AN: OH DEAR GOD!!! 29 REVIEWS!!!! How cool! I was only expecting this to
hve just 2 or 3 but 29, you people really like this story, huh?
This is the last chapter, but not the END of the fic, so I've got a surprise for you peopel at the end. So I expect you to keep reading. OH PLEASE REVIEW 'Destiny's End' I need some ideas and yarns to keep it going. Please?
Dedication: For Luke, or tharweirdfella as he's known here. For keeping the beliefe alive that one day we will rule the world or die trying. Just don't do anything you'll regret.
Chapter 3: Wooden Stones and Magic Cats
It had been six weeks since Legolas's mother had been killed. The funeral, which had been huge and elaborate, was held a week after the tragedy. When no one was looking, Legolas had gently tucked next to his mother's body a lock of Marilla's long fur that he'd plaited with a piece of gold and purple ribbon, her favourite colours. When it was over and the adults were with Thranduil, Legolas snuck away again, but this time taking some clothes and food. He planned to stay with his atara-cat until she pushed him away.
This time, however, instead of Marilla waiting for him, a little tom cat sat with her. Legolas had called this little one Salfmiaug, which meant 'Brother Cat'. He was an intelligent kitten who was the most like Legolas, always by his mother's side and with a curiosity that could bareley be contained.
"Where are the others?" Legolas asked as he followed Marilla. He could have sworn that she rolled her green eyes in agitation. She turned and led the way to the cubby, where he heard meowing and a stamping of tiny paws as the other four kittens greeted their departed family.
Legolas set himself down beside the corner where he kept his bags or things while he visited during the day -- now he set down a thick quilt and covered it with other blankets and a extra one to provide the pillow. When he had settled things around his sleeping space, it was mid-morning. Relaxing in the last of the fall's warmth on his makeshift bed, he lifted his head, eyes closed, and breathed deeply. It was a beautiful day, and he imagined he could hear his mother's sweet voice singing to him; he soon fell asleep with a smile upon his fair and peaceful face.
~*~
"FATHER!!" Cried Cassageln in worry, he raced through the palace in search for his father. "Elbereth, where ARE you!"
Instead of finding his father, however, Lúrin came out of a library, deep in thought. When he looked up he noticed that Cassageln was beyond distress, his fair face was red and sweaty from racing around.
"My brother, what troubles you?" Lúrin asked calmly.
"Our brother!" exclaimed Cassageln. "Orcs have again been spotted, and I cannot find Legolas anywhere!"
Lúrin paled. "Have you checked the forest?"
"Twice!"
"Check again!" said his brother, starting to run towards the stables. "We'll find him. Let Alassë know, she knows Legolas better than any of us."
Without another word, Cassageln turned and raced to find his sister. Shaking his head, Lúrin cursed himself for not keeping closer watch on the five-year-old. "Oh Legolas," he whispered. "Where are you?"
~*~
Something was wrong.
Bolting upright, the little elf heard the soft growling coming from Marilla, while her kittens hid next to Legolas, their blue eyes terrified and innocent. Looking at them, he gathered each closer and whispered comforting words. Marilla's hackles were risen to their fullest, and only now did Legolas hear the cries of some strange creatures mixed with the sound of calling trumpets.
"Orcs," the elfling realised. "Oh, no." Faster than he'd ever moved in his life, he threw all the contents out of his knapsack and attempted to pack the small kittens into the bag, but they were too panicked and didn't understand that he was trying to help them. Trembling slightly, he picked up what he could, including rocks, and rushed outside with Marilla and the kittens following.
Relying on his Elven senses, Legolas stopped stone still when he heard twigs snapping somewhere behind him. Not daring to look behind, he knew that whoever was near hadn't yet spotted him.
"Aphado nin roooui,*" he whispered. Marilla also stopped and sniffed the air, letting the breeze waft over her sensitive nose. Watching her, concerned, Legolas knew she was seeing if the orcs were close. Her hackles rose slightly in answer to his unspoken question. Suddenly trees started to crash around him.
"An elf was here!" cried a orc in frustration, he looked around but didn't notice any of his prey.
