Author's Note: I have fallen in love with the Host and wanted to try my hand at writing my first fanfiction! Reviews are appreciated and I would love your feedback in how to improve this story =D
"Jeb, you're not going to believe what we found," Jared boasted as we returned to the caves after talking with our new friends until the sun began waking up several hours after we were discovered by Nate, Burns, and the other humans.
"You're back already? What happen− ," Jeb started to ask, clearly curious as to why the much needed raid had been cut short.
"We found more humans!" Jared shouted. As this statement echoed through the entire cave, it started to come to life. Silent moment ago except for Jeb and Doc, others began to enter the room and find out what was happening. More humans? This was unexpected. The very words seemed to have stirred the community out of their deep slumber. We motioned for them to sit down as we explained the new situation.
"Where? How many? Who?" the old man started to pepper us with questions.
"There's a few communities of humans, actually. One of them found the hideout and waited for us to show up. We talked to them for a while. Exchanged a lot of information. The leaders name is Nate and they have a group of twenty-two people," Jared informed everybody who was now paying deep attention to us. Gasps echoed throughout the entire cave. Could there actually be that many people left? Most had given up on thinking that anybody else out there didn't have an alien inside of them. A glimmer of hope was clearly visible. People began thinking about what this could mean for the future. Maybe there was still a chance.
I gulped a bit, bracing myself for what I was about to tell them. Pet's body never was good with drama. It knew that I was about to stir a few feathers. "They have a soul with them," I began to tell them, looking towards Jeb. At once a rush of whispered conversations began. I sank into Ian, who just smiled and squeezed my hand to let me know there was nothing to- be scared of.
"He seemed trustworthy to all of us," Ian tried to reassure everybody to no avail. How could yet another soul be trusted? When every discission was life or death, you had to be cautious on who you trusted. I knew better, but the humans always rushed to judgement. You couldn't blame them, as Mel would often remind me. It was desperate times for everybody.
"Now, now. Let's not rush to judgment. We've seen that not all souls are bad," Jeb said in a loud voice as he turned to me and smiled. "This is all a lot of new and exciting information that is going to take some time to absorb. And until we know better, I expect none of you to do anything rash or stupid. My house, my rules."
Jeb always knew the right thing to say. Sharon and Maggie stormed out of the room, but the rest of the cave was wide awake amidst the new discovery and a more cheerful atmosphere was in the room once again.
"When are we meeting up with them?" Kyle finally spoke up to ask his brother. It was a pleasant change to see how Sunny had helped the giant to realize that souls were not all dangerous creatures to be feared and killed if given the chance. He'd even been friendly around me ever since my new body.
"Next week. A few of us wanted to just bring them here but we wanted to play it safe. Make sure we were all comfortable," Ian informed him.
"Sounds good to me."
"Glad you approve," Ian said with a sarcastic tone that got a playful punch out of the giant. He laughed as he could clearly see the troublesome look I wore. No matter how hard I tried, and especially in this body, the humans tendency towards violence, even as a sign of affection, always got to me. A reminder that I was a soul.
"I can't wait to exchange ideas," Jeb stated, eyes bright with curiosity as he thought of all the possibilities this might mean.
Everybody who was left in the cave discussed various ideas about how we could work together with the new groups. I stayed with Jamie answering questions about the newest alien in the resistance. Ian and the rest were lost in conversation that I wasn't particularly interested in. My own thoughts were on the other alien who had gone native as he put it.
"Fire world? That's so cool Wanda! Bet he has some stories," Jamie exclaimed with excitement. His young, open mind was always able to grasp new situations. After me I suppose that souls were not as scary to the growing boy. Man, I reminded myself. Jamie had gotten so old these past few years with everything that had happened.
I smiled at my brother. "Maybe he'll tell you some one day."
It wasn't until hours later that Jeb finally ordered us all to work and life in the cave resumed as usual.
"We still need to go on the raid," Jared reminded him. "We didn't get a single thing. Thought this information might be more important than toiletries."
Jeb sighed. "Figured as much, kid. How about you guys go get some sleep and you can leave again tonight?"
I grinned at his words. Ever since the rains had stopped, sharing a room with Ian was one of my favorite things about the cave. We hadn't done anything yet, Pet's body being so shy and Ian being so honorable, but it was more than enough for me falling asleep every night cuddled next to my partner. My Ian.
"I think we all need it. None of us could sleep at all after everything that happened," Ian replied. The six of us said goodnight to each other and proceeded to our rooms, tired from everything that had happened and the new humans we had befriended.
Life in the caves just got interesting, I thought to myself, as Ian wrapped his big arms around my petite body and I slowly drifted off to sleep.