Temporary custody is lasting a very long, long time and I am learning parenting skills the hard way. Strange isn't it, how it looks so easy until you have to do it yourself.
Real Life sucks and it leaves some mean hickies ....
Terminus Est: YOU are MY favorite! Thanks!
Darth Yak: Thanks! RL intrudes more than I care for and it's leaving less and less time to write.
Artemisa: Thank you, encouragement is ALWAYS appreciated.
Twilight-Zone: Someday I hope to tell the tale of how I first saw his ....
Susan: Sorry it took so long!
Ciara: I'm glad it made you laugh, sorry if it hurt!
*^*^*^*^*
Legolas woke the next morning to the delightful scent of frying bacon. Jaz had been busy while the Elf slept. Folded neatly on the chair next to the bed on top of his leather pack were a pair of soft brown leggings, a silver tunic and a dark green cloak. His boots had been meticulously cleaned and left by the chair. Legolas put on the clothes, finding them a perfect fit except for the cloak, which was a little long. He rolled it up and tucked it into his battered pack. Legolas stretched, easing out the lingering stiffness of the previous day's injuries.
"Ready for some breakfast?" Jaz asked.
"Yes." Legolas joined Jaz at the table. "Thank you for the clothes."
"I ruined your others," Jaz looked embarrassed. "I felt I should replace them."
Legolas rubbed his palm across the sleeve of the tunic, "It's beautiful."
"I hoped you would like it." Jaz smiled, "It was given to me when I was younger and was my favorite." He passed Legolas a plate with bacon, scrambled eggs and fruit. "I can't seem to get the toast quite right; it's always burnt." he apologized.
Legolas laughed, "Burnt toast!"
"I can cook anything else but that."
"Toast is the only thing I am good at making." Legolas got up and quickly toasted four pieces of bread. He put butter and honey on them and passed two to Jaz.
"Delicious." said Jaz, munching on a slice of toast. Jaz's voice was serious now, "I've spoken with Tlas, I told him I would be going out for a while."
"Where?"
"I want to take you home."
"But what about your responsibilities here?" Legolas asked.
"Tlas is very tired, he will sleep most of the day in the sun." Jaz explained.
Legolas tried to smile, "I wish I could stay longer."
"So do I," said Jaz, "But it is not safe for you here and I'm sure that your family will be looking for you."
"What do you mean I'm not safe here?"
"Tlas does not like people." Jaz said, "I'm afraid he might try to hurt you if he found you here." Jaz finished his breakfast and got up, "If others come to find you it will only make things worse."
Legolas picked at his food; "We could still visit each other sometimes couldn't we?"
Jaz laughed, "That I would like very much. Come then, let's get started. I want to show you something before I take you home."
The Elf quickly ate and helped Jaz clear away the dishes. "What are you going to show me?" he asked excitedly.
"Now that would spoil the surprise if I told you." Jaz banked the fire while Legolas retrieved his pack. Once outside Jaz again blocked off the entrance with a large boulder, Legolas was surprised at the man-dragon's strength.
"Ready to ride?" Jaz asked. "It'll be more comfortable for both of us than carrying you in my claws." Jaz transformed to his dragon self. "Climb up and sit with your feet between my shoulders and my wings." His voice was deeper but no less kind.
Legolas did as Jaz asked, aided by a boost from one of the dragon's muscular arms. He settled comfortably on the warm, smooth scales.
"Don't grab my neck, just grip with your knees." Jaz instructed. "I won't let you fall."
Legolas laughed delightedly as Jaz leaped into the sky, his wings brushing lightly against the Elf's back. The ground fell rapidly away as they soared upward.
"I can see forever!" yelled Legolas.
"Can you see your house?" Jaz teased.
"If we go a little higher perhaps." the Elf laughed.
Jaz spiraled up then tucked his wings, eliciting a gasp from Legolas as they dove toward the mountain peaks. Jaz skillfully wove through the scrubby trees and landed gently on a wide ledge overlooking a deep lake in the crater of the mountain. The water was exceptionally clear, a beautiful shade of emerald green. Legolas slid to the ground.
"My favorite place to swim." Jaz confessed. "The water is incredibly warm." He sighed.
Legolas looked doubtfully down at the water that seemed very far away. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"
"You trust me don't you?" Jaz replied.
"Yes." Legolas said without hesitating.
"I am going to help you overcome your fear and," Jaz smiled a toothy dragon grin, "show you how to get back at your brother."
*^*^*^*^*
Legolas looked more cheerful than he had since they had landed, "Really? How?"