"Lashlink, aren't these tree-dwelling creatures?" asked his companion. "Look up."
As one, the whole group looked up to where Legolas could clearly be seen.
"One's in the trees!" came a voice.
Legolas squealed in terror as an arrow narrowly missed his head.
~*~
The unmistakable sound of a bow twanging and a child's scream came faintly to the ears of Rogan. The tall elf spun around, arrow nocked upon the string. Realizing that the scream belonged to the king's youngest son, he pelted through the bushes to rescue the young prince.
~*~
"LEGOLAS!" cried his sister frantically. Legolas's horse, Ruby, was giving her a hard time and refused to obey her simplest commands. "Ruby, behave!" she called fiercely. Then suddenly Ruby stood still, ears forward and interested in a distant sound. Realising that the mare could sense danger, Alassë pushed her into a gallop towards the sound, checking that she had enough arrows to kill 30 of the foul creatures.
As the horse swerved and swung around trees and saplings, Alassë almost missed a white bundle of fur that lay meowing upon the ground. Halting hurriedly, Alassë realised that it was her mother's missing cat, Marilla, and she seemed to have five other bundles of fur following her.
"Marilla!" she cried, "home, go home. It's not safe!!"
~*~
Panic now had set in, and Legolas was absolutely terrified as he jumped from tree to tree in an attempt to flee the horrible orcs that continued to send their arrows towards him. Feeling his distress, the trees slowly leaned inwards and entwined with one another to support him as he tried to rush from danger.
Finally figuring that higher was better, Legolas scrambled up a thick tree trunk, tears blurred his vision, making it harder to see where he was placing his hands. Now at the top, he stood steadily upon a sturdy branch and held his little bow, trying to imitate the archers that his mother and father had showed him many times. He had shot a few times, and by elf standards was a natural, but his targets were few and far between. The elfling pulled the string until his slender arm strained, letting the arrow go. His target didn't die, but screamed as the elf's arrow impaled his foot.
Legolas placed another arrow and shot again; this time he missed completely, but made the orcs look the other way. Putting the bow aside, he now reached into his bag and pulled out some stones. If shooting arrows wasn't going to help him, perhaps throwing rocks would. Letting one fly, he hit his target at the base of the neck, breaking it and killing him. Throwing another one, the little elf killed the one with the arrow in his foot. He threw another but missed, but just then a volley of arrows killed them off.
Looking down in shock, Legolas saw that Rogan and Alassë were looking around frantically for the small elf. Dropping down from branch to branch, Legolas cried out his sister's name in joy and relief.
"I though I had lost you!" Alassë sobbed, as she held the small body close. Releasing him, she wiped the tears from his face and smiled. "The others are trying to find you. Tell me, where have you been hiding?"
"With Marilla and her kittens," Legolas whispered. "She wanted me to be a kitten and grow to be a cat." Legolas looked up, thinking that she would scorn him for thinking silly things.
Instead, his sister leaned in close and said, "Marilla is like that; she has that magic around her." With that, Alassë kissed the top of her brother' head and lifted him upon his horse, and they trotted her back to the palace stables.
"I thought she wouldn't obey you, nor your brothers?" Rogan asked, confused. "Why does she willingly do as he asks?"
Alassë just smiled. "As I told him, Rogan. Some have a bit of magic around them." She looked at her father's commander. "Legolas just seems to be like that, too." And with that, they hurried through the trees before any stray orcs caught them.
~*~
"You're safe, you're safe," Thranduil kept murmuring, as he held his youngest son. When Cassageln had raced into his den, after searching for another ten minutes, a deep dread had taken hold of Thranduil's heart. He knew before being told that orcs were again in his realm, and worse, that his youngest son was missing. Thranduil knew that the orcs were after young Elven children to turn them towards darker ways, and they seemed to lust for high status ones.
"Don't you run away again!" he said harshly, but he bit his own tongue when he saw the expression upon his child's face. "On second thought, run away but tell us where you are going."
"Marilla?" Legolas asked. "Did she make it back?"
"She's in your room, and her kittens are ripping up your toys," came Lúrin's voice.
"WHAT?!" Legolas cried, and with that the elf sped for his room before it became full of stuffing and feathers.
