Buffy, Spike, and Giles wandered through the cemetery, on alert despite the frigid conditions. Buffy gripped her sword tightly through her black mittens, glancing from side to side, surveying the familiar territory.

Spike: And how exactly did you plan on throwing a good punch in mittens?

Buffy: What? They're just like boxing gloves. (Makes a fist) Wanna see?

Spike: (Leans away) No, I believe you. What are we looking for anyway? Buffy, you know how many demons waltz through here a night. How are we supposed to tell them apart; look for one with a sticker that says 'Hello, my name is Troy?'

Giles: (scowling) As helpful as that would be, it's more likely they'll be-

Buffy senses some motion behind a nearby gravestone and quickly turns, weapon at the ready. The guys turn to face the same gravestone just as a demon dashes by, knocking the three of them to the ground.

Buffy: -running like scared schoolgirls?

Buffy quickly leaps to her feet and swings her sword sharply, just missing the six foot eight demon's massive shoulder. The demon retaliates with a swing of its own, knocking the sword from Buffy's hands and sending Giles back down to the ground with his arm, Spike attacks from the opposite side, jumping on the demon's back, trying to buy Buffy time as she reaches for the sword. The demon wrestles free from Spike's grasp, but it's too late for him as Buffy impales his stomach with the sword. The demon falls to the ground slowly with a thud. Spike moves over to help Giles up, and Buffy cautiously approaches the motionless demon, who is lying face-up in the snow, with Buffy's sword protruding from his midsection.

Buffy: Well, that was –

Before she can finish her thought, the demon raises his left arm and grips the sword.

Buffy: -easy?

The demon lifts his right arm in the same fashion, and uses both hands to pull the sword out. He methodically rises to his feet while Buffy, Spike, and Giles stand frozen in place, watching in a mix of horror and morbid curiosity. The four stand still for minutes until the demon final makes the first move, dropping the sword and racing toward the exit of the cemetery,

Buffy: (gets ready to run) Damn it!

Spike: Wait, Buffy!

Buffy looks back, and Spike tosses her a stake. She then takes off sprinting after the demon, but soon loses him around a corner.

Buffy: (Yelling down the empty road) Done already?

Buffy turns around to rejoin Spike and Giles. Spike hands Buffy her sword.

Buffy: (mumbles to herself) I didn't even get to pun. (Sighs) He ruined all my fun…Hey, (Spike and Giles look up at her, attentively) that rhymed!

Giles and Spike roll their eyes and follow Buffy down the street, back towards the Summers' house.

Meanwhile…

Willow, Xander, and Anya huddle together as they walk down the main street of downtown Sunnydale.

Xander: Now, refresh my memory here, Will. This spell you just worked your mojo on is going to make those demons easily identifiable how again?

Willow: Well, each kind of demon gives off a different kind of energy. With the spell, we can detect the different energies, and locate specific ones. The one we're looking for will be marked by a red glow from the source of the energy.

Xander: So you turned 'em into Rudolph?

Willow: Something like that.

Anya: Something like that?

Willow: Yeah…I mean, I don't actually turn them into reindeer…

Anya: No, something like that (points).

Xander and Willow let their gaze follow the direction of Anya's finger, where they catch sight of a red gleam reflecting in the snow from behind a convenience store on the corner at the end of the street. Xander positions himself in front of the two women, with his ax at the ready.

Xander: Definitely something like that.

The three cautiously approach the corner, Xander in the lead. They halt as they reach the end of the road, and Xander signals to Anya and Willow to make their move on the count of three.

Xander: (motioning with his fingers and silently mouthing the words) One, two, three!

Xander charges around the corner first wielding the ax, with Willow and Anya in tow, both clutching their stakes. Xander spots the demon and drives his ax into its back. The demon reels in shock, flinging his arm back and sending Xander colliding into Willow.

Willow: (Gasps) He didn't poof!

Xander: Duly noted.

Anya leaps into action, wrapping her arms around the demon's neck, attempting to choke it to death. The demon struggles and reaches to pull her off, but not before she notices something shiny hanging from a chain on its neck.

Anya: Oh my god! It has a pend-

The demon flings Anya onto the sidewalk before she can finish her revelation. Xander gets to his feet, ready to make another attack.

Xander: Anya!

