The Kitty, the Feather, and the Elf Lord

Chapter 3

Thanks everyone for all the nice reviews. I decided Storm needed a little excitement in his life in this chapter; not to mention an opportunity to prove his metal. As usual all of Tolkien's stuff is his and Storm belongs to me. Enjoy and God Bless.

Legolas awoke to the sound of loud purring. Funny, the sound was coming from his head. He reached a tentative hand to his head and felt the soft fur of a cat lying on top of his head. Sighing sleepily he pulled the sleepy feline down under the covers with him and tried to go back to sleep. It was not to be.

Storm started batting at a stray strand of his hair in an attempt to wake him. Legolas tried his best to ignore him and go back to sleep. Storm however was sure it was high time the elven prince was out and about. He reached over and batted a soft paw at Legolas' cheek.

"Come Master Kitty," Legolas murmured sleepily, "surely you would not deny me a few extra minutes of sleep after such a long journey."

He was answered with another soft bat at his face, this time to the end of his nose. He opened his eyes to find Storm sitting on his chest nose to nose with him as he stared into his eyes.

"Apparently you would." sighed Legolas ruefully. Sighing in defeat he sat up and got out of bed. Satisfied that Legolas was up Storm left to wake the other members of the entourage.

Thranduil awoke to Storm's soft purring as he lay on his chest. Thranduil smiled at Storm and sat up. "Yes, yes, I am awake little one. You know your duties well."

Storm answered with a soft meow and jumped off the bed and ran out the door. Running down the halls he came to Elrond's room. The door was open and Elrond was already awake and dressed.

Storm then made his way to Elrohir's room. He slipped through the partially closed door and jumped lightly on Elrohir's bed. Making his way up the covers he finally found Elrohir's unfocused gaze meet him as he stepped onto the pillow.

He meowed softly to Elrohir. No response. He meowed again, this time softly batting at Elrohir's cheek. Elrohir sighed softly and rolled over and went back to sleep, his arm accidentally knocking Storm off the bed. Storm landed on the thick carpet in a tiny feline huff and then doggedly climbed back on the bed.

Gathering himself to his full height, Storm arched his back and tippy toed sideways across the pillow at Elrohir's unsuspecting head. As he reached it, he inserted his tiny claws into Elrohir's collar and yowled as loudly as his tiny lungs would allow right into Elrohir's ear. Elrohir jerked awake and sat bolt upright in bed with Storm clinging stubbornly to his collar. He was just gathering himself for another yowl when Elrohir removed him from his nightshirt and set him down in his lap.

"I am awake little one. Let's have no more yowling this morning. At least not until I have had some tea." mumbled Elrohir as he sleepily stroked Storm's soft fur. Seeing he was finally awake, Storm jumped off the bed and headed for Elladan's room. Elrohir thought for a moment about warning his brother, but decided against it. Why should he get a reprieve? Elrohir chuckled to himself and got up to get dressed.

Elladan was snoring softly when Storm crept into his room and silently jumped on his bed. Storm moved quietly to the pillow to begin his attack. But when he got there something made him freeze in his tracks. There on Elladan's pillow was a small red spider. Even Storm knew how poisonous this creature was. His mother had taught him well.

As he watched the spider started crawling towards Elladan's cheek. Storm's hair bristled and his back went up. He hissed a warning to the evil thing. It hissed back and moved closer to Elladan. Storm growled a warning to it, then pounced just as it was going to step up on Elladan's face.

As he bit down on it the poisonous thing tried to bit him, but it's mandibles only met with silver fur. Storm picked it up and carefully carried it off the bed and onto the terrace. There was a bird sitting on a limb in a nearby tree. Storm batted at the spider to get the bird's attention and then abruptly left the terrace. The bird saw it's chance and flew down and snapped up the tasty morsel.

His job done, Storm returned to Elladan and licked his cheek. Then he settled down next to Elladan's face and purred as loudly as he could until he woke the sleepy elf lord. Elladan smiled at the kitten and then picked it up as he got out of bed. He stroked him for a moment and then set him on the floor.

"Go get some breakfast Storm." he yawned sleepily. "Or perhaps go find some adventure out in the garden. I have things to do today."

He turned and started getting dressed. Storm looked back at the terrace as the bird finished off the last of the deadly spider. She flew off leaving two spindly red legs on the stones of the terrace. Storm ran over and took them into his mouth and ran for Elrond's room.

He found the elf lord putting on his robe, preparing to leave the room. As he turned to pick up some parchments by his bedside Storm jumped up on the table and set the spider legs down on the parchment.

Elrond raised his eyebrow at the things and then examined them more closely. He straightened suddenly with a grim expression on his face. He recognized the species. It was deadly and this was a young one, indicating that perhaps there were more hatchlings about. He stroked Storm's fur.

"Well done Storm. Show me where you found this." he told the gray kitten.

Storm stampeded off the table and ran for Elladan's room. Elrond followed, his heartrate increasing when he realized where Storm was heading. Elladan met them at the door, a puzzled look on his face.

"Ada, is something wrong?" he asked.

"A moment son." said Elrond, a worried expression on his face. "Show me where you found the spider Storm."

Storm jumped up on the bed and ran to the head of Elladan's bed. Elrond's face turned a bit paler when he saw Storm sit down on Elladan's pillow. By this time there was a slight crowd outside Elladan's room. Thranduil and Legolas stood in the doorway watching as Storm showed Elrond where he had discovered the deadly creature.

"What is it?" asked Legolas.

"I don't know." answered Elladan. "Ada and Storm came in the room and Ada asked him to show him where he found a spider."

Thranduil had turned a bit pale too. Legolas followed his gaze and then gasped when he saw the red spider legs in Elrond's hand. What was that evil thing doing in Imladris?

Elrond reached for the pillow but suddenly Storm squalled and ripped into his hand, chasing him away from the bed. As he did a herd of small red spiders came out from under the pillow and headed for Storm. Elrond snatched him from the bed and handed him to Thranduil.

"Out in the hall everyone, quickly." The urgency in Elrond's voice was enough motivation for everyone to quit the room. Elrond stepped out to the terrace and called to a flock of birds hanging about the garden. They came swooping to his call and landed on a nearby tree.

Elrond sent them into the room and they soon cleared it of the deadly spiders. Elrond smiled his thanks and made a mental note to have the cook set out some soft fruit for them to enjoy.

He stepped out into the hall. Storm leaped from Thranduil's arms onto Elrond's chest and began immediately sniffing him all over, as if searching for something.

"There are no more spiders Storm." said Elrond as he cuddled him gently in his arms. "Do not worry. I was careful not to let them approach me." He smiled as Storm meowed softly and licked his cheek softly.

Thranduil was smiling broadly. "It seems he takes his duties quite seriously, Lord Elrond. These animals are devoted family protectors. When he is grown he will be even more protective. Do not be surprised if he does nightly patrols after this to check for more creatures."

"I hope that he will take time off from his patrols to take a quick nap on my pillow. He will certainly be welcome." Elrond looked at Storm with a new respect. He stroked a loudly purring Storm.

"What a brave little fellow you are." he said as he scratched Storm's ears. Storm's eyes were pleased slits as he was carried off to the breakfast room. In a short time he would have enough food piled in front of him for six kittens.

TBC