The Kitty, the Feather, and the Elf Lord
Chapter 2
Many thanks to everyone for their kind reviews. I am really having a lot of fun writing this little story. And my daughter's silver gray kitten Marius gives me a lot of ammunition. He could teach Storm a few tricks about giving owners sleep deprivation. As usual Storm belongs to me. Everything else is Tolkien's. Enjoy and God Bless.
Elrond awoke with a frown. He found himself staring directly into the inquiring eyes of Storm.
"Storm why do you persist in delaying your most vigorous playtime until it is time for everyone else to sleep? It is the middle of the night." He raised a stern eyebrow at the gray kitten.
Storm was unimpressed. He batted a soft paw at Elrond's nose. Elrond gently pushed him away and turned to go back to sleep.
A feeling of being watched gnawed at him. He turned to find Storm crouched two feet away, his eyes fixed on Elrond's face. Frowning he rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. The feeling persisted. Looking up from his pillow he found Storm a foot from his face staring at him intently.
"Storm, please find some other means of amusement. Some of us have matters of great importance to attend to tomorrow and I have no intention of greeting Gandalf and Thranduil with dark circles under my eyes." With that he snuggled back onto his pillow and tried to sleep.
Storm's face came into his unfocused view just as he was drifting off to sleep. The kitten was just inches from his face, his stare burning with concentration.
"Storm, no.", was all Elrond had time to get out. The kitten twitched his tail and then pounced, inflicting a tiny scratch on the end of Elrond's nose before the elf lord could stop him.
Elrond sat bolt upright in bed holding Storm away from him. He got out of bed and stepped to his bedroom door. He carefully set Storm out in the hall and then quickly went and secured his terrace door to avoid Storm's next attack. He barely glanced at the tiny gray paw swinging back and forth under the door. Settling down in his bed he finally drifted off to sleep.
The sun's glare awoke him. There was a soft knock on his bedroom door and Elladan and Elrohir entered his bedroom.
"We became concerned when you did not arrive at breakfast, Ada. Are you alright?", Elladan said.
It took a second for Elrond to wake completely. He had not intended to sleep till such an hour. "Thank you my sons. I had little rest last night."
"Surely you are not worried about Thranduil's visit, Ada.", said Elrohir.
"Everything is prepared for a most pleasant visit for Thranduil.", Elladan assured him.
"I know.", sighed Elrond. "I will be out in a moment to join you for breakfast." His sons left. He quickly dressed for breakfast and joined his sons at breakfast.
Elrond noticed his sons staring at him as he ate.
"Ada, do you know you have a scratch on the end of your nose?", asked Elrohir.
"Yes, thank you Elrohir, I know I have a scratch on my nose, courtesy of Storm." His tone spoke of his irritation.
His sons looked at each other said nothing more.
Breakfast was almost finished when Elrond noticed a little silver paw reaching over the edge of the table. Frowning he leaned down and looked under the table. Storm was sitting in an empty chair batting at the dish of bacon in front of him. Before Elrond could stop him he hooked a piece of bacon in his claws and scuttled off the chair with it in his teeth and made his escape into the garden.
Elrond's sons erupted in laughter, which ended abruptly at Elrond's stern look. He would have to make sure Storm was properly contained while Thranduil was here. There was no telling what sort of mischief he would get into. He turned towards his sons.
"I have a mission for you my sons. One of great importance.", he told them smiling.
Both twins perked up. "No mission is too difficult Ada. Tell us what we must do.", said Elladan firmly.
Elrond looked over at the terrace door. "Catch that gray kitten and take him to the dairy and make sure he stays there for the remainder of Thranduil's visit."
Their faces fell. What? This was a special mission? For a moment they weren't sure they had heard correctly.
"Ada, you want us to take a kitten to the dairy? This is the important mission?" Elrohir was puzzled.
"You have no idea how important Elrohir.", said Elrond dryly. "The relationship between Rivendell and Mirkwood has been a shaky one at best. I do not want anything endangering the tranquility of this visit."
