Both Fang and Fire
by Erestor
Disclaimer: I own nothing pertaining to Lord of the Rings. All the Elves, Men, Hobbits and Dwarves belong to Tolkien. All the dogs and most of the horses belong to me. All mistakes are my own unless I can find someone else to blame them on.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Legolas felt a little embarrassed as he cried. There was only a dog watching him, that was nothing to be ashamed of, but he had never lost his control like this. At least, he hadn't for a long time. He brushed the tears away. "I won't cry any longer," he thought shakily. "Cúkáno did not mean what he said."
Carca lay at the Elf's feet, thinking comforting thoughts. She doubted he would understand, but she suspected that it would help him feel better. Really, dogs are wonderful creatures.
"Legolas? Where are you?"
It was his father. The prince sat up straight, cleared his throat, and then replied, "I'm here, in the rose garden."
Thranduil stepped in through the thicket, and sat down by his son. "This rose garden has always been a comforting place for me."
Legolas leaned against the king and Thranduil put his arm around him. Carca watched fondly. Elves were so cute when they were acting sad and serious.
"The roses are all dead," Legolas said softly.
"But they will bloom again in the summer," Thranduil replied.
"Do you really want me to join the Fellowship?" asked Legolas.
Thranduil answered, in typical Elven style, with a question, "Do you want to join the Fellowship?"
"I don't know," said Legolas. "Lord Elrond wants me too, and so does Glorfindel. And this is my chance to see the world."
Thranduil half-smiled, "The darker places of the world."
Legolas smiled back. "Estel will go as well."
"Estel? That scruffy human whose life you helped save fifty years ago?" Thranduil asked. "Is he still around?"
Legolas grinned. "Of course. It would be hard to kill him off."
"I think this is your chance, Legolas. I think you should seize it," Thranduil said.
"I will," Legolas said. "It's just. . .Cúkáno doesn't want me to go. He says I might not come back."
"Did he say that?" For a moment Thranduil looked sad. "I want you to come back, but there is definitely danger in this."
Legolas nodded.
"But there is danger in staying here too," Thranduil continued. "Middle- Earth is very dangerous, and until the Enemy is defeated it will remain so. I want you to do what you can to defeat him. I will be fighting to defend our home here, and you will be fighting to save this world."
Carca smiled. "Go Thrandy," she thought.
Legolas might have been thinking the same thing, though not in the same words. "Thank you, Father," he said. "That helped."
.
The next morning, Glorfindel bustled into Erestor's bedroom cheerfully, heavy-laden with his breakfast on a tray. He halted when he entered the room, though, and looked at his friend fondly. Erestor had flung himself onto the bed and the blankets were a tangled mess about him. The advisor's hair was very black against the soft white pillow. Carca lay at the Elf's feet, her tail twitching as she dreamed.
"Erestor, wake up," Glorfindel whispered out of the side of his mouth. "No one sleeps late here."
Carca opened one eye and watched the golden haired Elf quizzically. Erestor rubbed his own eyes sleepily. "What's happening?"
"Nothing really," Glorfindel said, skipping lightly over the bed and pulling aside the curtains to it, all the while balancing the tray dexterously with one hand. "Eat up, Erestor. We'll be leaving Mirkwood bright and early."
"Does it ever get bright here?" asked Erestor gloomily, peering out of the window into the darkness.
"No, it was a figure of speech. The darkness is probably the reason you slept in, Erestor. It wasn't like you to stay in bed so long," Glorfindel said.
"Yes. Mirkwood is very murky indeed," agreed Erestor, smiling.
Glorfindel perched on the end of bed alongside Carca, holding a slice of fresh bread in one hand, and a mug filled with milk in the other. (The Mirkwood Elves raised several goats and cows and Glorfindel liked to drink milk whenever he could get it.) Meanwhile, Erestor spread some honey over his own slice of bread, and nibbled it from where he lay against the pillow. Carca panted beside him until he gave her a bite as well.
"Is Legolas joining the Fellowship?" asked Erestor after a few minutes, when most of the food had been consumed.
"It looks like it. Apparently, his brother gave him a hard time about it, but he and his father have agreed," Glorfindel said, licking his fingers clean with an air of delight. Carca smiled to herself. The Elf wasn't perfect.
"I am too," Glorfindel thought back, and stuck his tongue out sideways at her. Erestor pretended not to notice. So did Carca.
"Are you ready to go?" the advisor asked.
"Whenever you are," Glorfindel replied, and whisked the tray away.
"Wait." One word from the dark haired Elf halted the other.
