A/N: Sorry to make all of the readers wait so long, I am working carefully with the proceeding storyline, since I want this to be as genuinely a fic for Tara's character as much as I can; without deluding her or stepping too far out of bounds with her. The length of time needed in studying her character is a little extensive in my part; I am hoping to portray her as well as I can versus the character seen on the "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" series, with a little more flair of spirit behind her. Just a little gutsier by nature but not enough to ruin the image of Tara we all hold dear; since that and her ever pleasant sweetness is part of what makes her.

So all I am asking is for you all to bear with me in this lengthy process, and now I ask you to enjoy this chapter as its written n.n; so without further adieu, the Werewolf fact for this chapter.

Were-Fact#5- "Strength enough to destroy darkness." With this quote that I read in a story in mind, I kept in thought the particular universe we're in. Slayers such as Buffy and Faith have such powers fit to hunt vampires, but does this make them the strongest? After seeing Glory I would judge this to be a no. so I was free to make true use of a Werewolf's strength, going beyond Joss Whedon's limitation for the mainstream werewolf in the series; my subspecies is in fact strong enough at higher levels of the Pack hierarchy to easily dispatch common vampires.

i.e.: Alpha Werewolves are capable of ripping a vampire's head off with ease, Beta Werewolves are capable of tossing vampires around and showing slightly superior strength to a typical vamp; allowing slayage to go smoothly.

I don't want any fans to believe that I've made Huyana something he is not; he is in fact a Beta wolf, second to his father and pretty far off from becoming an alpha himself. His abilities are held back by some slight arrogance held by both wolf and Huyana alike; while skilled he lacks full mastery of many basics, keeping him further from his goal.

His father is an accomplished Alpha Wolf of many years, and an 'ace in the hole' if you will for any future threats that may be far stronger than forces held; his father is rather neutral on Vampires feasting on humans, saying it is the way of things and for the Slayer to deal with. This fact alone leaves his father well out of the slaying field and only has Huyana tangled within it; as he mourns his fallen life mate, he will not disturb this sense of nature.

So in all, Huyana is capable of hunting and slaying, being adept at martial arts and weapon combat; but is no master of combat or an Alpha; so with that out of the way, I move onto the story.

(End Were-fact & A/N)

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Chapter 5: The Prom, the Witch, and the Wolf- Emerging Factors

The lessons' had continued for the next week and Huyana did seem to be enjoying the time more and more, he ensured that he didn't let his feelings get the better side of him; these feelings were nurtured by his Wolf's wish to find another to be with, to run with in that same regard; Huyana liked the choice but discouraged this early time of connection between them, it was nothing that he'd let bother him in any capacity.

He knew what he felt about his fellow witch in these arts, he admitted that while he was no wiccan by his own right; having been the son of a Shaman and a Chinese sorceress, one might declare that he still had the rights to the very magic that was in his veins. It made him strongly defined by what he was, he thought Tara should be proud of the skill she'd attained, and despite the fact they never practiced major spells it was still just wonderful to tap into that source of roaring wild magic inside of him.

As the two of them practiced over the growing weeks, it did became more clear to the both of them as practitioners just how Huyana's magic seemed to work overall; it didn't really seem to act entirely normal on its own, it in fact seemed to be entangled with the rest of his energies, and through this link was knit to the wolf as well. Tara explained to Huyana about the apparent bonds, based upon how his magic interacted with the inner-wolf of his; she had worked it all out.

"Your magic seems to be fastened to your wolf as I've noticed, while not directly imparted to your wolf's being; the magic reacts to how your wolf's state appears to be. The source of your magic is tied to your emotions and can either be stable or unstable, depending upon your mood the magic will react simplistically or very 'hotly' with a lack for a better word to describe it." She seemed to have put two and two together based upon their ritual practices of all spells covered up to point.

