turned and glanced at Clara, his brown eyes held her gaze intently. He let go of the bar maid and turned his attention to the red haired girl behind him.

Clara studied the man's face as she glanced at him. His deep set eyes were distant, and his tan skin held deep scars, the type of scars that one didn't receive just by accident. This man was rugged, there was no doubt. His dark hair was braided back and the few gray hairs he had made him look older than he was.

"I suggest you stop harassing her, before I take you outside and show you how I treat men who disrespect women." Clara prayed the man wouldn't call her bluff.

The bar maid walked away and disappeared from sight, tears in her eyes.

"And who might you be?" The man's voice was deep and throaty, he was definitely drunk.

"Someone your not lucky enough to know the name of." Clara said calmly.

"I'm tempted to let you take me outside and show me what you can do." The man's eyes sparkled darkly as he stood from his seat.

"I would probably do something like this," Clara punched the man and he fell backwards, his head hit the table behind him with a thud. "And this!"
She kneed the man in the groin after a moment, he fell to the floor this time.

"Wait!" The man called out in a groan as he watched Clara walk away.

Clara headed towards the tavern door. By now, everyone in the tavern had seen what she had done. They all watched her pull open the small wooden door and walk out, disappearing into the darkness.

The tavern door shut behind Clara and she spotted her friends waiting for her a few yards down in the town square.
She ran to catch up to them, her breath coming out in tired pants.

"You wouldn't believe what I did-" Clara laughed.