A/N Here is a lovely long chapter for you all to read (Kaitlin will be happy that it is long). There is some good advise from me at the bottom of the page in reference to the chapter.
Can everyone who reads this chapter please review, I just want to see how many people read this story, and to know what you think. And please can the Mary-Sues tell me what they want to be called very soon, because I need to start the next chapter as quickly as possible so I can post it up before the week is out. If not then I'll have to make up names. Thank you, and enjoy.
Kaitlin woke to the teeth-grinding noise of Haldir practicing the loot. He strummed it once, and then continuously for about eight beats before one of the strings snapped with a 'twang'. He swore, checked out the damage, then continued playing with as much enthusiasm as before. Kaitlin had to resist the urge to step over the side of the hammock (or jump); what she really wanted was to get away from the Medieval Jimmy Hendrix Disgrace as fast as she could.
She groaned, waiting for Haldir to notice that she was awake, and then perhaps to stop the incessant cacophony. Nothing happened, the playing continued. He was obviously 'one' with the music. She groaned louder, this time her efforts had result.
'Oh, good morning Lady Kaitlin,' he stammered, face flushed, he hadn't realised someone was listening. 'Just practicing my G chord, I used to be a bit so-so at it, but it's coming along, don't you agree?' He blinked his eyes appealingly at Kaitlin.
'Um…,' he blinked again waiting for the positive response Kaitlin just could not give him. She had always been told to lie except in 'hurtful truth' situations; but she was never really good at it, the truth came naturally to her.
'Oh…Err, it certainly is interesting; love your posture though, the way you strum that G is just perfect.' It was ok to bend the truth, or avoid it slightly when needed. His posture really was very… enticing, pity about the loot. Haldir's face brightened considerably, he was proud of that, all of his late loot teachers (he had been through many) congratulated him on his posture. (Each one had tried, in vain, many a time, to make him get a new instrument, but his loot was a family heirloom, an antique, and it certainly sounded that way. Eventually they had all given up, sighing with utter disappointment at the waste of talent, 'If I hear one more antique chord, I'll----I'll Throw myself out of that window!' The last note they heard was that famous G chord. The school had lost much good loot, and many a good loot teacher in trying to encourage Haldir in his interests, unfortunately now they had given up, the funeral expenses and damage costs to directly-below students were just too much.)
'Why thank you; care for breakfast? Hand picked blackberries, and cold porridge from yesterday. It's still a bit dark, and I can't start a fire in the tree.' Haldir offered her a wooden bowl full.
'Yes thanks,' Kaitlin took it gratefully, then glanced up into the tree top. The olliphant, and pony were still balanced on a surprisingly sturdy little thin branch. Normally it is hard to read a pony and an olliphant's expressions, but Kaitlin could tell they were terrified. Ah yes, she remembered, the maulers. A rabid growl from below made her grateful she was up in the tree; no wonder the animals seemed almost able to defy gravity on that precarious little twig, fear must have given them super animal lightness.
'We should be able to climb down in a few minutes, the sun is nearly up, and the maulers will have to go and lurk somewhere shadowy. They turn in to butterflies if they are exposed to sunlight you know,' Haldir stated matter-of-factly. Kaitlin nodded thoughtfully in response, she had heard of these creatures before.
'Are they not called Pritty-Fly-Maulers?' Kaitlin questioned.
'No, but close, they are called, Nasty-Night-Maulers-Pritty-Day-Butterfly-When-Exposed-To-Sunlight, I believe, unfortunately the discoverer of the creatures died a few days after from serious injurys-,'
'-Brought on by mauling?' Kaitlin interrupted helpfully.
'Why yes. Lucky it was around sunrise, so they could only maul him for a few minutes until they turned into butterflies. When he was found a couple of hours later, however, he was rather delirious from pain, and so when the rescuers asked him the traditional question 'Who did this to you?' that everyone asks someone who has just been mauled, he replied Nasty-Night-Maulers-Pritty-Day-Butterfly-When-Exposed-To-Sun-Light. No one can be bothered to change the title to a more suitable and scientific name, so we just shorten it to Night-Mauler, usually.' Haldir was an encyclopaedia of Knowledge.
'Well I never.'
'We studied them last year in biology, absolutely fascinating.' Haldir obviously thought so, as not even an hint of sarcasm could be distinguished in his voice.
Suddenly, there was the angelic choir of music that accompanies every Middle-Earth sunrise, and the sun shot into the sky. Then …there was a 'pooof' as one of the Night-Maulers had been caught out in the suns golden rays, having not taken shelter in time. The beautiful or I quote 'pritty' silver and metallic pink winged insect floated effortlessly up the trees. Kaitlin stuck out her finger to let it settle, and the butterfly perched there.
'YEOUCH!' she cried. The butterfly, having taken a tiny chunk out of her finger, sniggered in a squeaky little voice.
'Oh, you've got to watch out for those pink ones, nasty little chompers.' Haldir placed a hand on either side of the butterfly, and then brought them together with force. There was a nauseating little squishy noise, and then silence as the butterfly's snigger was cut short. Haldir then inspected the catch, plucking off the wings and keeping them while the body sped through the air onto the forest floor. Several cannibalistic (and stupid) Night-Maulers that had been waiting in the early morning shadows, fell for the bait and tried to pounce on the carcass, resulting in several more 'pooofs' of colour, as the sunlight exposed them.
Haldir proceeded to nibble delicately on a pink and silver wing.
'What are you doing?' Kaitlin had eaten, and seen other people eat, many strange things in her life, but never a butterfly wing. To be honest, she was quite revolted.
'They really are delicious; of course only the pink ones have the edible wings. A delicacy you know. Care to try?' he offered the other beautifully intricate wing, 'It's only fair really, it took a bite of you, why not take a bite of it?' Haldir, along with being and encyclopaedia of knowledge, had impeccable logic, and a fine understanding of cuisine.
Kaitlin took the wing hesitantly, then nibbled the edge. 'Mmm, tastes a little like my father's home fried (or eyed Souron would have been inclined to add) possum eyeballs.'
'Yuk!' exclaimed Haldir.
'No really, they have quite an unique taste. I'll have to give you one to try some time.'
After a few more minutes of recipe sharing, and cookery tips, the two managed to get themselves, and their belongings, together. The next task was to try and coax the gravity defying animals out of the tree, which took a while. It was easy climbing up when you had environmental-law-altering fear on your side, getting down when you didn't was, quite frankly, hard. If it worked before, it will work again, thought Kaitlin; and so she shouted up the tree, 'Fine, stay there, but the Day-Mauler birds climb these trees. So don't blame me if you get pecked to death!' This certainly had the desired effect. As the creatures were not the forest's native inhabitants they were none the wiser to this non-existent threat; so they descended the tree quickly and without mishap.
With pony, olliphant and belongings all in check, Haldir and Kaitlin plodded along the forest path; each involved in light-heated conversation with the other, and every step bringing them closer to their destination.
A/N Here ends the chapter of Early Morning Happenings and cuisine ideas (I do not recommend possum eyes for human consumption, fried or not, I have never tried them, but if you're into that kind of thing…ok)
PLEASE review, I absolutely love receiving them! As it tells me what you all think of my interesting creations.
PS Someone once told me (randomly of course, it's not like I go round eating people) that Cannibalism is wrong. I encourage you all to take heed of that advise.