AN: WOW 19 Reviews!!! And it's only chapter! Keep em coming please!! Tell
your siblings, tell your friends, tell your neighburs, heck tell the
monster living under your bed. The more reviews the better. Sorry I
couldn't update on Thursday, but I was sick in bed and had to go to the
hospital overnight, I'm fine now (it's Saturday) but feel like a huge lump
of crap.
Dedication: For all the cats who have been in my life. From Rocky-Road to Wizz-Bang!! I've loved you all.
Chapter 2: Strange Behaviour
The gold and red leaves rustled in the chilly wind, trees whispering secrets that were centuries old -- only now, they added a new wonder to their wise and slow minds.
An elf-child had been spotted in the company of a pearl cat, who moved with the grace and quietness that was seen within the four-legged creatures. They would travel to a certain point where they would greet each other at the beginning of the day, and bid each other farewell at the day's ending.
It was now five days before Legolas's birthday, but this fact now had less importance to him, as much of his time was spent looking after the kittens and talking to Marilla about his own life and family. He reasoned that because she was a mother herself, he could tell her about his own mother; he knew she'd understand. As she listened, her eyes would emit the sweetest love to her kittens that much reminded him of the special look his own mother had used when she gazed at him.
To calm his father's questions about his whereabouts, Legolas told his sister that he was just wandering in the woods, looking at the leaves and learning his letters. He'd pack a knapsack with fruits and other sweet things for himself, and sneak food for Marilla -- he'd discovered that she had a soft spot for salmon mixed with thyme or rosemary.
Night was again creeping quickly and quietly upon the 'kittens', and Marilla, as if she held a watch or some time-keeping piece, rose from her bed, nuzzled each kitten, then padded off with Legolas. The two little figures sat together in the cool wood, the moon's pale light bathing them in an almost unearthly colour. They needed no words or actions to show they enjoyed each others company -- they just knew. The moon moved calmly, and two sets of bright eyes, one grey and the other green, watched as the clouds above the night's sky glided effortlessly across the heavens.
"No stars tonight," murmured Legolas quietly. "That does not rest my heart, Marilla." She just purred in response and offered a ear to scratch.
After a few more minutes, he sighed. "I must leave, atara. Ada* will worry if I do not go home." Saying goodbye quietly, he hugged her very gently then kissed her between her soft, velvet-like ears. "I'll come back," he promised, and leapt away into the night. She, of course, followed him a short way to ensure that he got home safely.
~*~
"LEGOLAS!!" came a sudden panicked voice. "Elbereth, where have you been?" Alassë frowned when her youngest brother didn't race for her, more strangely that he didn't greet or acknowledge her. When she reached him, she knelt in front and looked at Legolas very closely. He looked lost, confused, and indifferent as to what happened. In addition, she noticed that he had little scratches all over his face which was paler than was normal for him.
"Where are you going these past few days?" she asked, full of concern for both his mind and soul. "You worry us, tithin-min.*"
"I'm with the trees," Legolas said quietly. "They speak pretty things that make me happy."
His sister knew this could not be the whole truth. "No, where have you been? I have not been able to find you, nor has Cassageln." She picked up her brother and carried him to his room. "He searched all day, and came back in tears."
Pushing the door open, she placed him on his feather-mattress then searched for his night gown. "Legolas, Cassageln is only 850 years old. He suffers too; promise us that you'll stay home tomorrow."
Shocked at this, Legolas almost blurted out that Marilla would become upset if he didn't show up; but he swallowed his tongue, nodded, and promised.
However, Alassë didn't see his fingers crossed under the woollen sheets.
~*~
"Atara!" Legolas whispered. "Atara, im turuu tuuva the.*"
His slight distress trigged Marilla to come out of hiding. Looking up, he saw that she was sitting neatly, as only cats can, on her haunches with her intelligent head inclined.