"What, Erestor?" Glorfindel asked.
"Are you glad I came? I wasn't just a burden?"
"Erestor," Glorfindel shook his golden head kindly, "you will never be a burden. Never."
Erestor glanced down. "I felt like I was only getting in the way."
"You weren't," Glorfindel said reassuringly. "I needed you."
"Was I getting in the way?" Carca asked.
"You?" came Glorfindel's surprised thought. And then, with a silent chuckle. "You didn't get in the way. . .much."
Carca half-growled, but laughed as well, just as silently. Erestor smiled at the Elf and the dog. "Glorfindel?" he asked. "Does Carca still dislike you?"
Glorfindel shot both of them a dazzling grin. "She's come round."
.
Cúkáno slipped down the stairs to where his brother stood beside Glorfindel and Erestor. "I'm sorry, Legolas. I should not have said the things I did last night," he apologized.
Legolas looked up with relief. "I forgive you, Cúkáno. Your fear for my safety made you speak angrily. I'm sorry myself, Cúkáno, I did not mean the things I said."
"I love you, brother," said Cúkáno. "Please keep safe."
"I will," the Elf answered.
.
The three Elves set off to go back Imladris. Legolas looked grim and resolved, Erestor looked far more cheerful, and Glorfindel looked as bright and vibrant as usual. Carca trotted beside the horses happily. Now that she was leaving Mirkwood, she felt a little relief. The Elves were silent and rarely talked, but Glorfindel thought quite a bit.
"Do you like Mirkwood?" he asked.
"No," Carca replied. "It's dark and repressive."
"Once it was very beautiful, but then darkness fell over it. It used to be called Greenwood."
"Greenwood. That sounds nice."
"It was far more than 'nice', you unimaginative hound." Glorfindel sent Carca a picture of a lovely place with soft greens painting the grass and trees and Elves living happily together without fear.
"It looks so different now. How can Legolas stand it?"
"He loves his home. He would die to protect it."
"Legolas always seems so serious."
"That is because most Mirkwood Elves are serious, especially in front of strangers."
"Like me?"
"Like Erestor. I don't think dogs count."
"I don't think I can imagine him smiling."
Glorfindel sighed mentally. "Let me tell you an interesting story about Legolas."
"All right. I'm listening."
"He was staying in Imladris and he and I were eating lunch by the waterfalls. . . and I accidently fell off the edge. . ." The Elf paused.
Carca grinned delightedly. "Too much miruvor? This promises to be interesting. I'd love to hear a story were you weren't being completely cool and collected the entire time. Do go on."
Glorfindel scowled at her, but continued to ride and think at the same time. "I landed on a mossy ledge about seven ells down (on my feet, by the way), but Legolas didn't know that. He thought I had fallen right off into the water. As he was calling for me, I sneaked up behind him and surprised him."
"Let me guess: he fell over?"
"Exactly. This time I was the one who thought he had a soaking. I was yelling for him, when he pushed me in."
"He pushed you?"
"The water wasn't deep. I was fine. He laughed an awful lot then."
"All this falling doesn't quite seem Elvish to me."
"The moss was slippery."
"So he can smile. That's good to know, Glorfindel."
.
Several long days later, the little company was attacked again, this time by even more spiders than before. This time they were prepared.
Legolas had two knives, and he used both of them skillfully. Carca now knew what technique to use on the spiders and went for their long knobbly legs. Glorfindel was brilliant (as usual) in more ways than one. Not only did he fight the spiders with ease and grace, he even glowed. Carca remembered the comment Perlomë had made about the Elves of Mirkwood and smiled as she fought. The horse had been right. Glowing was a great asset in the darkness of Legolas' home.
The spiders were a bit bigger than Carca remembered. She ducked as best she could when a large one leaped out of the branches onto her.
"I will eat you, dog," the spider thought. Carca snarled at it.
"I am called The Fang," she thought back, taking a few creative liberties, "I have killed many spiders greater than yourself. You will feel my claws."
The spider only hissed in return and Carca pounced at it, swiping skillfully at its many feet, and catching its rough body with her teeth. Suddenly an arrow whipped past her head and buried itself in the spider's side. Carca turned around and glanced at Legolas. He looked as close to being bored as an Elf in a spider attack can. "You stupid Elf," Carca thought grumpily, "can't you see I was dealing with it? Well, that one counts as mine."
The spiders were gone, and many lay dead around them. Suddenly a soft voice spoke, "Glorfindel?"
The Legolas, Glorfindel and Carca turned to where Erestor was standing, his arm a mess of dripping red blood and steaming black venom.
