A/N: Hello, all! New chapter! It was a little exhausting to write, but it's finally done! I hope you all like it!

And thanx so much for the reviews! I luv you all! -huggles-

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Disclaimer: It's not mine! I'm just playing with Legolas for the moment, but I promise I'll give him back! (maybe...-evil cackle-)

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This chapter was a little taxing, but I was mightily satisfied with the result. I hope you enjoy reading it about as much as I enjoyed writing it!

ch.8

"Relax," I murmured softly. "We're almost there. Just stay close." Legolas nodded curtly, concentrating on taking deep breaths. He made sure not to touch one person we were passing, always keeping his arm pressed tightly against mine. His eyes were wide and darting rapidly back and forth, taking in everything that was unfamiliar to him, everything that was strange, and watching for any advances as well. He was actually taking this better than I had expected him to. I had thought he would jump at every passing car and shy noticeably away from every person that walked by. Luckily, he seemed to know that fitting in and acting normal was the vital key to staying unnoticed.

Fran had come back during her lunch break, carrying a plastic bag with her, which she handed over to Legolas. He went into the bathroom to change. It took a little while, but he eventually came out wearing a pair of Mike's baggy jeans, a shirt that hung loosely around his slender frame, and a pair of sneakers that actually fit pretty well. He looked at us uncertainly as we took in his appearance, and then Fran finally said, "Mae tired." I didn't understand what she'd said, but it must have been good, for Legolas smiled at her in relief.

After she had left, I talked to Legolas a bit about staying near me and the way people would expect him to act, and then I tied his long golden hair into a ponytail to hide his pointed ears, the look completed with a hat to hide his face. I didn't want any fangirls noticing him. That would be a totally traumatizing experience for him, one I wanted to avoid.

The park was a fifteen-minute walk from my apartment, and to get there we had to make our way down the city streets. Everything was going smoothly at the moment, much to my relief. No one saw Legolas as any different. I could see how much he was agitated, though. He was utterly tense and he was more graceful than usual, which reminded me of the night Fran attempted to touch his head for the first time. He was prepared for anything that would take him by surprise. To try and get him to calm down a little, I took his hand, and he turned tome with a grateful look for the small comfort. I smiled at him, then turned back forward, leading him through the tightly packed sidewalk.

"How much longer?" he asked me, leaning down to be heard over the sounds of passing cars and trucks as we neared a four-way intersection. We joined the small group waiting to cross the street.

"Not much farther," I replied. "You'll be able to see it before we even get there." At that point the light changed, and I led him across the street, my hand linked to his. It stayed like that the whole trip there. Not that I minded, and I don't think he did, either. He probably deeply appreciated the comfort. Nothing was said the rest of the way there, for there really wasn't anything that we needed to talk about. He simply stayed close to me for protection, and that sort of gave me a great feeling, one I hadn't felt since my little brother. I felt needed, even wanted, and it made me feel good. And, in response, it triggered in me a feeling that I was responsible for the wellbeing of another, which I actually welcomed.

Looking at Legolas, and how uneasy he was in my world, I would do everything I could to make him feel comfortable. Which was why I was dragging him to a park. I wanted him to feel more relaxed around our advanced technology and the way we did things. Simply for the sake of his feeling of security.

"Is that it?" Legolas asked, hopefulness clear in his tone, and it jarred me from my thoughts. I followed my companion's gaze and saw that he was looking at the crests of many treetops rising above a large field. I smiled as I saw the almost childlike enthusiasm written in Legolas' shining sapphire eyes.

"It sure is," I replied, and I quickened my pace, which he eagerly accommodated. His excitement was practically contagious. We crossed a few more mellow streets and stepped over the threshold, concrete becoming replaced with grass and earth. Legolas released my hand and stared at the forest across the field, a near hundred feet walk. I waited patiently at his side, letting him enjoy the moment of nature for the first time he'd been here. He took a deep breath, then released it slowly.

"Run with me, Kyla," he whispered.

"What?" I asked, bemused by his statement, but before I received an answer, he was off like a shot, sprinting over the grass with long, graceful strides. I uttered a small exclamation of "Whoa!" before taking off after him. Take my advice: never try to race an elf. I used to be the fastest runner in my high school and I used to do track, but I simply could not catch up with him. From looking at him, he made it seem so easy, with the long bounds he took. When I did catch up with him, it was long after he'd reached the forest's edge. He stood there smiling as I bent over, my hands on my knees, gasping and panting like an overheated dog.