"But a kitten, Ada....", started Elladan. He was cut of by a sharp look from his father.
"Anything.", said Elrond firmly, staring into his son's eyes.
Elladan started to protest, but was stopped by a warning look from his brother. He quietly returned to his breakfast, wondering if human fathers acted strangely when they aged also.
"As you wish, Ada. We will keep Storm contained.", said Elrohir quietly.
After breakfast they found the kitten, which led them a merry chase through Elrond's vast garden. They finally caught him and rode towards the dairy with their small charge.
The rest of the morning was filled with preparations for the Royal party from Mirkwood. Finally everything was ready. Elrond breathed a sigh of relief.
***************
Thranduil's party rode into the courtyard and came to a halt in front of Elrond. Thranduil dismounted and turned toward Elrond. His gaze flickered to the scratch on Elrond's nose for a moment and then bowed deeply. Just then Elrond felt the brush of soft fur against his ankles. He braced himself as he felt small claws prick his skin.
He held his face rigid as Storm clawed at his ankle. Thranduil frowned when Elrond did not immediately return his bow. Coming to himself Elrond quickly bowed, grimacing as Storm started climbing up his leg, his tiny claws digging into the elf lord's tender skin.
Finally Elrond could stand it no longer. Jerking up his robe he grabbed for Storm. Everyone in Thranduil's party stood wide eyed as Elrond stood in the courtyard, seemingly doing battle with his own clothes. Finally he came up triumphant, holding Storm by the scruff of the neck.
Thranduil's face broke out in a broad smile. "I see the elves of Mirkwood are not the only people who have a liking for felines. I have several such kittens roaming the palaces of home."
"I'm sure you have none like Storm.", grimaced Elrond as he attempted to hold the feisty kitten still. "Would you be interested in this one?" He asked hopefully. He offered Storm to a surprised Thranduil.
Gandalf's chuckle caught their attention. "I'm sure even Thranduil is not prepared for a kitten such as Storm. Nor would it be conducive to peaceful relations between you if you were to give him away as a gift."
At the puzzled looks from the two elf lords, he explained. "Have you noticed his unusual coloring? Storm is of elven blood. He will live many years before he grows out of his kitten stage."
Elrond looked down at the squirming kitten trying to pry himself from his grasp. Years?
Just then his disheveled sons rode into the courtyard. There were scratches and straw and dirt all over them. They dismounted and stood sheepishly before their father.
"We tried to contain him Ada, but he ran all over the dairy, jumping on the backs of the cows and stampeding them, overturning milk pails, chasing chickens. We thought we had him trapped in one of the rooms at the dairy but apparently he escaped."
"Apparently.", said Elrond looking down at the silver kitten. Storm looked up at Elrond with wide kitten eyes and mewed innocently.
"I might warn you,", said Gandalf quietly, "that being elven he can also understand every word you are saying."
Elrond frowned at the amused look on Gandalf's face. Elven cats were rare. As far as he knew there were only a small number at Mirkwood. How had a kitten such as Storm ended up in Rivendell?
Guessing his thoughts, Gandalf smiled. "Do you remember that visit from Galadriel several months ago? Do you not remember the silver tomcat she had with her at the time. It was a birthday gift from Thranduil, one of the elven line I believe."
Elrond's mind went back to the visit, then to the surprise litter from one of the cats that hung about the kitchen. Elrond sighed deeply. She had delivered one silver gray kitten. He looked down at Storm. "I am half elven also little one and I never left a trail of mischief such as yours. Can you not find more constructive amusement?"
Storm mewed quietly and licked Elrond's hand.
"Perhaps he just wants to be near you, Lord Elrond.", offered Thranduil. "These cats sometimes pick one person as their master and will have no other. They will permit nothing to come between them and their owner."
"Well.", smiled Gandalf. "It looks as though you have a pet that will live as long as you will."
Elrond looked down at the kitten batting at his sleeve. He could almost swear he saw Storm wink at him.