TBC
by Erestor
Disclaimer: I own nothing pertaining to Lord of the Rings. All the Elves, Men, Hobbits and Dwarves belong to Tolkien. All the dogs and most of the horses belong to me. All mistakes are my own unless I can find someone else to blame them on.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Legolas felt a little embarrassed as he cried. There was only a dog watching him, that was nothing to be ashamed of, but he had never lost his control like this. At least, he hadn't for a long time. He brushed the tears away. "I won't cry any longer," he thought shakily. "Cúkáno did not mean what he said."
Carca lay at the Elf's feet, thinking comforting thoughts. She doubted he would understand, but she suspected that it would help him feel better. Really, dogs are wonderful creatures.
"Legolas? Where are you?"
It was his father. The prince sat up straight, cleared his throat, and then replied, "I'm here, in the rose garden."
Thranduil stepped in through the thicket, and sat down by his son. "This rose garden has always been a comforting place for me."
Legolas leaned against the king and Thranduil put his arm around him. Carca watched fondly. Elves were so cute when they were acting sad and serious.
"The roses are all dead," Legolas said softly.
"But they will bloom again in the summer," Thranduil replied.
"Do you really want me to join the Fellowship?" asked Legolas.
Thranduil answered, in typical Elven style, with a question, "Do you want to join the Fellowship?"
"I don't know," said Legolas. "Lord Elrond wants me too, and so does Glorfindel. And this is my chance to see the world."
Thranduil half-smiled, "The darker places of the world."
Legolas smiled back. "Estel will go as well."
"Estel? That scruffy human whose life you helped save fifty years ago?" Thranduil asked. "Is he still around?"
Legolas grinned. "Of course. It would be hard to kill him off."
"I think this is your chance, Legolas. I think you should seize it," Thranduil said.
"I will," Legolas said. "It's just. . .Cúkáno doesn't want me to go. He says I might not come back."
"Did he say that?" For a moment Thranduil looked sad. "I want you to come back, but there is definitely danger in this."
Legolas nodded.
"But there is danger in staying here too," Thranduil continued. "Middle- Earth is very dangerous, and until the Enemy is defeated it will remain so. I want you to do what you can to defeat him. I will be fighting to defend our home here, and you will be fighting to save this world."
Carca smiled. "Go Thrandy," she thought.
Legolas might have been thinking the same thing, though not in the same words. "Thank you, Father," he said. "That helped."
.
The next morning, Glorfindel bustled into Erestor's bedroom cheerfully, heavy-laden with his breakfast on a tray. He halted when he entered the room, though, and looked at his friend fondly. Erestor had flung himself onto the bed and the blankets were a tangled mess about him. The advisor's hair was very black against the soft white pillow. Carca lay at the Elf's feet, her tail twitching as she dreamed.
"Erestor, wake up," Glorfindel whispered out of the side of his mouth. "No one sleeps late here."
Carca opened one eye and watched the golden haired Elf quizzically. Erestor rubbed his own eyes sleepily. "What's happening?"
"Nothing really," Glorfindel said, skipping lightly over the bed and pulling aside the curtains to it, all the while balancing the tray dexterously with one hand. "Eat up, Erestor. We'll be leaving Mirkwood bright and early."
"Does it ever get bright here?" asked Erestor gloomily, peering out of the window into the darkness.
"No, it was a figure of speech. The darkness is probably the reason you slept in, Erestor. It wasn't like you to stay in bed so long," Glorfindel said.
"Yes. Mirkwood is very murky indeed," agreed Erestor, smiling.
Glorfindel perched on the end of bed alongside Carca, holding a slice of fresh bread in one hand, and a mug filled with milk in the other. (The Mirkwood Elves raised several goats and cows and Glorfindel liked to drink milk whenever he could get it.) Meanwhile, Erestor spread some honey over his own slice of bread, and nibbled it from where he lay against the pillow. Carca panted beside him until he gave her a bite as well.
"Is Legolas joining the Fellowship?" asked Erestor after a few minutes, when most of the food had been consumed.
"It looks like it. Apparently, his brother gave him a hard time about it, but he and his father have agreed," Glorfindel said, licking his fingers clean with an air of delight. Carca smiled to herself. The Elf wasn't perfect.
"I am too," Glorfindel thought back, and stuck his tongue out sideways at her. Erestor pretended not to notice. So did Carca.
"Are you ready to go?" the advisor asked.
"Whenever you are," Glorfindel replied, and whisked the tray away.
"Wait." One word from the dark haired Elf halted the other.
"What, Erestor?" Glorfindel asked.