"How nice of you to join me," he said smugly. He wasn't even out of breath!

"Oh…h-ha…ha," I muttered, placing a hand on a stitch in my side. "You with…your am-amazing…elven powers…" He smirked at me, which got him a smack on the arm. He laughed lightly, the sound echoing between the trees. It only made me smile in response. I was glad he was relaxed now that he was among his own element. The tenseness was gone from his muscles and the anxiety and nervousness he'd held in his eyes had vanished, as if the long sprint had managed to shake every negative feeling off.

Speaking of shaking off… "You lost your hat," I pointed out, gesturing at his head. He ran a hand over his shining blond hair and shrugged.

"It felt oppressing, anyway," he replied. He then removed the ponytail I'd put in for him, shaking his shoulder-length hair out. God, a model would become an assassin for that hair. He handed the hair tie to me, which I placed on my wrist, then turned toward the stretch of trees laid out before him. It was the very beginning of autumn, so there was a fine layer of leaves coating the forest floor, but most of the trees still had plenty.

Legolas took a few slow steps into the woods, the leaves barely making any noise beneath his feet. He ran his fingertips over the bark of each tree he passed, sometimes pausing and placing a palm against the trunk. After a moment or two, he would remove his hand, utter a few words in Elvish, and move on.

I watched his process from the edge of the forest, not wanting to interfere or break his concentration or anything like that. As he ventured deeper into the woods, however, I was forced to follow him or lose sight of him altogether. I kept my distance as he moved from one tree to the next, saying an Elvish blessing here and there. I wondered if he would greet every single tree in the entire forest.

At a large maple, he stopped and pressed both hands to the rough bark, and, after a second or two had passed, he smiled brightly. He then removed his shoes. Since the jeans he was wearing belonged to Mike, the pant legs were much longer than his own and went past his heels, and his toes were the only visible part of his foot. It gave him an oddly boyish appearance, completed with the large, baggy shirt and gleeful expression, and I felt myself smiling.

Before I could even blink, Legolas heaved himself up onto the lowest branch of the maple, continuing on up to the next after that faster than I had ever seen anyone climb a tree. Fran had told me of wood-elves' love for trees, but she had never told me they were part monkey! I ran to the base of the tree and gazed up as he made his way higher and higher, hardly pausing along the way.

When he at last reached a spot he favored, he craned his neck and gazed out at the rest of the forest. And then, to my great disbelief, he ran along the branch and threw himself into the next one! Apparently wood-elves were part squirrel as well, for he didn't stop there. He began leaping from tree to tree, moving speedily and efficiently through the forest. I began running to keep up, the sneakers he'd discarded tucked under my arm. It was hard running and looking up to keep track of him at the same time, not to mention glancing ahead every once in a while to make sure I didn't run into any trees.

He kept his tree-vaulting thing going for about five minutes, heading deeper into the woods. As I had mentioned before, I'd been on a track team, but a girl can only keep sprinting for so long. I was thankful when he finally stopped. He crouched on the highest branch of a beech tree, his eyes taking in his surroundings. I leaned over to catch my breath while I waited.

And waited…

I waited for nearly ten minutes while he sat perched in the beech tree, his head high as he watched the forest. He looked more animal than human in that position, sort of like a cat staring into space, utterly still, feeling the throbs of life around them. He stayed motionless, then, finally, he descended. He dropped lightly from the tree, landing at a crouch.

"Nin goheno," he said as he straightened.

"What?" I asked, cocking my head. His eyebrows went up, and then he shook his own head, as if trying to banish thoughts or unwanted memories.

"Sorry," he said to me. "The forest has me thinking back to my homeland and my people, and, apparently, my native tongue. What I said was 'forgive me'. I guess I needed to be among natural things more than I thought. I did not mean to take so long."

"It's alright," I assured him, standing up from where I had been sitting, my back against the trunk of a tree. "I completely understand. Though…I do wonder now, after seeing you in the trees and everything, what your culture's like. How you see nature and the world around you." He smiled pleasantly and held out a hand.

