#37 Clouds
"Horses," Pippin said as he nudged Merry in the ribs. "A herd of wild horses Merry. Look at the way their tails are streaming out behind them."
"Ye..s," Merry replied reluctantly. "I can see the streaming bit Pip, but they look more like cows to me."
"Cows!" Pippin spluttered as he rolled over to look at his friend. "Cows! They are most definitely horses, of the highest, purest breeding. Like…" He paused to think. "Like the ones Master Elrond's boys rode."
A high tinkling laugh came at this pronouncement and both hobbits smiled as Legolas' face hove into view above their heads.
"Elrond's boys!" He exclaimed, smiling broadly. "I would love to see their faces if they could hear you call them that."
"Well, they are his boy's aren't they." Pippin replied as he sat up, all thoughts of clouds and the shapes they form flittering from his mind like a butterfly moving to a new flower.
"Even if they look stern and unfriendly." He continued under his breath.
"Aye," Agreed the elven prince slowly as he squatted down beside the small pair. "Although it is long since they thought of themselves so." He continued. "And stern they may be young Pippin, but unfriendly." He smiled in remembrance. "Nay, that they have never been."
Reaching out to ruffle Pippins hair Legolas regained his feet.
"Unless you were an orc of course," the elf grinned. "Then they would be most unfriendly."
With another tinkle of laughter Legolas moved away towards where Aragorn stood on guard, watching the horizon carefully.
"I don't care what he says." Pippin flopped back down into the grass. "They didn't look friendly to me."
"Nor to me Pip." Merry replied moving to rejoin his friend. "Hey, look!" He pointed upwards to where another clump of white hung in the otherwise clear blue sky. "A sheep with no legs!"
The pair dissolved into fits of giggles and Legolas smiled to himself as he neared the ranger. At least some innocence still remained in this world.
A/N
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