~*~
Two weeks later . . .
"No, no," chided Legolas as he chased after a naughty kitten. "Atara told you not to, Salfmiaug, Hestia stop it!"
Finally giving up, the little elf sat down heavily upon the grass, panting slightly and wiping the sweat off his forehead. It was while watching Marilla that a thought came to Legolas's mind. He could now tell when she was worried. His own mother held the same expression whenever she caught him playing with Jewel or Ruby in their stalls. Lasilaem would rush over and rebuke him for misbehaving. A smile would then melt her lips as she kissed him and made him promise not to annoy the horses, although he would be there later trying to climb Jewel's broad back.
Marilla loved her naughty kittens, even when they didn't listen to her worried meows to stay close and behave. This made him realise that his mother didn't leave him bacause he was bad or that she stopped loving him when he was naughty; and knowing this eased the pain in his heart a little.
Giving up herself, Marilla went to sit with her very obedient kitten. She sat very close and snuggled up to him, love radiating from the rumbles coming from her throat. Whenever she snuggled up against him, it was always a reminder of when he would snuggle in his mother's arms. Noticing that their mother wasn't paying attention to them, all of the kittens came over to steal the attention from their 'brother' and sabotage their mother's peace and quiet.
"So this is where you're hiding?" came a voice.
Spinning around, a smile lit Legolas's features as his sister came into view. "Marilla likes it here; atara used to sit here for hours singing and telling us tales of far away."
"You do know that mother loved you very much," Alassë said, sitting beside Legolas as he played with one of Marilla's kittens, the mother cat sitting next to him purring contentedly.
"But I already know that," said her brother softly.
"How?" Alassë replied, rubbing the cat's head.
Looking her in the eye and smiling gently, he said, "Marilla told me."
* Kittens can clock up to 35mph in leaps and bounds, but as they grow older they lose this speed. Cheetahs are a cat so kittens can also run fast!!
* Aphado nin roooui = Follow me quietly.
AN2: Well, is that a good or bad ending? Do you like the concept of the cats? Will I see a rise in animal stories? I have yet to see a really cool fic with Frodo learning to ride.
This is the last chapter, but not the END of the fic, so I've got a surprise for you peopel at the end. So I expect you to keep reading. OH PLEASE REVIEW 'Destiny's End' I need some ideas and yarns to keep it going. Please?
Dedication: For Luke, or tharweirdfella as he's known here. For keeping the beliefe alive that one day we will rule the world or die trying. Just don't do anything you'll regret.
Chapter 3: Wooden Stones and Magic Cats
It had been six weeks since Legolas's mother had been killed. The funeral, which had been huge and elaborate, was held a week after the tragedy. When no one was looking, Legolas had gently tucked next to his mother's body a lock of Marilla's long fur that he'd plaited with a piece of gold and purple ribbon, her favourite colours. When it was over and the adults were with Thranduil, Legolas snuck away again, but this time taking some clothes and food. He planned to stay with his atara-cat until she pushed him away.
This time, however, instead of Marilla waiting for him, a little tom cat sat with her. Legolas had called this little one Salfmiaug, which meant 'Brother Cat'. He was an intelligent kitten who was the most like Legolas, always by his mother's side and with a curiosity that could bareley be contained.
"Where are the others?" Legolas asked as he followed Marilla. He could have sworn that she rolled her green eyes in agitation. She turned and led the way to the cubby, where he heard meowing and a stamping of tiny paws as the other four kittens greeted their departed family.
Legolas set himself down beside the corner where he kept his bags or things while he visited during the day -- now he set down a thick quilt and covered it with other blankets and a extra one to provide the pillow. When he had settled things around his sleeping space, it was mid-morning. Relaxing in the last of the fall's warmth on his makeshift bed, he lifted his head, eyes closed, and breathed deeply. It was a beautiful day, and he imagined he could hear his mother's sweet voice singing to him; he soon fell asleep with a smile upon his fair and peaceful face.
~*~
"FATHER!!" Cried Cassageln in worry, he raced through the palace in search for his father. "Elbereth, where ARE you!"