She had in the past noted the perfection of the simple spells in the beginning and how by the fourth time practiced it might be sloppy, before the following day would come and the spell would be done far better than the day before. She was imagining it reflected his moods at the time: bored from doing the same old to reformed practice and concentration resulted in a much better done spell. She liked what she was seeing in his work ethic, she was able to read so much through his magic; that he was truly dedicated to picking up magic as a talent and that led to his working so hard.

In that regard she amazed Huyana, it did seem that she was a natural for reading people based upon reactions; though instead of it being based upon body language it was based upon magic instead. He imagined that this would let her not only read the state of mind of the person, but perhaps even the intentions of their magic: directly benevolent or impetuously immoral by nature. There were a lot of things that came to Huyana's mind based upon how he looked at her skill; however it was just admiration that really seemed to be clear in his eyes.

"Huyana? What is it?" she didn't need to be psychic to see something in his eyes, she was curious as to what it was that was going through his mind.

"Just that I think your skill is amazing; such a talent to be able to read people's moods or intentions through understanding how the 'feel' of magic is. Tara that is a truly capable and amazing skill that you possess." He meant well by it, such a thing would keep her from doing wrong; and would help her sense wrong doings by way of magic.

Upon hearing the way he praised her skill, she blushed and looked down in modesty; though she appreciated his words, she did find that she liked the way it was natural for Huyana to just speak so-wait a minute…where did that come from? She never let the incomplete thought finish, instead she pushed it away.

"Huyana I…thank you." She said with a shy response to his words of kindness, though she looked at the time; while they finished the time had it really been so long?

"Oops, looks like it's around 7:22 Tara, what do you say we just go to my house for dinner? Dad's cooking again, besides he's spoken to me about meeting you; he's interested you know. He likes that we've found ways to connect." Huyana just mentioned during the moment.

"D-Does he know about…our meetings?" she asked him of course, since it wasn't like she went around advertising that she was a witch. Even though she knew that his father was a werewolf and a shaman himself; she didn't wish to speak of her doings as a witch. It wasn't that she was so ashamed of it, but more out of natural reflex from her upbringing; she was hesitant to tell people what she was.

Huyana shook his head and offered her a grin and thumbs up to signal that it was still their mutual secret.

"Not a chance, I know that my father wouldn't mind it either way; but I don't tell him of what is ours to keep secret. I wanted to ask you about it later on, we can tell him later on if you wish to." He informed her that it was no problem at all.

For a moment she considered it and then gave him a light shake of her head, she wasn't ready for that yet; she had met his father briefly when he came to pick Huyana up from school every now and then to bring him home. She knew he was very wise and nice, but she also noticed he was highly observant and seemed clever on many levels; she did like the feel of his aura since it was very calming and spoke of some mild secrets. She knew he was older than he appeared for one, though she couldn't tell exactly how much.

Huyana had finished packing their supplies up and lugged the pack over his shoulder, before offering the preoccupied witch a hand up.

With her thoughts disturbed by the sudden appearance of his hand, she jumped at first, snapping back to reality and taking his hand and smiling at Huyana kindly; he was such a well mannered gentleman versus many other 'normal' boys their age.

--On the way to Huyana's Home--

She found herself deep in thought, she had been asked by Huyana to the dance three days ago and she told him that she needed time to think. It was more that she was weighing the balance and objects as things went on; she wasn't sure as to whether she really wanted to go, this wasn't high school and it wasn't a real requirement to go or miss it, and yet she still wanted to go.

She was considering it up to this point to go with Huyana, she was looking to all of the reasons just why she might go and found them to be enticing this way in on it; there might prove fun by going with some strange boy she'd only met this year.

'He's a really strange boy the first time I meet him, but still…very gracious and kind to people he meets. He respects my privacy and doesn't push anything onto me; he doesn't even…well even rush the spells.'

'And what is this for you Tara? A reason to accept this date? How do you know that he isn't some smart college boy who's just trying for…some.' her ever present voice of conscious was there to maintain her mindset of being pessimistic and non-trusting about the boy.

'No, Huyana isn't like that, I've read his intentions and his wish to take me to the prom is pure. He has no desire to take anything from me…he gives me my space and has even promised to see me home to my dorm at my discretion.' It was one more reason she liked the idea, he was being so considerate of her and flexible to a great degree she found.

