---Ash's POV---

Trying to wake up was hard, especially when you were feeling so warm and weightless. My eyes were still firmly closed as thoughts and sensations from the Hive ever so slowly started to permeate my mind.

Even their thoughts were hazy, a blur of happiness and comfort. Sparks of warmth and joy and the overall sensation of being safe.

My nose twitched from where it was buried against Jeremy's throat. A soft huff escaped him before his arms tightened slightly around me, twisting me a fraction until I fitted against him just right.

Perfection.

If I was a cat, I was quite sure I would've been purring right about now. And judging by the flare of amusement coming from Jeremy, he was curiously observing my thoughts and emotions.

I wasn't quite aware yet to really react to him, stuck somewhere between waking and falling back asleep. Jeremy chuckled, stilling instantly at my protesting whine when he jolted me with his laughter.

A huff of annoyance escaped me as a flash of cold air made me shiver. Without even opening my eyes, I turned to Jeremy and nuzzled closer in an attempt to avoid the cold morning air and hide away from the day a bit more.

His nose nuzzled against my temple in a soothing manner whilst I moved in his hold, practically burrowing into his side to try and get more comfortable.

The hive responded with something that could only be described as a mental sigh, showing they too felt relaxed, soothed. Nearly sedated.

There was one couple with a different flavor to their emotions but when I curiously nudged the link to investigate the undefined feeling, I could feel my cheeks heat up seconds before I slammed the link shut again.

This time, audible chuckles and huffs rumbled through the cave, showing that the Hive was aware I had unintentionally pried into the sensations of a rather... amorous couple.

And apparently had ignored my hearing as well, as there were muffled but clear sounds from deeper within the cave, clearly announcing their... courtship.

Jeremy was highly amused, huffing softly before grinning when I managed to pry my eyes open to give him a disgruntled look.

He licked the tip of my nose in response with an amused sound, especially when I crunched up my nose. Jeremy gazed up warmly at me as I yawned and stretched, feeling content like a fat cat.

Last night's hunt still laid heavily in my stomach, though it wasn't all that much of a surprise. We had gorged ourselves on the multitude of fruits, herbs and the several deer that we had hunted down.

I was vaguely aware that Jeremy had carried me back to the caves, as I had been too exhausted to fully wake up.

"A side effect from the first hunt, along with your recent transition. You'll get used to it, my love."

I huffed slightly, feeling too lazy to get up, even though I sensed some of the Hive slowly making their way through the tunnels.

My mind linked with them on its own, checking their wellbeing as they left the Hive to stretch their legs for a bit, to get fresh air and to check the surroundings.

It was all done instinctively, though I made a conscious decision to not let the link reach to the amorous couple until they themselves reached out to me.

A nose gently nudged against my cheek, trailing down my throat before Jeremy huffed, nuzzling against the mark he left.

It made me shiver slightly, withdrawing from the link as unknown sensations bloomed within me. The rest of the Hivemind seemed to spark with a hint of amusement and happiness before they retreated to a safe distance, leaving me confused.

A soft nip at the mark made me jump with a little yelp, drawing a huff of amusement from Jeremy, the hot air tickling my skin.

"Soon." He grumbled from deep within his throat, teeth rasping slowly over his mark before he pushed off the bed, holding out a hand for me to take.

When I placed my hand in his, he huffed, a warm smile slipping on his face as his eyes sparked with joy, fingers curling over my wrist before he tugged me behind him.

This time around, without the added soreness to my limbs and the general disorientation, I was actually able to observe my surroundings.

The caves here were natural but it was also clear that some parts had been excavated, rounded out to be more fitting for the Hive's needs.

Everything was braced and reinforced impeccably, a clear sign that some of the Hive members had, in their former lives, known quite a bit of construction.

Things I can help with...

The thought lingered in my mind and a warm feeling greeted me. The Hive was eager to share ideas that they've had in the past but were unable to put to good use as they had lacked the knowledge to do so.

With permission, they eagerly scoured the planes of my mind, finding whatever knowledge they needed but they didn't just claim and take it away.

No, they paused and observed. Like children learning something new in class, learning the knowledge as their own instead of robbing it from me.

There was a blur of thoughts and suggestions, memories being shown and shared along the link, feeding others the new information so the entire Hive didn't need to invade my memories.

It was an intense and slightly overwhelming feeling but I was grateful they kept an eye on my emotional state and made sure to back off when it seemed that the process was taking too much.

I could also sense that, as Jeremy guided me deeper through the cave towards an area that seemed to resemble a living room, he too was keeping his link with the Hive open at all times.

He glanced down at me with a smile and a nuzzle to my temple when he noticed my awed gaze. "It is simply a matter of learning to keep the Hive in the background, love." He spoke softly, pulling me with him onto the soft pillows that were scattered around.

As an example, Jeremy reached into my mind for a memory of before the infection, before all this happened. To where I would go to a small pub to drink and eat their delicious food while reading a good book.

For a moment, I didn't understand what Jeremy's point was but slowly I understood. The pub had been a rather popular joint with good food and drinks, a lot of people roaming in and out, bells chiming whenever the door opened.

And above everything, the constant chatter and murmurs that bounced off of the walls. Yet, it hadn't bothered me back then; it had been background music to whatever story I had been reading at the time.

It made me realize that was exactly what Jeremy was trying to point out ; that I could tune out the Hive to the background, only focusing on those thoughts that were aimed towards me or those I needed to contact.

Of course I was still aware of their thoughts, their general direction and I always would be. But I didn't have to keep my attention purely focused on them specifically.

A cold nose pressed against my cheek as Jeremy pulled me further into his hold. Nearly purring like a big cat, taking his sweet time by mouthing at the mark he left on me, covering it with his saliva and often scraping his teeth over the surface in a lazy manner.

The attention to such an unusually sensitive area made my toes curl, part of me wanting to scramble out of his hold while the other wanted to press closer, to present my neck to him.

Instead, I sat lazily in his lap, eyes hooded and slowly coasting through the room, feeling nothing but contentment from myself and utter joy coming from the hive.

"There might be some... resources left... in my former base..." I rasped lazily, finding it hard to maintain consciousness under Jeremy's care.

His teeth paused their scraping pattern for a moment, the skin of my shoulder sucked in his mouth before he laved his tongue soothingly over the darkening marks and leaned back.

"It is too dangerous, too soon." Jeremy huffed, sniffing at my hair before pulling me under his jaw, cradling me against his chest. "More might come for those that died."

I hummed, thoughts reaffirming what he said. I had thought about the possibility as well; it was very unlikely that the rogues wouldn't take notice of one of their scouting bands going missing.

And judging from the fact that they had made a decent haul from my base, they would've reported their location and the goods they found to their headquarters as soon as possible.

But still... there was a lot of research left behind. Books, items, materials that would be dangerous in the wrong hands.

I could sense Jeremy's presence in my mind, overlooking my memories as I skipped through them. There was an uncomfortable sensation coming from him before he agreed.

"We will go, but for now we will wait. Humans prefer to stay home when it is dark out." He pointed out rightfully so, "We'll use the cover of night to go and see what we can use and what we should destroy."

I hummed happily, nuzzling closer in his embrace as the remainder of the Hive fully woke up, preparing to patrol the territory and making sure no hostile creatures would be able to creep to close to our home.

And somehow I knew that, if I had a possibility to do so, I'd try my best to make a stash of items that only Eric would know off. He'd be able to use my research to provide his people with whatever fragment of hope they could latch onto.