Legolas's eyes brightened as he saw his second atara waiting for him. He rushed over and gave her a loving but gentle hug, whispering: "Amin mela lle.*"
The elfling knew he was breaking a promise as he left that morning, but his mind's voice was soon quieted when he reasoned that his sister wouldn't mind; he just wasn't going to let her find out.
He and Marilla were soon settled in the cubby, the little elf laying watching lazily as his atara cleaned and fussed over her kittens, including himself. When she finished her chores she would settle down and purr contentedly for hours.
Legolas visited Marilla each day now, staying until he was sure that his other family wouldn't worry. The white cat loved to be stroked by his small but gentle hands, and he discovered that it was soft and silky and somehow comforting to him.
Marilla had started to include Legolas in her circle of love, too. Whenever he forgot the meeting spot or when he started crying for his mother, she'd purr loudly and snuggle up against him in her own version of a hug. She hated seeing any baby, whether her own or not, so upset that tears were the only way out.
Slowly, Legolas's heart began to heal as the days went by. The only time he didn't go for the whole day was when it was his fifth birthday. Then he made some excuse that he'd left his knapsack in the forest, and when he went to retrieve it, Marilla was waiting for him. His father had given him his first bow and carefully crafted arrows, so that he would not break them when he was practicing. His brothers and sister had said that Ruby, the roan horse, was his to own, and his mother . . .
She'd left him a new green cape, so that when they stayed under the stars he wouldn't get chilly and have something soft to sleep in when he grew weary. He wore it every day now.
He set himself down and looked at the little kittens. Grief and sadness was clouding his mind less and less these days, as Marilla showed him how much she loved all of them. He was positive that if any elf were to gaze into his cubby they would not see a elfling, they would see six kittens. As Marilla watched her kittens with emotion, Legolas couldn't help but notice that she held the same look in her emerald eyes as his mother had whenever he was in the same room or when he was mentioned. "I love you, my babies," she seemed to be saying. And this time when she purred that out, the elf- child knew she included him.
For the first time in days Legolas smiled gently, then he reached out and gently stroked her soft white fur.
* Ada = Father.
* Tithin-min = Little one.
* Atara, im turuu tuuva the = Mother, I cannot find you.
* Amin mela lle = I love you.
Dedication: For all the cats who have been in my life. From Rocky-Road to Wizz-Bang!! I've loved you all.
Chapter 2: Strange Behaviour
The gold and red leaves rustled in the chilly wind, trees whispering secrets that were centuries old -- only now, they added a new wonder to their wise and slow minds.
An elf-child had been spotted in the company of a pearl cat, who moved with the grace and quietness that was seen within the four-legged creatures. They would travel to a certain point where they would greet each other at the beginning of the day, and bid each other farewell at the day's ending.
It was now five days before Legolas's birthday, but this fact now had less importance to him, as much of his time was spent looking after the kittens and talking to Marilla about his own life and family. He reasoned that because she was a mother herself, he could tell her about his own mother; he knew she'd understand. As she listened, her eyes would emit the sweetest love to her kittens that much reminded him of the special look his own mother had used when she gazed at him.
To calm his father's questions about his whereabouts, Legolas told his sister that he was just wandering in the woods, looking at the leaves and learning his letters. He'd pack a knapsack with fruits and other sweet things for himself, and sneak food for Marilla -- he'd discovered that she had a soft spot for salmon mixed with thyme or rosemary.
Night was again creeping quickly and quietly upon the 'kittens', and Marilla, as if she held a watch or some time-keeping piece, rose from her bed, nuzzled each kitten, then padded off with Legolas. The two little figures sat together in the cool wood, the moon's pale light bathing them in an almost unearthly colour. They needed no words or actions to show they enjoyed each others company -- they just knew. The moon moved calmly, and two sets of bright eyes, one grey and the other green, watched as the clouds above the night's sky glided effortlessly across the heavens.
"No stars tonight," murmured Legolas quietly. "That does not rest my heart, Marilla." She just purred in response and offered a ear to scratch.