"I would love to teach you," he said softly. "Come Kyla, let me show you what it's like being within the mind of an elf." I gazed up at him with trust and took his hand.

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"Every tree has a soul, you could say," Legolas told me as we strolled down the path. "They feel pain, both emotional and physical. Simply because they cannot move does not mean they aren't alive." He stopped and looked up at a massive oak tree. I followed his lead and halted my walking, standing patiently beside him.

It had been hours since we first entered the forest, and Legolas had been teaching me of his people and his homeland. I'd been teaching him thus far, so I found no harm in learning more about his origin. He seemed delighted to tell me things that he had always found normal, yet it was different from my style of living. For instance, wood-elves could talk to trees. No, I'm not lying. I don't do that, remember? I mean, I'd learned in middle school that trees and plants were alive, but the way we regard them nowadays is with the attitude that they're nothing more than objects. For growing cities and towns, they're nothing more than objects that are in the way.

Legolas had a great love for forests and trees, and I could feel some of his feelings seeping into me. I could tell by the sparkle in his eye and the tenderness of which he spoke that he appreciated all of nature, including the more violent side of it, but it was within the woodlands where his heart truly lay. He taught me just about everything about forests and their inhabitants. And this is not one of those lessons you take in school, about science and biology. He told me of the different emotions nature holds, of its behavior and its reactions.

"This forest is full of sorrow and loss," Legolas had whispered, placing a slender hand against the trunk of a willow. "It weeps of the destruction of its kindred. What you see here are survivors of what was considered a massacre." I had swallowed, gazing up at the whispering leaves. Of course, the outer forest would have had to be cut down to build this part of San Diego.

Legolas then taught me of the trees' ability to speak. "They don't have clear thoughts through words, like you or me," the elf explained. "We don't even have that all the time. We mostly think through feelings and emotions, even instinct, and only when we truly focus do we translate them into words." He gently took my hand and placed it against the trunk of a nearby tree, laying his over mine. "To communicate you must forget words and cast aside every other thought except for the beating of your heart. Focus on it and whatever emotion you are feeling presently, and reach out."

I did as he told me and concentrated deeply, hearing the beat of my heart, honing in on my emotions and trying to forget any other thoughts. I vaguely felt another presence, Legolas', latch onto mine and lead me deeper into darkness. I closed my eyes and let it do what it wanted. It tugged me along for a few moments, and then I felt a small wave of emotions that did not belong to me wash over my heart and mind. I felt tall, taller than I'd ever felt before, and my feet suddenly felt encased in firm soil. I felt wind through my hair and actually even felt the small stirrings of a woodpecker's nest within my body. But the most defined of all was the feeling of patience, of wisdom, and of contentment.

With a small gasp, my eyes flew open and I turned to see Legolas smiling at me. "You felt it," he stated, not asking a question. I nodded and turned to look up at the swaying branches.

"That…I…amazing," I breathed, not able to think of anything remotely intelligent to say. Legolas smiled, took my hand, and we moved on.

After that, Legolas taught me how to climb trees, how to shift my weight at appropriate times and how to find my balance. He led me gently higher, staying close incase I miss-stepped or slipped. It was like an art, tree-climbing. I was surprised at how many tricks there were to make it easier, like in drawing or in math. Legolas kept a hand on my back or my arm at all times, like a parent first teaching their child to ride a two-wheeler, and I was actually grateful for the support. I might not have tried things (like having to jump up to catch hold of the next branch above me) that I was able to accomplish if he hadn't been so reliable.

I felt extremely proud of myself when we were finally able to reach the top of the tree, and Legolas' kind praise made my heart swell larger. We were content to stay in the tree, enjoying the view, for a little while. We observed the rest of the treetops in companionable silence until I asked, "When did you learn to climb trees?"

Legolas smiled softly, not taking his eyes from the view. "My elder sister taught me," he said, then smiled even wider. "She was an impatient teacher. She took me out into the forest when I was but an elfling, nothing more than sixty."

"Sixty years old would count as an elfling?" I asked in shock, my eyes widening. Legolas made a careless gesture with his hand.

