The Non-Human Society

Chapter One Hundred and Fifty Five - Renn - Fly

      The night was a little cold, but there wasn't much wind.

The sun had gone down about an hour ago, and I've been sitting alone since it had sunk behind the mountains that loomed over Lumen.

I sat alone on the rooftop... or at least, I was alone to a degree. I knew Vim was nearby, but had no idea where he was. Only that he was close enough that he could protect me if I needed such a thing.

Glancing at the nearest door, I knew that Reatti and Merit were behind it. Maybe not directly behind the door, so they wouldn't be smelled by whoever came, but close enough to run out to help me if I needed it.

Across from me, far enough to keep me safe but close enough that we could have our eventual conversation... was another chair. It was empty of course, but I hoped soon it'd be where one of the other non-humans would be sitting. I was growing rather anxious, waiting here for them.

This was as exciting as it was worrisome.

All of the Society had voted rather quickly to indulge in this meeting on the rooftop... but to my surprise they had also quickly voted to ensure my safety right after.

They wanted Vim nearby, just in case. They had been willing to even endanger the prospect of this meeting if needed, too.

I was a little surprised at how... protective... some of our members actually were. Although it made me smile, and happy, to know everyone cared about me that much... I knew it wasn't entirely just because it was me as an individual.

They would have been as protective over any of our members. Not just me myself.

Merit was a kind person. She seemed prickly, yet was one of my fiercest defenders it seemed.

A small breeze rolled along the rooftop, and I heard the nearby garden thanks to it. The bushes and trees bristled and shifted in the wind.

Would they show up soon or much later? I didn't mind waiting, even if it got cold that was fine... but I really wanted to meet them and talk to them in depth.

What kind of conversation would we have? What would the results be? Will they become my friends or my enemies? Would this moment be something I'd remember for the rest of my life? Would this night be something I'd always be able to be proud of, or something I would always regret?

My smile grew a little, and I hoped Vim didn't find me too weird. Sitting here alone, smiling oddly...

But I couldn't help myself. This was not just amazing, it was...

Well...

"Exactly something I wanted to do," I whispered.

After all it was. I wanted to be like Vim. And this was something he did often.

During our voting several members, Lawrence especially, had made it clear that this was something Vim was used to. They had called it a moment of fist contact.

First contact. With another member. Another Non-Human.

People who weren't part of the Society.

Like me, back in the beginning.

Yet...

I tried to think of Vim's expressions of the last week. Especially so of back when they had first shown up, and attacked Vim.

Even though they had been stalking me, and endangering the Society... and even though they had literally attacked him too... He had still stopped his pursuit of them. He had stopped attacking them, and had only defended himself... because he had immediately considered them members of the Society. Once he realized who and what they were.