'The boy has nothing to offer to you and yet you will go, because he is good at magic and he is kind to you; how touching that he can play with your emotions so well!' It became obvious that her mind was playing upon her first bad experience as a freshman to UC Sunnydale.

'His name is Huyana, he is a kind hearted person and his energetic personality is cute...I have found my reasons; that is all.' it seemed she finalized the thought well enough with her mind, making it more clear with herself that she was very well interested in the dance.

She waited a while as they walked, as to rehearse the way she would respond to his request to go to the dance with her; she was honestly surprised that he didn't ask someone else, but she was flattered and also happy inside...happy that he did ask her in such a polite way.

--At the Door--

"Huyana?" her voice raising in a gentle manner, but still enough to catch his attention, she looked at his face and ended up catching his eye; gazing through one of his soft brown eyes and the very piercing amber of the wolf in his other eye, she was caught…like a deer in headlights for the moment she watched both orbs carefully with her own.

His gaze met her own at the moment she spoke his name, his fist moments from connecting with the door in a knock; they seemed to have both been caught in a small stare. He looked away first; blushing in some embarrassment for the reasons became clear the moment after. He had asked his wolf not to gaze at Tara without mentioning it to him at least briefly, the wolf was more attached to the wonderful girl than he was; even though Huyana had grown to like her a great deal since they began to practice magic, he hadn't made any move towards anything beyond friendship.

It was something that his father taught him about the matter of dating or considering courting someone, you move slowly at first and if things can carry forth; then you may take the next step. It was his hope that the dance might open that window for them so that hopefully he might ask her out more officially after the dance itself.

"Yes Tara?" he said as he finally had broken the objective glance that they were giving off, he drew a finger through his hair and watched her face then, of course it left him just waiting to see what it was she was trying to say.

"I've decided to go with you to the dance." She said as she smiled at him, well no doubt that she told him now and got it off of her chest. Yes this seemed to be just that important to her to have it off of her chest, and to her surprise the smile that broke onto Huyana's face simply warmed her heart; that kind of smile that could melt ice if it were in the dead of winter.

There wasn't anything said for a moment, but Huyana did take her hand and just held it lightly, as the door sounded like it was unlocking; Huyana finally spoke.

"Thank you for trusting me thus far and honoring me greatly with this right to take you to the dance; you will not be disappointed." He said it, just before the two were before the audience that was Huyana's father.

"Well, I'm glad that this son of mine finally brought over the mysterious Tara to our humble abode; and such good timing too…I've just finished…dun dun dun…dinner!" he said with a cornball grin just to help the sheer amount of lameness/cheesiness the moment was filled with.

Tara gave a soft laugh at this, well unable to resist Huyana's father and his rather sad humor; it was so bad that it was funny enough for a laugh and that helped to make the moment.

"Please, spare us the depths of your lame commentary father; I'd rather not be drowned by the number of tomatoes tossed metaphorically at your terrible sense of humor dad." Huyana was being sarcastic of course, he wasn't really that upset with his father; but the spirits help them…if his father didn't have a really terrible sense of humor.

Either way now the introduction was over and Huyana's father ushered them inside and had offered to take Tara's sweater for her to hang up; however she pleasantly declined and took the seat that Huyana offered her. Before having himself seated just beside her, this would turn out to be plenty interesting…at least that was the thought from Huyana.

Now it would be a true test of things, if dinner went well then he could escort her home; and he hoped with no big reactions from the undead population. He'd already made quite a name for himself, having slayed around 22 vampires since the start of the school semester; it sure did help to have a nose for the dead.

Though admittingly now, he was thinking about everything else that would be going on, this included the dance…oh what wonderful things being anxious could do for you…of course.

(End Chapter)

A strange end of the chapter's end isn't it? I hope that this will ignite a little pathway for all readers to try and follow, perhaps it may even be surprising; till the next chapter I bid you adieu.

-Quentix