"Elves age twelve times slower than humans," he said. "I was but five in human years, not very old at all. Not only that, a prince that young is not meant to be out in the forest. There are dangerous creatures lurking within it. Even though my people have tried to banish the evil from our land, there are still occasions when a large creature or two can slip past the enchantments. Normally the patrol is able to dispose of them before they cause any harm. But the night my sister took me out…"

"What happened?" I asked eagerly, twisting in my seat until I was straddling the branch and looking directly at him. He grinned and adopted the same position, facing me.

"She promised to teach me how to climb trees, and informed me that the only way to do that was to exit the palace grounds. I was excited at the prospect, for I had never been allowed outside the large wall that bordered the property alone. She managed to lead me into the forest by slipping past the guards, and then began her 'lesson'." He gave a hearty laugh. "Never had I had such a strict tutor. Yes, my sister loved me, but she was also determined and quite impatient. I did my best to please her."

He paused for a moment, hiking Memory Lane as he contemplated his story. "She started off by telling me that climbing trees was important for wood-elves' survival. They provided cover when we needed hiding and stealth, and refuges if predators or foes upon the ground stalked nearby. My father wished for me to be a warrior to take part in the patrols and protect my people. Patrols mostly kept to the trees while they looked for intruders or dangers.

"She then set to teaching me what I just showed you," he added, looking pointedly at me, "that and more. She would scold me when I made a mistake. I didn't appreciate her harsh words at the time, but they drove me to try harder, and that, I think, was the thing that saved my life.

"We'd been out for a few hours, and dawn was approaching. My sister and I were standing near what soon became my favorite beech tree. She was pacing back and forth, talking loudly of my gracelessness and how teaching me always took forever. It was then that I caught sight of a large, shaggy wolf behind her. It was crouching, ready to pounce, and gazing at my sister hungrily."

I was listening with rapt attention now. It was so interesting. Five-year-olds, in these days, had to watch out for strangers or fast cars. Not wolves!

"I did the only thing I could. I grabbed her hand and pulled her to the tree, nearly tugging her off balance. I told her to climb. She was confused and at first didn't obey me, but then I cried, 'Wolf!' and she finally understood. We both scrambled into the tree just as the wolf came bounding out of the shadows. It nearly caught my ankle, but I was able to snatch it back before it could, and the two of us managed to reach the top of the tree safely."

Legolas paused to laugh. "We were in that tree the entire night. We were afraid that the wolf would come back if we climbed down. Heed my advice, Kyla, and never climb a tree when you're immensely tired. I had been up all night with my sister, and I was exhausted. Like human children, elflings need more sleep than the adults do.

"A patrol found us late next afternoon. They took us back to the palace." He blew out a breath. "My father was furious. He lectured us for nearly an hour on why we had the wall built around our palace, why we weren't ever allowed to go into the forest alone, and why we must always carry at least a dagger upon our persons at all times. He then went on to scold my sister for taking me out, and me for agreeing to such a foolhardy scheme."

"But he did it because he loved you, right?" I asked. "Because he'd been worried?"

"Absolutely," Legolas replied. "After he was done his rant, he fell to his knees beside us and hugged us to his chest, at the same time kissing our faces repeatedly and sobbing that he had feared the worst. According to our mother, when he had figured out that the two of us had left the palace grounds, he just about lost it and everyone in the village was set to work trying to find us. It was the first time we had ever done such a thing, and, fortunately, it was the last.

"But the good thing that came out of it was that I learned how to climb a tree."

I stared at him for a moment, then began laughing. All of that to learn how to climb a tree! Certainly hectic enough for my tastes. My laughter set Legolas off, and he joined in with me, our mixed mirth echoing around the forest.

Suddenly he grabbed my arm. "Look," he whispered, and he pointed down at the ground. I followed his gaze. I couldn't see anything for a few seconds, but then a moving patch of brown caught my eye. I smiled as I saw a buck stepping carefully between the trees, his head held proudly, his antlers arching over his ears and eyes and swinging with every swivel of his skull. Behind him padded a doe, taking the same caution, and, at her flank, a fawn plodded less gracefully, tripping over every root it passed.

Legolas eased himself from the branch and began climbing down. I wondered what on earth he was doing, but followed him anyway. He was moving incredibly slow, taking measured steps down the tree, making sure not to startle the deer. I copied his movements, not wanting to scare the buck and his family off.