Chapter 2
Many thanks to everyone for their kind reviews. I am really having a lot of fun writing this little story. And my daughter's silver gray kitten Marius gives me a lot of ammunition. He could teach Storm a few tricks about giving owners sleep deprivation. As usual Storm belongs to me. Everything else is Tolkien's. Enjoy and God Bless.
Elrond awoke with a frown. He found himself staring directly into the inquiring eyes of Storm.
"Storm why do you persist in delaying your most vigorous playtime until it is time for everyone else to sleep? It is the middle of the night." He raised a stern eyebrow at the gray kitten.
Storm was unimpressed. He batted a soft paw at Elrond's nose. Elrond gently pushed him away and turned to go back to sleep.
A feeling of being watched gnawed at him. He turned to find Storm crouched two feet away, his eyes fixed on Elrond's face. Frowning he rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. The feeling persisted. Looking up from his pillow he found Storm a foot from his face staring at him intently.
"Storm, please find some other means of amusement. Some of us have matters of great importance to attend to tomorrow and I have no intention of greeting Gandalf and Thranduil with dark circles under my eyes." With that he snuggled back onto his pillow and tried to sleep.
Storm's face came into his unfocused view just as he was drifting off to sleep. The kitten was just inches from his face, his stare burning with concentration.
"Storm, no.", was all Elrond had time to get out. The kitten twitched his tail and then pounced, inflicting a tiny scratch on the end of Elrond's nose before the elf lord could stop him.
Elrond sat bolt upright in bed holding Storm away from him. He got out of bed and stepped to his bedroom door. He carefully set Storm out in the hall and then quickly went and secured his terrace door to avoid Storm's next attack. He barely glanced at the tiny gray paw swinging back and forth under the door. Settling down in his bed he finally drifted off to sleep.
The sun's glare awoke him. There was a soft knock on his bedroom door and Elladan and Elrohir entered his bedroom.
"We became concerned when you did not arrive at breakfast, Ada. Are you alright?", Elladan said.
It took a second for Elrond to wake completely. He had not intended to sleep till such an hour. "Thank you my sons. I had little rest last night."
"Surely you are not worried about Thranduil's visit, Ada.", said Elrohir.
"Everything is prepared for a most pleasant visit for Thranduil.", Elladan assured him.
"I know.", sighed Elrond. "I will be out in a moment to join you for breakfast." His sons left. He quickly dressed for breakfast and joined his sons at breakfast.
Elrond noticed his sons staring at him as he ate.
"Ada, do you know you have a scratch on the end of your nose?", asked Elrohir.
"Yes, thank you Elrohir, I know I have a scratch on my nose, courtesy of Storm." His tone spoke of his irritation.
His sons looked at each other said nothing more.
Breakfast was almost finished when Elrond noticed a little silver paw reaching over the edge of the table. Frowning he leaned down and looked under the table. Storm was sitting in an empty chair batting at the dish of bacon in front of him. Before Elrond could stop him he hooked a piece of bacon in his claws and scuttled off the chair with it in his teeth and made his escape into the garden.
Elrond's sons erupted in laughter, which ended abruptly at Elrond's stern look. He would have to make sure Storm was properly contained while Thranduil was here. There was no telling what sort of mischief he would get into. He turned towards his sons.
"I have a mission for you my sons. One of great importance.", he told them smiling.
Both twins perked up. "No mission is too difficult Ada. Tell us what we must do.", said Elladan firmly.
Elrond looked over at the terrace door. "Catch that gray kitten and take him to the dairy and make sure he stays there for the remainder of Thranduil's visit."
Their faces fell. What? This was a special mission? For a moment they weren't sure they had heard correctly.
"Ada, you want us to take a kitten to the dairy? This is the important mission?" Elrohir was puzzled.
"You have no idea how important Elrohir.", said Elrond dryly. "The relationship between Rivendell and Mirkwood has been a shaky one at best. I do not want anything endangering the tranquility of this visit."
