Creature gives party energy (3)
I believe the answer is:
doe
'creature' is the definition.
(doe is a kind of creature)
'party energy' is the wordplay.
'party' becomes 'do' (do is a kind of party).
'energy' becomes 'e' (physics symbol as in E=mc2).
'do'+'e'='DOE'
'gives' is the link.
(Other definitions for doe that I've seen before include "Ode to a female rabbit" , "Female hare" , "Buck's mate" , "female of the species" , "partner for a buck" .)