When Legolas finally reached the ground, the three deer all snapped to attention, their soft brown eyes watching him intently for any threat. I froze where I was, two branches from reaching the bottom, and watched to see what would happen. Legolas took a step toward the deer, slowly raising his hands. The buck moved to stand in front of the doe and her fawn, becoming an intimidating barrier of protection. The father deer slightly lowered his head, his antlers a clear warning, but Legolas didn't back away, as I had expected him to.

"Avo 'osto nad," he murmured soothingly, still holding his hands out in a reassuring manner. The buck raised his head, his ears aimed forward at the elf. "Garo estel ned nin," Legolas whispered, his voice soft. The deer was utterly still for a moment, but then, to my surprise, he moved forward and gently nosed Legolas' outstretched hand. Legolas let the buck investigate him, the deer running nose over the elf's arms and chest. Then the buck stepped forward and brushed his tongue over the area above Legolas' heart.

Apparently this was some sort of signal, for then the doe moved forward in curiosity, her fawn just a pace behind her. The two adult deer allowed Legolas to touch them and give them gentle strokes on their heads and necks. The fawn left its mother's side and stumbled over to the elf, then rubbed its head against his leg, like a cat seeking attention. Legolas bent over to grant its wish, still murmuring in Elvish.

I found the deer's' friendliness amazing. Slowly, I made the rest of the way down the tree. A twig snapped beneath my foot, and the three deer looked towards me, falling still. The buck twitched, as if about to bolt. Legolas whispered another small assurance in Elvish, then turned slowly to me and held out his hand.

"Come, Kyla," he said softly, smiling. "Slowly." I carefully came closer, seeing the deer watching me intently. When I was close enough, I laid my hand in Legolas', who brought it to the buck. The deer nosed me for a few minutes, longer than he had Legolas, but when he finished, he licked the area over my heart just as he had done with Legolas. The doe and fawn were permitted to come near me, and I tentatively reached out to touch the doe's side. Her fur felt like a cat's; it was soft and smooth, only shorter. I occupied myself with petting her for a few moments, then felt a brush at my leg. The fawn was rubbing against my shin, its little white tail flicking back and forth. I leaned over to pet it, thinking on how much it acted like a tame puppy. It even rose into my hand for more contact.

Legolas was speaking gently to the buck, brushing his hand over the deer's brow and between his eyes. The elf then leaned forward and placed a kiss on the buck's head, much to my amazement. The deer then rubbed his nose against Legolas' left shoulder and turned away, holding his tail high. The doe pressed her nose to Legolas' chest before following her mate, and the fawn licked my hand before cantering after its mother. We watched the three deer until they had disappeared.

"Do you do that sort of thing all the time?" I asked after a brief pause.

"With most forest animals," he replied, sticking his hand into his jean pockets.

"You do realize that regular humans can't do what we just did?" I then said. "The deer always bolt before we get close enough to touch them."

"Judging by the look on your face when you saw me touch the buck, I assumed that petting a deer isn't what humans do," he said logically.

There was another pause, and then we began walking down the path in companionable silence, me ruminating over what had just occurred while Legolas simply dealt with my silence and enjoyed the walk.

"Why did it lick our chests?" I suddenly asked. Legolas looked back at me, jerked from whatever reverie he'd been in.

"What?" he asked.

"The buck," I replied. "Why did it lick out chests?"

"It was his way of saying that he believed us to have good hearts," Legolas said. "He believed that, after inspecting us, we wouldn't bring his family to harm." We had arrived at the edge of the forest and stopped there, looking across the field at the city as the sky grew steadily darker. There was another minute of silence that we didn't mind at all.

"Would you like to come back here tomorrow?" I asked Legolas. He didn't remove his gaze from the large city when he answered a few moments later.

"Tomorrow," he said, and then looked down at me with a smile, "I would like you to show me where you live you life." I gazed at him, my eyebrows going up. Surely he wasn't ready for it…? But what he said next confirmed it.

"I would like you to show me the city."

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Oh boy! Sorry for those of you who wanted him in the city this chapter, but I wanted to get all of the forest stuff down before I took him to the city. Besides, the city will be in the next chapter, I promise! Reviews, please!

Translations:

Avo 'osto nad: Do not be afraid

Garo estel ned nin: Have trust in me