After a few more minutes, he sighed. "I must leave, atara. Ada* will worry if I do not go home." Saying goodbye quietly, he hugged her very gently then kissed her between her soft, velvet-like ears. "I'll come back," he promised, and leapt away into the night. She, of course, followed him a short way to ensure that he got home safely.
~*~
"LEGOLAS!!" came a sudden panicked voice. "Elbereth, where have you been?" Alassë frowned when her youngest brother didn't race for her, more strangely that he didn't greet or acknowledge her. When she reached him, she knelt in front and looked at Legolas very closely. He looked lost, confused, and indifferent as to what happened. In addition, she noticed that he had little scratches all over his face which was paler than was normal for him.
"Where are you going these past few days?" she asked, full of concern for both his mind and soul. "You worry us, tithin-min.*"
"I'm with the trees," Legolas said quietly. "They speak pretty things that make me happy."
His sister knew this could not be the whole truth. "No, where have you been? I have not been able to find you, nor has Cassageln." She picked up her brother and carried him to his room. "He searched all day, and came back in tears."
Pushing the door open, she placed him on his feather-mattress then searched for his night gown. "Legolas, Cassageln is only 850 years old. He suffers too; promise us that you'll stay home tomorrow."
Shocked at this, Legolas almost blurted out that Marilla would become upset if he didn't show up; but he swallowed his tongue, nodded, and promised.
However, Alassë didn't see his fingers crossed under the woollen sheets.
~*~
"Atara!" Legolas whispered. "Atara, im turuu tuuva the.*"
His slight distress trigged Marilla to come out of hiding. Looking up, he saw that she was sitting neatly, as only cats can, on her haunches with her intelligent head inclined.
Legolas's eyes brightened as he saw his second atara waiting for him. He rushed over and gave her a loving but gentle hug, whispering: "Amin mela lle.*"
The elfling knew he was breaking a promise as he left that morning, but his mind's voice was soon quieted when he reasoned that his sister wouldn't mind; he just wasn't going to let her find out.
He and Marilla were soon settled in the cubby, the little elf laying watching lazily as his atara cleaned and fussed over her kittens, including himself. When she finished her chores she would settle down and purr contentedly for hours.
Legolas visited Marilla each day now, staying until he was sure that his other family wouldn't worry. The white cat loved to be stroked by his small but gentle hands, and he discovered that it was soft and silky and somehow comforting to him.
Marilla had started to include Legolas in her circle of love, too. Whenever he forgot the meeting spot or when he started crying for his mother, she'd purr loudly and snuggle up against him in her own version of a hug. She hated seeing any baby, whether her own or not, so upset that tears were the only way out.
Slowly, Legolas's heart began to heal as the days went by. The only time he didn't go for the whole day was when it was his fifth birthday. Then he made some excuse that he'd left his knapsack in the forest, and when he went to retrieve it, Marilla was waiting for him. His father had given him his first bow and carefully crafted arrows, so that he would not break them when he was practicing. His brothers and sister had said that Ruby, the roan horse, was his to own, and his mother . . .
She'd left him a new green cape, so that when they stayed under the stars he wouldn't get chilly and have something soft to sleep in when he grew weary. He wore it every day now.
He set himself down and looked at the little kittens. Grief and sadness was clouding his mind less and less these days, as Marilla showed him how much she loved all of them. He was positive that if any elf were to gaze into his cubby they would not see a elfling, they would see six kittens. As Marilla watched her kittens with emotion, Legolas couldn't help but notice that she held the same look in her emerald eyes as his mother had whenever he was in the same room or when he was mentioned. "I love you, my babies," she seemed to be saying. And this time when she purred that out, the elf- child knew she included him.
For the first time in days Legolas smiled gently, then he reached out and gently stroked her soft white fur.
* Ada = Father.
* Tithin-min = Little one.
* Atara, im turuu tuuva the = Mother, I cannot find you.
* Amin mela lle = I love you.