Legacy of the Ring
Echo the Nymph
Disclaimer: I don't own the show.
Chapter 12
Screech Owl laughed in contempt. "So, you resort to that archaic practice? Phoenix, you won't be able to stop any of us now. Just look at Searching Owl. Control is no longer his." A strong wind, smelling of sulfur and smoke hit her. He was trying to force her back, yet she stood firm in the nauseating odor.
Attack came from an unexpected quarter as Searching Owl tackled her. The blank stare in his eyes was replaced by a frightened, troubled expression. His weight was making her painfully aware of the stones and twigs underneath her. "Elemental magic is not linked to color, remember." He shuddered, fighting the control. "I...can't...fight...it..." His words were cut off by a sharp blow to his abdomen.
Phoenix wiggled her way out from underneath her cousin as Screech Owl raced off into the darkening forest. Legolas' gaze fell to the open gash marring a mahogany bay coat. "This is like nothing I've ever seen before. He was clearly stabbed by a Morgul blade, yet the effect is different." He then noticed the bruise. "The only way you could get him to stop?" She shrugged as she stroked Talitha.
Talitha vanished between, knowing that he needed elvish medicine. Phoenix curled up her golden legs and gently bathed the bruise she had placed upon him. It was the least she could do for him. A cold wind alerted them to her return. The filly rose to her hooves and walked away from Searching Owl.
"Who did this?" Lord Elrond inquired.
"His own brother. A colt called Screech Owl." Legolas got to his feet so that Lord Elrond could gain better access to the wound. It was grievous, but inflicted to control not transform.
Phoenix stood off to one side of the clearing, a side free of the debris of the battle. Her gaze was fixed in the direction of Mordor. Something was bothering her greatly. Merry gently touched her leg to draw her attention. "What did you do to him?"
"Screech Owl?" At Merry's nod, she continued. "Betrayal of one's tribe and family is a grievous offense. I exiled him from the tribe and invoked the Traitor's Curse. As you weren't there when I told the others, I'll explain. The Colora Riviera believe that the colorful markings upon our coats are an outward manifestation of the spirit. As the curse dictates, the colorful markings upon Screech Owl's coat will fade away, never to be seen again."
Searching Owl moaned as he came to. This sound caused his cousin to come back over. Gently, she stopped him from getting up. His attempt to pull away from Lord Elrond, but was stopped by her once more. "Phoenix? Who is he and why are you here?"
A relieved laugh came from her. "The one who just helped you is Lord Elrond of Rivendell. I'm out here because I felt my path lay with the Fellowship of the Ring. And indeed, it does. That I can now tell." She helped him to his hooves.
"He knew Prairie Song?"
"Siya. And he also knew Sierra and Sacred Smoke."
Searching Owl glared at her in mock anger. "I should floor you for knocking me out like that." His declaration made her laugh again.
"That'll be the day, lei! You haven't managed to do that on your own yet!" Her laughter died away as they set out on the trail that lead them back to camp. Even now, they were as quiet as a whisper. Darkness had ears, even in the brightest places. Finally, the tent city loomed into their view. A series of whistles let the others know that their rescue attempt had been successful.
Phoenix saw to it that her cousin was comfortable in the medical tent before she vanished with Lord Elrond. She was silent, a sure sign that something was bothering her. They came to the fire that the others were at. "Merry told us how angry you were with Screech Owl. What's going on?" Aragorn sounded a little surprised and suspicious. It wasn't like her to hide something from them.
"Sit down. I don't want anyone to fall. If you must know, then wait a few seconds." They sat and she joined them at the fireside. Her eyes held a distant gaze, almost as though she had lost someone very dear to her. "They are my cousins." Startled exclamations rose from quite a few of them. "Their father was my mother's older brother, yet the people chose her to be the inheritor. From my mother's children, her oldest, Volcanic Strike, was chosen." Her explanation quieted them. Phoenix hugged herself as though she were cold. "The laws are clear when it comes to betrayal and treason. Screech Owl committed treason against my people and betrayed the sacred trust of the Watchers. I exiled him from the tribe and invoked the Traitor's Curse. His color will fade as green does from the leaves in autumn and only gray will remain." Still, her gaze was distant and sad. She had done what she had to do to punish the crime against life.
Arwen looked up from the fire, a troubled gaze in her eyes. "I feel Screech Owl still poses a threat to us. He is not finished with any of us."
Her words caused Phoenix to shudder. Sapphire blue eyes glazed over as the briefest flash of a vision came to her. She pulled away from it, nearly collapsing. "I'd better go to bed." The huntress got to her hooves before vanishing inside her tent. Sauron's darkness was greatly troubling her, and she could feel it encroaching upon them. By the powers of fire, by those of Red Vixen, protect us from the encroaching darkness. She curled up on her bed, wrapping the blanket around herself. Softly, she hummed an ancient lullaby that her mother had sung to her. One that always calmed her from any fit that she had. Sindaran songs always had a soothing effect upon her when she was nervous. Slowly, her eyelids drooped down to cover her eyes as sleep claimed her for a while.