He takes the stake from Willow's hand and charges at the demon again, but he is sent to the ground once more. Anya begins to recover, and sits up to finish her warning.

Anya: No, get his pendant!

At the sound of the 'p' word, the demon turns to dash down the street. Before he can get away, though, Willow sees the chain on his neck. She reaches out her hand and mumbles a spell that sends the chain flying off his neck and to the ground as he continues running away. Anya leaps to her feet and rushes over to the pendant, smashing it with her fist. The three of them all look up in time to see the demon in the distance disappear in a burst of flames in the distance.

Xander: What the hell was that?

Anya: Vengeance…at its less than finest.

Back at the Summers' house…

Dawn: I don't get it.

Tara: Hm?

Dawn holds up a book and points to a picture of a four-legged creature with two heads, one on each end.

Dawn: How does it pee?

Tara: Maybe it doesn't.

Dawn: Ew.

Tara: That's definitely not what's out there, though. Well, it's not what we're looking for anyway.

Dawn: That's comforting. You coming up with anything in that pile?

Tara: (closes book in frustration) Nothing useful, unfortunately.

Dawn: There's something we have in common.

Tara: What? No, you've found lots of useful things.

Dawn not buying it; she gives Tara a look of disbelief.

Dawn: Like what?

Tara: Well, I've always wanted to know what Fyarl demons use their two horns for.

Dawn: (skeptically) Uh-huh.

Tara: And…and how Eneri demons regenerate limbs.

Dawn: Okay, that was just disgusting.

Tara: True, but it could be very useful someday.

Dawn: (Laughing) Right…thanks for trying anyway.

Tara shrugs with a smile, and Dawn resumes flipping the pages of the book silently for a few minutes, until something catches Tara's attention.

Tara: There! Go back.

Dawn turns back the page to reveal a diagram of a human child turning into a tall, muscular-bound demon.

Dawn: Is that the one?

Tara: Yes. (Reading over Dawn's shoulder) The Kulgari demon.

Dawn: It says here that the Kulgari have the ability to appear as apparitions of children. They can only retain their physical demonic form when someone gives them an offering.

Tara: (beginning to put the pieces together) The hot chocolate…and the warm shelter.

Dawn: Wait, it also says that they don't have free will; they must be under the control of a master. The master must open the portal to their dimension.

Tara: Someone here in Sunnydale must have cast a spell to open the portal.

Dawn: They couldn't have done it alone, though. I mean, who else has text like this? (Reading the book's cover) Species of the Astral Dimensions and Other Realms; I highly doubt that Barnes and Noble carries this.

Tara: You're right; they must have had help from someone well versed in demonology.

Dawn: (Sarcastically) Gee, where are we gonna find someone like that in Sunnydale?

Tara: It's a start at least. I'll call the others back and fill them in on what we know. (Gets up to go to the kitchen, but turns back for a second) Good job, Dawn.

Dawn: Thanks.

Tara goes into the kitchen and sits cross-legged on the tile floor. She mentally calls to Willow, letting her know what's going on and telling her to inform Buffy and the others of the situation. She gets so caught up in her spell that she doesn't notice the demon that is silently creeping up behind her.

Dawn: (runs in from other room) Tara, duck!

Tara gasps in surprise and crouches down. Dawn, a crossbow in hand, shoots the demon between the eyes. Tara pulls herself off the floor, heart racing,

Tara: (catching her breath) Nice shot.

Dawn: I've been practicing…don't tell Buffy.

Dawn and Tara turn to leave the kitchen, but jump in surprise as they hear the demon move. They look back and see the demon pulling the arrow from his forehead as he begins top rise from the floor.

Dawn: I-I think we forgot to read the part about the nine lives.

Tara: Dawn, get out.

Dawn: But-

Tara: GO!

Dawn rushes towards the door, where she sees Willow, Buffy, and the others returning towards the house. Tara, still in the kitchen with the demon begins a spell as the demon tries to make a move forward.

Tara: Cassiel by your second star…

Willow: (rushing into the kitchen) Hold mine victim as in tar!

The spell works, and the demon halts in place, unable to move. Tara and Willow are joined by Buffy, Spike, Giles, Xander, and Anya, who all followed Dawn into the kitchen.

Tara: (to Willow) I was going to get it all out this time.

Willow: I know; I just love finishing your sentences.