"Are you glad I came? I wasn't just a burden?"
"Erestor," Glorfindel shook his golden head kindly, "you will never be a burden. Never."
Erestor glanced down. "I felt like I was only getting in the way."
"You weren't," Glorfindel said reassuringly. "I needed you."
"Was I getting in the way?" Carca asked.
"You?" came Glorfindel's surprised thought. And then, with a silent chuckle. "You didn't get in the way. . .much."
Carca half-growled, but laughed as well, just as silently. Erestor smiled at the Elf and the dog. "Glorfindel?" he asked. "Does Carca still dislike you?"
Glorfindel shot both of them a dazzling grin. "She's come round."
.
Cúkáno slipped down the stairs to where his brother stood beside Glorfindel and Erestor. "I'm sorry, Legolas. I should not have said the things I did last night," he apologized.
Legolas looked up with relief. "I forgive you, Cúkáno. Your fear for my safety made you speak angrily. I'm sorry myself, Cúkáno, I did not mean the things I said."
"I love you, brother," said Cúkáno. "Please keep safe."
"I will," the Elf answered.
.
The three Elves set off to go back Imladris. Legolas looked grim and resolved, Erestor looked far more cheerful, and Glorfindel looked as bright and vibrant as usual. Carca trotted beside the horses happily. Now that she was leaving Mirkwood, she felt a little relief. The Elves were silent and rarely talked, but Glorfindel thought quite a bit.
"Do you like Mirkwood?" he asked.
"No," Carca replied. "It's dark and repressive."
"Once it was very beautiful, but then darkness fell over it. It used to be called Greenwood."
"Greenwood. That sounds nice."
"It was far more than 'nice', you unimaginative hound." Glorfindel sent Carca a picture of a lovely place with soft greens painting the grass and trees and Elves living happily together without fear.
"It looks so different now. How can Legolas stand it?"
"He loves his home. He would die to protect it."
"Legolas always seems so serious."
"That is because most Mirkwood Elves are serious, especially in front of strangers."
"Like me?"
"Like Erestor. I don't think dogs count."
"I don't think I can imagine him smiling."
Glorfindel sighed mentally. "Let me tell you an interesting story about Legolas."
"All right. I'm listening."
"He was staying in Imladris and he and I were eating lunch by the waterfalls. . . and I accidently fell off the edge. . ." The Elf paused.
Carca grinned delightedly. "Too much miruvor? This promises to be interesting. I'd love to hear a story were you weren't being completely cool and collected the entire time. Do go on."
Glorfindel scowled at her, but continued to ride and think at the same time. "I landed on a mossy ledge about seven ells down (on my feet, by the way), but Legolas didn't know that. He thought I had fallen right off into the water. As he was calling for me, I sneaked up behind him and surprised him."
"Let me guess: he fell over?"
"Exactly. This time I was the one who thought he had a soaking. I was yelling for him, when he pushed me in."
"He pushed you?"
"The water wasn't deep. I was fine. He laughed an awful lot then."
"All this falling doesn't quite seem Elvish to me."
"The moss was slippery."
"So he can smile. That's good to know, Glorfindel."
.
Several long days later, the little company was attacked again, this time by even more spiders than before. This time they were prepared.
Legolas had two knives, and he used both of them skillfully. Carca now knew what technique to use on the spiders and went for their long knobbly legs. Glorfindel was brilliant (as usual) in more ways than one. Not only did he fight the spiders with ease and grace, he even glowed. Carca remembered the comment Perlomë had made about the Elves of Mirkwood and smiled as she fought. The horse had been right. Glowing was a great asset in the darkness of Legolas' home.
The spiders were a bit bigger than Carca remembered. She ducked as best she could when a large one leaped out of the branches onto her.
"I will eat you, dog," the spider thought. Carca snarled at it.
"I am called The Fang," she thought back, taking a few creative liberties, "I have killed many spiders greater than yourself. You will feel my claws."
The spider only hissed in return and Carca pounced at it, swiping skillfully at its many feet, and catching its rough body with her teeth. Suddenly an arrow whipped past her head and buried itself in the spider's side. Carca turned around and glanced at Legolas. He looked as close to being bored as an Elf in a spider attack can. "You stupid Elf," Carca thought grumpily, "can't you see I was dealing with it? Well, that one counts as mine."
The spiders were gone, and many lay dead around them. Suddenly a soft voice spoke, "Glorfindel?"
The Legolas, Glorfindel and Carca turned to where Erestor was standing, his arm a mess of dripping red blood and steaming black venom.
TBC
