Unexpectedly turned into a cat, Kat falls into Middle-earth with the mission to prevent a death. In a feline form she can only communicate with the elf Legolas - and that he is such an attractive specimen is certainly not helpful...
A humorous (but...
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"He felt that the darkness was full of unimaginable horrors – and the trouble with unimaginable horrors was that they were only too easy to imagine..."
― Terry Pratchett, The Light Fantastic
27. To Isengard, To Isengard
Kat lay in her favorite spot, rolled into a ball between Legolas' head and his shoulder. Exhausted after the battle, he was sleeping soundly despite having to lie on the floor in a stone fortress. She probably should try to do the same, but her mind was still too full of everything that had happened during the night. Gandalf's disappearance, the frightened children in the Caves, the explosions, all the orcs she had fought.
Tommy purred loudly where he lay on Gimli's stomach beside them, looking very pleased and very sated. Kat had lost count of the amount of rats he had eaten, after Legolas and Gimli politely declined his gifts. Soon he would no longer be a half-starved stray; Gamling and his nephew Yngling had promised to adopt him and give him a home here in the Hornburg. Rather amused, Kat found she would actually miss the annoying tom. But perhaps she could visit him after her quest was done.
Dropping her thoughts of Tommy, Kat snuggled closer against Legolas' neck. It was comforting to listen to his calm breaths and indulge herself with his scent, and just be grateful that he had survived. Smiling to herself, she recalled how happy he had been to see her again. That was one of his strengths; he didn't hold a grudge. If they quarreled it never lasted long – and in this case, they had both been nervous about the impending battle, so no wonder they were short-tempered. Still, if they were ever separated again – and according to Mr Pretty Voice, they would be – Kat promised herself to make sure they parted as friends, and that he knew what she felt about him. She owed it to both herself and to him.
And then, when she was back in her own body, perhaps he would consider her as something other than a friend? For she had to be allowed that; Mr Pretty Voice had talked of a reward – to grant her life either in this world or her old world – and he couldn't have meant life as a cat or he would be beyond cruel.
Would she choose to live in this primitive world, though? That meant no more coffee, pizza, warm showers, murder mysteries or silly mobile games for as long as she lived. She could never again listen to Despacito at top volume, or meet the children and fellow staff at the school where she worked. And she wouldn't see Mamma again. All that, just to be with an elf who may or may not grow to like her that way?
No, that would be stupid. He could never be her reason to stay here. It was a choice she would have to consider carefully, if she survived to make it.
/\_,,_., ( –ᆽ– )
The battle had ended in the morning, and after sleeping through the day, already the same evening they would leave Helm's Deep. Gandalf was in a hurry to go to Isengard, and King Théoden had decided to follow him with a few of his best men. According to Gandalf no larger army was needed, for someone else had already defeated Saruman. Who that was, he wouldn't say, as secretive as always.