Echo the Nymph
Disclaimer: I don't own the show.
Chapter 12
Screech Owl laughed in contempt. "So, you resort to that archaic practice? Phoenix, you won't be able to stop any of us now. Just look at Searching Owl. Control is no longer his." A strong wind, smelling of sulfur and smoke hit her. He was trying to force her back, yet she stood firm in the nauseating odor.
Attack came from an unexpected quarter as Searching Owl tackled her. The blank stare in his eyes was replaced by a frightened, troubled expression. His weight was making her painfully aware of the stones and twigs underneath her. "Elemental magic is not linked to color, remember." He shuddered, fighting the control. "I...can't...fight...it..." His words were cut off by a sharp blow to his abdomen.
Phoenix wiggled her way out from underneath her cousin as Screech Owl raced off into the darkening forest. Legolas' gaze fell to the open gash marring a mahogany bay coat. "This is like nothing I've ever seen before. He was clearly stabbed by a Morgul blade, yet the effect is different." He then noticed the bruise. "The only way you could get him to stop?" She shrugged as she stroked Talitha.
Talitha vanished between, knowing that he needed elvish medicine. Phoenix curled up her golden legs and gently bathed the bruise she had placed upon him. It was the least she could do for him. A cold wind alerted them to her return. The filly rose to her hooves and walked away from Searching Owl.
"Who did this?" Lord Elrond inquired.
"His own brother. A colt called Screech Owl." Legolas got to his feet so that Lord Elrond could gain better access to the wound. It was grievous, but inflicted to control not transform.
Phoenix stood off to one side of the clearing, a side free of the debris of the battle. Her gaze was fixed in the direction of Mordor. Something was bothering her greatly. Merry gently touched her leg to draw her attention. "What did you do to him?"
"Screech Owl?" At Merry's nod, she continued. "Betrayal of one's tribe and family is a grievous offense. I exiled him from the tribe and invoked the Traitor's Curse. As you weren't there when I told the others, I'll explain. The Colora Riviera believe that the colorful markings upon our coats are an outward manifestation of the spirit. As the curse dictates, the colorful markings upon Screech Owl's coat will fade away, never to be seen again."
Searching Owl moaned as he came to. This sound caused his cousin to come back over. Gently, she stopped him from getting up. His attempt to pull away from Lord Elrond, but was stopped by her once more. "Phoenix? Who is he and why are you here?"
A relieved laugh came from her. "The one who just helped you is Lord Elrond of Rivendell. I'm out here because I felt my path lay with the Fellowship of the Ring. And indeed, it does. That I can now tell." She helped him to his hooves.
"He knew Prairie Song?"
"Siya. And he also knew Sierra and Sacred Smoke."
Searching Owl glared at her in mock anger. "I should floor you for knocking me out like that." His declaration made her laugh again.
"That'll be the day, lei! You haven't managed to do that on your own yet!" Her laughter died away as they set out on the trail that lead them back to camp. Even now, they were as quiet as a whisper. Darkness had ears, even in the brightest places. Finally, the tent city loomed into their view. A series of whistles let the others know that their rescue attempt had been successful.
Phoenix saw to it that her cousin was comfortable in the medical tent before she vanished with Lord Elrond. She was silent, a sure sign that something was bothering her. They came to the fire that the others were at. "Merry told us how angry you were with Screech Owl. What's going on?" Aragorn sounded a little surprised and suspicious. It wasn't like her to hide something from them.
"Sit down. I don't want anyone to fall. If you must know, then wait a few seconds." They sat and she joined them at the fireside. Her eyes held a distant gaze, almost as though she had lost someone very dear to her. "They are my cousins." Startled exclamations rose from quite a few of them. "Their father was my mother's older brother, yet the people chose her to be the inheritor. From my mother's children, her oldest, Volcanic Strike, was chosen." Her explanation quieted them. Phoenix hugged herself as though she were cold. "The laws are clear when it comes to betrayal and treason. Screech Owl committed treason against my people and betrayed the sacred trust of the Watchers. I exiled him from the tribe and invoked the Traitor's Curse. His color will fade as green does from the leaves in autumn and only gray will remain." Still, her gaze was distant and sad. She had done what she had to do to punish the crime against life.
Arwen looked up from the fire, a troubled gaze in her eyes. "I feel Screech Owl still poses a threat to us. He is not finished with any of us."
Her words caused Phoenix to shudder. Sapphire blue eyes glazed over as the briefest flash of a vision came to her. She pulled away from it, nearly collapsing. "I'd better go to bed." The huntress got to her hooves before vanishing inside her tent. Sauron's darkness was greatly troubling her, and she could feel it encroaching upon them. By the powers of fire, by those of Red Vixen, protect us from the encroaching darkness. She curled up on her bed, wrapping the blanket around herself. Softly, she hummed an ancient lullaby that her mother had sung to her. One that always calmed her from any fit that she had. Sindaran songs always had a soothing effect upon her when she was nervous. Slowly, her eyelids drooped down to cover her eyes as sleep claimed her for a while.