The bass of the club thrummed through Cade's chest as he leaned casually against the wall near the entrance. The neon "Aether Veil" sign above him buzzed faintly, casting a pink glow over the line of people stretching down the crumbling street. Zeropoint's grime and desperation clung to the air, the scent of burnt oil and synthetic perfume mingling with the faint metallic tang of blood from an earlier scuffle.

Cade tilted his head, one hand adjusting the silver ring on his index finger while the other rested on his belt. Sharp black eyes scanned the crowd, his ears flicking in subtle irritation as a pair of scrappy kids loitered near the alley. He didn’t need to see to know they were slipping something dangerous into their drinks. Starlace, no doubt.

"Hey." Cade called out, voice gruff but loud enough to cut through the noise. "Take your deal somewhere else. I catch you near here again, you'll need a medic, got it?" His tail lashed behind him, sharp and deliberate.