"But a kitten, Ada....", started Elladan. He was cut of by a sharp look from his father.
"Anything.", said Elrond firmly, staring into his son's eyes.
Elladan started to protest, but was stopped by a warning look from his brother. He quietly returned to his breakfast, wondering if human fathers acted strangely when they aged also.
"As you wish, Ada. We will keep Storm contained.", said Elrohir quietly.
After breakfast they found the kitten, which led them a merry chase through Elrond's vast garden. They finally caught him and rode towards the dairy with their small charge.
The rest of the morning was filled with preparations for the Royal party from Mirkwood. Finally everything was ready. Elrond breathed a sigh of relief.
***************
Thranduil's party rode into the courtyard and came to a halt in front of Elrond. Thranduil dismounted and turned toward Elrond. His gaze flickered to the scratch on Elrond's nose for a moment and then bowed deeply. Just then Elrond felt the brush of soft fur against his ankles. He braced himself as he felt small claws prick his skin.
He held his face rigid as Storm clawed at his ankle. Thranduil frowned when Elrond did not immediately return his bow. Coming to himself Elrond quickly bowed, grimacing as Storm started climbing up his leg, his tiny claws digging into the elf lord's tender skin.
Finally Elrond could stand it no longer. Jerking up his robe he grabbed for Storm. Everyone in Thranduil's party stood wide eyed as Elrond stood in the courtyard, seemingly doing battle with his own clothes. Finally he came up triumphant, holding Storm by the scruff of the neck.
Thranduil's face broke out in a broad smile. "I see the elves of Mirkwood are not the only people who have a liking for felines. I have several such kittens roaming the palaces of home."
"I'm sure you have none like Storm.", grimaced Elrond as he attempted to hold the feisty kitten still. "Would you be interested in this one?" He asked hopefully. He offered Storm to a surprised Thranduil.
Gandalf's chuckle caught their attention. "I'm sure even Thranduil is not prepared for a kitten such as Storm. Nor would it be conducive to peaceful relations between you if you were to give him away as a gift."
At the puzzled looks from the two elf lords, he explained. "Have you noticed his unusual coloring? Storm is of elven blood. He will live many years before he grows out of his kitten stage."
Elrond looked down at the squirming kitten trying to pry himself from his grasp. Years?
Just then his disheveled sons rode into the courtyard. There were scratches and straw and dirt all over them. They dismounted and stood sheepishly before their father.
"We tried to contain him Ada, but he ran all over the dairy, jumping on the backs of the cows and stampeding them, overturning milk pails, chasing chickens. We thought we had him trapped in one of the rooms at the dairy but apparently he escaped."
"Apparently.", said Elrond looking down at the silver kitten. Storm looked up at Elrond with wide kitten eyes and mewed innocently.
"I might warn you,", said Gandalf quietly, "that being elven he can also understand every word you are saying."
Elrond frowned at the amused look on Gandalf's face. Elven cats were rare. As far as he knew there were only a small number at Mirkwood. How had a kitten such as Storm ended up in Rivendell?
Guessing his thoughts, Gandalf smiled. "Do you remember that visit from Galadriel several months ago? Do you not remember the silver tomcat she had with her at the time. It was a birthday gift from Thranduil, one of the elven line I believe."
Elrond's mind went back to the visit, then to the surprise litter from one of the cats that hung about the kitchen. Elrond sighed deeply. She had delivered one silver gray kitten. He looked down at Storm. "I am half elven also little one and I never left a trail of mischief such as yours. Can you not find more constructive amusement?"
Storm mewed quietly and licked Elrond's hand.
"Perhaps he just wants to be near you, Lord Elrond.", offered Thranduil. "These cats sometimes pick one person as their master and will have no other. They will permit nothing to come between them and their owner."
"Well.", smiled Gandalf. "It looks as though you have a pet that will live as long as you will."
Elrond looked down at the kitten batting at his sleeve. He could almost swear he saw Storm wink at him.