"Watch me," Jaz said, "tuck your legs up and cross your arms over them when you jump in." He transformed into his human form, clad only in shorts. "You won't get caught on anything and it makes a huge splash!" He jumped off the ledge and Legolas watched as Jaz hit the water. He quickly surfaced and called to Legolas "Now you!"
Legolas hesitated and Jaz called again, "You can do it!"
The Elf pulled off his tunic and boots and stood staring over the edge a moment before jumping over the edge, copying Jaz's method and he emerged sputtering from the warm water.
"I knew you could do!" Jaz congratulated the Elf. He climbed out and transformed to dragon, "Now watch this!" He flew back up to the cliff and still in dragon form, dove into the water. Jaz in human form shot up from where the dragon had landed.
"That always scares the humans!" Jaz laughed. "Come on let's go again!" He dragged the speechless Elf out of the water and flew back up to the ledge.
"Together this time." Jaz grinned and took Legolas' hand.
Before he could protest, the Elf was dragged over the edge and they hit the water sending waves crashing far up onto the shore.
"See," Jaz said, "if you tuck you can spring out of the water and make a huge splash!"
The man-dragon continued to pull the Elf out of the water, fly them up and hurl them back in again so many times that Legolas lost count. At last the dragon finally seemed to tire and they collapsed onto the gravel shore.
"Not afraid anymore, are you?" Jaz asked breathlessly.
Legolas rolled over onto his back, "No." He laughed, "and I think I like it."
"Just imagine the look on your brother's face when you jump in and half drown him." Jaz laughed.
^*^*^*^
"Come on Jaz, if you can do a Human you can do an Elf." Legolas cajoled.
"You have no idea how long it took me to do a Human." Jaz complained, "skin is so....
so.... blech!" He shifted into a scaly skinned human with wings, "and the arms and legs are just wrong! Walking took me forever. I don't know how you can walk on two scrawny legs without a tail to balance you."
"Stop it, you're scaring the squirrels." Legolas teased.
Jaz looked around and they laughed. He shifted to human and stared intently at the Elf.
Legolas made a face; "Do you have to do that?"
"Being is more than just looking like." Jaz explained, his ears became more pointed and his hair longer. "How about this?"
"You look like my Uncle Féril."
"Is that good?" asked Jaz.
"Not unless you want to scare children." Legolas tugged on Jaz's ears
"It's not clay," Jaz winced, "you can't mold me like a teapot."
"Sorry," Legolas let go, "make your ears a little taller and not quite so pointed." It made his stomach lurch to watch the way Jaz's skin moved over the shifting bones, "Almost there."
"How about now?"
"Your eyes are too small."
"Particular aren't you?" Jaz grumbled.
"And too close together, it makes you look untrustworthy." Legolas stepped back as the man-dragon made the adjustments, "Oh now that that's just creepy!" He exclaimed.
Jaz snorted, "There's a kid in Woodam that has eyes like this and all the females there seem to love him."
"Well I hope I never meet him," the Elf shuddered dramatically, "eyes that big are just not normal."
"How about the hair?" Jaz asked, shaking his head, "Too short? Too long?"
"It's great."
"Wrong color?" Jaz ran his fingers through his black hair, "Should I be blond like you?"
"No, blond Elves are uncommon in Mirkwood, " Legolas shook his head; "you stand out enough with those eyes."
"Walk." Jaz said.
Legolas raised an eyebrow, "What?"
"Walk so I can see how you do it."
Legolas laughed but he walked around the clearing while Jaz watched him.
Jaz tried to copy the Elf's bearing and Legolas found it so comical that he collapsed on the ground laughing so hard he could scarcely breathe.
"You're not helping." Jaz said, trying to contain a grin.
"I can't help it," the Elf replied, "you look like a bear!"
"Do not."
"Do too!"
"Not!" Jaz laughed. "Do it again."
Legolas got to his feet and walked slowly around as Jaz studied him. After several minutes Jaz attempted to walk like the Elf, stumbling around and nearly falling.
Legolas shook his head, hiding a grin. "Like this." He walked slower, exaggerating his steps. "Put your weight down on the front of your foot, not on your toes or your heel."
Jaz paced behind the Elf, "This is harder than walking like a Human."
"Of course it is, Humans just lumber about," Legolas circled back, "Elves take more notice of where they are."
I hope to write more soon, I have an ending but it's hard to fill in the middle part and PRNS is invading my dreams and breeding rabid plot bunnies!