Instead of finding his father, however, Lúrin came out of a library, deep in thought. When he looked up he noticed that Cassageln was beyond distress, his fair face was red and sweaty from racing around.
"My brother, what troubles you?" Lúrin asked calmly.
"Our brother!" exclaimed Cassageln. "Orcs have again been spotted, and I cannot find Legolas anywhere!"
Lúrin paled. "Have you checked the forest?"
"Twice!"
"Check again!" said his brother, starting to run towards the stables. "We'll find him. Let Alassë know, she knows Legolas better than any of us."
Without another word, Cassageln turned and raced to find his sister. Shaking his head, Lúrin cursed himself for not keeping closer watch on the five-year-old. "Oh Legolas," he whispered. "Where are you?"
~*~
Something was wrong.
Bolting upright, the little elf heard the soft growling coming from Marilla, while her kittens hid next to Legolas, their blue eyes terrified and innocent. Looking at them, he gathered each closer and whispered comforting words. Marilla's hackles were risen to their fullest, and only now did Legolas hear the cries of some strange creatures mixed with the sound of calling trumpets.
"Orcs," the elfling realised. "Oh, no." Faster than he'd ever moved in his life, he threw all the contents out of his knapsack and attempted to pack the small kittens into the bag, but they were too panicked and didn't understand that he was trying to help them. Trembling slightly, he picked up what he could, including rocks, and rushed outside with Marilla and the kittens following.
Relying on his Elven senses, Legolas stopped stone still when he heard twigs snapping somewhere behind him. Not daring to look behind, he knew that whoever was near hadn't yet spotted him.
"Aphado nin roooui,*" he whispered. Marilla also stopped and sniffed the air, letting the breeze waft over her sensitive nose. Watching her, concerned, Legolas knew she was seeing if the orcs were close. Her hackles rose slightly in answer to his unspoken question. Suddenly trees started to crash around him.
"An elf was here!" cried a orc in frustration, he looked around but didn't notice any of his prey.
"Lashlink, aren't these tree-dwelling creatures?" asked his companion. "Look up."
As one, the whole group looked up to where Legolas could clearly be seen.
"One's in the trees!" came a voice.
Legolas squealed in terror as an arrow narrowly missed his head.
~*~
The unmistakable sound of a bow twanging and a child's scream came faintly to the ears of Rogan. The tall elf spun around, arrow nocked upon the string. Realizing that the scream belonged to the king's youngest son, he pelted through the bushes to rescue the young prince.
~*~
"LEGOLAS!" cried his sister frantically. Legolas's horse, Ruby, was giving her a hard time and refused to obey her simplest commands. "Ruby, behave!" she called fiercely. Then suddenly Ruby stood still, ears forward and interested in a distant sound. Realising that the mare could sense danger, Alassë pushed her into a gallop towards the sound, checking that she had enough arrows to kill 30 of the foul creatures.
As the horse swerved and swung around trees and saplings, Alassë almost missed a white bundle of fur that lay meowing upon the ground. Halting hurriedly, Alassë realised that it was her mother's missing cat, Marilla, and she seemed to have five other bundles of fur following her.
"Marilla!" she cried, "home, go home. It's not safe!!"
~*~
Panic now had set in, and Legolas was absolutely terrified as he jumped from tree to tree in an attempt to flee the horrible orcs that continued to send their arrows towards him. Feeling his distress, the trees slowly leaned inwards and entwined with one another to support him as he tried to rush from danger.
Finally figuring that higher was better, Legolas scrambled up a thick tree trunk, tears blurred his vision, making it harder to see where he was placing his hands. Now at the top, he stood steadily upon a sturdy branch and held his little bow, trying to imitate the archers that his mother and father had showed him many times. He had shot a few times, and by elf standards was a natural, but his targets were few and far between. The elfling pulled the string until his slender arm strained, letting the arrow go. His target didn't die, but screamed as the elf's arrow impaled his foot.
Legolas placed another arrow and shot again; this time he missed completely, but made the orcs look the other way. Putting the bow aside, he now reached into his bag and pulled out some stones. If shooting arrows wasn't going to help him, perhaps throwing rocks would. Letting one fly, he hit his target at the base of the neck, breaking it and killing him. Throwing another one, the little elf killed the one with the arrow in his foot. He threw another but missed, but just then a volley of arrows killed them off.
