"And Kim and Aram wanted to spend some quality time" Abi added air quotes, "together, if you get my drift."

"Ugh," Parker said, rolling her eyes; in the next instant she'd gone from human-looking to being a large hyena again. "I can't believe how none of your business that is."

"So," Abi went on, ignoring Parker and instead leaning around her to look at Hawk and Teige, "You boys do a lot of monster parties?"

"Never," Teige answered--Hawk said nothing, rather self-consciously. "Don't reckon I knew enough monsters on Earth to make for a party. We're all too properly hid, even from each other."

"Earth sounds like a drag, dude," Abi replied. They were passing the three-legged crow perched at the podium by the bar's front door; it let them pass without a word. "Anyway, it's like any other party. Just don't make a ruckus."

The front room of the bar was small, or seemed small, because a few of the monsters inside nearly brushed the ceiling with the tops of their heads. It wasn't crowded yet; a few spots at the bar were taken up by monsters that had not taken human shapes despite how awkwardly their natural forms made sitting on the stools. The huge buffalo-headed minotaur was ordering drinks from the crimson-skinned ogre bartender. The pool table was being used by Joe the tanuki and the tall werewolf. Minnie had been right, it seemed--the only figure resembling a human in the room was a tiny flush-faced woman with very pointy ears, who was deep in conversation with a long-legged gremlin in a plain pink dress.

A scrawny fox with a Crossroad shirt and a very toothy smile met them at the door, offering a tray of glasses full of reddish liquor.

"Can I start you folks off? Half off our Fort Tanners!"

Abi, Parker, and Hawk each took one--Teige didn't, instead asking, "Is that like a Long Island Iced Tea?"

"What's 'Long Island?'" the fox replied.

"...Maybe just some pool," Teige murmured, apparently to himself, heading for the table. Parker started to go after him, but Hawk spoke up.

"Parker, wait--" She paused, sipping the cocktail she'd been given through its short straw. Hawk hesitated. "Uh...can we talk?"