Looking down in shock, Legolas saw that Rogan and Alassë were looking around frantically for the small elf. Dropping down from branch to branch, Legolas cried out his sister's name in joy and relief.
"I though I had lost you!" Alassë sobbed, as she held the small body close. Releasing him, she wiped the tears from his face and smiled. "The others are trying to find you. Tell me, where have you been hiding?"
"With Marilla and her kittens," Legolas whispered. "She wanted me to be a kitten and grow to be a cat." Legolas looked up, thinking that she would scorn him for thinking silly things.
Instead, his sister leaned in close and said, "Marilla is like that; she has that magic around her." With that, Alassë kissed the top of her brother' head and lifted him upon his horse, and they trotted her back to the palace stables.
"I thought she wouldn't obey you, nor your brothers?" Rogan asked, confused. "Why does she willingly do as he asks?"
Alassë just smiled. "As I told him, Rogan. Some have a bit of magic around them." She looked at her father's commander. "Legolas just seems to be like that, too." And with that, they hurried through the trees before any stray orcs caught them.
~*~
"You're safe, you're safe," Thranduil kept murmuring, as he held his youngest son. When Cassageln had raced into his den, after searching for another ten minutes, a deep dread had taken hold of Thranduil's heart. He knew before being told that orcs were again in his realm, and worse, that his youngest son was missing. Thranduil knew that the orcs were after young Elven children to turn them towards darker ways, and they seemed to lust for high status ones.
"Don't you run away again!" he said harshly, but he bit his own tongue when he saw the expression upon his child's face. "On second thought, run away but tell us where you are going."
"Marilla?" Legolas asked. "Did she make it back?"
"She's in your room, and her kittens are ripping up your toys," came Lúrin's voice.
"WHAT?!" Legolas cried, and with that the elf sped for his room before it became full of stuffing and feathers.
~*~
Two weeks later . . .
"No, no," chided Legolas as he chased after a naughty kitten. "Atara told you not to, Salfmiaug, Hestia stop it!"
Finally giving up, the little elf sat down heavily upon the grass, panting slightly and wiping the sweat off his forehead. It was while watching Marilla that a thought came to Legolas's mind. He could now tell when she was worried. His own mother held the same expression whenever she caught him playing with Jewel or Ruby in their stalls. Lasilaem would rush over and rebuke him for misbehaving. A smile would then melt her lips as she kissed him and made him promise not to annoy the horses, although he would be there later trying to climb Jewel's broad back.
Marilla loved her naughty kittens, even when they didn't listen to her worried meows to stay close and behave. This made him realise that his mother didn't leave him bacause he was bad or that she stopped loving him when he was naughty; and knowing this eased the pain in his heart a little.
Giving up herself, Marilla went to sit with her very obedient kitten. She sat very close and snuggled up to him, love radiating from the rumbles coming from her throat. Whenever she snuggled up against him, it was always a reminder of when he would snuggle in his mother's arms. Noticing that their mother wasn't paying attention to them, all of the kittens came over to steal the attention from their 'brother' and sabotage their mother's peace and quiet.
"So this is where you're hiding?" came a voice.
Spinning around, a smile lit Legolas's features as his sister came into view. "Marilla likes it here; atara used to sit here for hours singing and telling us tales of far away."
"You do know that mother loved you very much," Alassë said, sitting beside Legolas as he played with one of Marilla's kittens, the mother cat sitting next to him purring contentedly.
"But I already know that," said her brother softly.
"How?" Alassë replied, rubbing the cat's head.
Looking her in the eye and smiling gently, he said, "Marilla told me."
* Kittens can clock up to 35mph in leaps and bounds, but as they grow older they lose this speed. Cheetahs are a cat so kittens can also run fast!!
* Aphado nin roooui = Follow me quietly.
AN2: Well, is that a good or bad ending? Do you like the concept of the cats? Will I see a rise in animal stories? I have yet to see a really cool fic with Frodo learning to ride.