Beastly || Legolas

two

Namir did not meet the blonde elf again for over a year. Like the first time it was on a full moon, the silver moonlight making it his favourite time to be wandering through Mirkwood forest. He was lounging across a large branch. The wood was smooth and bent in a certain way that reminded him of the wooden chair hanging from the tree in the cottage garden. Something Beorn had built for him when he was still a cub. He let himself doze as he curled up high in the canopy. The leaves of branches below hiding him effectively out of sight from the forest floor. 

When he heard the distant sounds of scuttling legs, he grumbled in annoyance. Bloody spiders, always interrupting. He didn't move other than to swing his tail as he listened to soft feet and the twang of bow strings. Soon the thick disgusting stench of spider blood wafted through the trees and he was finally forced to move. He stretched, claws extending and carving long lines into the wood. Then he was sauntering back across the maze of branches down towards the forest floor. Not sober had his paws touched earth that he realised that there was someone coming. 

For a second he paused and contemplated his actions. He could run and loose them in the trees, or he could wait and see if they posed a threat. But the feet had the lightness of an elf and he could not hear the scrape of steel. Choice made, he slunk behind a tree to wait. It took a few minutes until a silver and green figure leapt from the branches and landed smoothly just where Namir had been standing. He tossed his long hair out of his face and looked around. Face recognisable as the moonlight hit it. It was the elf he had saved. 

"Radag", This time the word was not a cry. The elf inspected the ground and Namir realised that he had left a paw print in the earth when he had jumped. The elf had been tracking him. He looked up again and his voice called gently. "Radag". Hand hanging at his sides and boy slung over his back, posture at ease. 

Perhaps it was the ease of the elf's stance, the fact that he was not reaching for a weapon of any kind, that drew Namir out. He peaked his head round the trunk and the elf's gaze flick to meet him instantly. The elf seemed to relax, a slight smile flickering over his face as he held out a hand. Skin pale and palm up in an offering. "Miog", he called again, coaxingly. 

Namir twitched his ears and prowled out from where he had ben hiding. (It was a shitty hiding place anyway). The elf kept still as he approached, black fur camouflaging him with the gloom. When he stepped into the small area lit by the moon, the blonde inhale slightly. Namir sniffed at the extended hand. It smelt of varnish from his bow and slightly of the disgusting spider blood. There was another scent there, something fishy. He perked up and rubbed his cheek along the slim fingers with a soft grumble rolling from his throat. The elf gasping as he felt soft fur. Hand coming up to stroke along his head and ears. Namir closed his eyes at the pets and purred loudly. The elf chuckled and said something softly to himself as he continued stroking his head. 

Namir flicked his tail and sat down as the elf began scratching his ears. That felt nice, maybe even better than Gandalf's. The elf let out a laugh of shocked delight, blue eyes crinkling and a smile pulling at his face. He was rather handsome, Namir noted. Beautiful in the moonlight. Not that he knew much apart from those travellers who passed by his cottage. They were mostly men and dwarves and filthy from wear. This elf was clean and smelt like fresh spring. The pointed tips of his ears peaked through his blonde hair and his touch was gentle as he ran his fingers through the black fur. "Bein Miog", the words were a whisper. "Hannon le". Namir leant further into the touch with a soft yowl. He had not identified what the elf was saying but it sounded nice, much better than the guttural language of orcs or the deep harsh sounds of the dwarves. 

"Legolas?" A distant echo through the trees. A female voice calling out. The elf stilled, head tilting up at the sound. "Legolas?"  

The blonde elf sighed. Namir watched as he reached into a pocket and pulled something out. He held out a small cooked fish with a smile. Namir licked his lips and reared up to snap his jaws around the morsel as the elf threw it up. The action caused another laugh to break out of the elf's lips. "Legolas?" 

Instantly the smile fell from the elf's face at the sound of his name. He sighed and half turned towards the way he had come. Namir butted his head into his thigh and Legolas paused to give him one last stroke. "Mín shall govannon- ad", he stated. Namir blinked then watched as the blonde elf darted back deeper into the forest. 

He sniffed and licked the last of the fish from his lips. It wasn't bad fish, though he knew that if Beorn heard about this he'd get a lecture about accepting food from strangers. Then he turned and began prowling back out of the woods. It didn't take long for him to find the statue of the elvish woman. When he reached it he stopped. A series of cracks of bones shifting sounded and lest than a few seconds later, a human hand was pulling a bundle of clothes from where he had half hidden them in a hole under the statue. Namir pulled on his trousers and swung his waistcoat over his shoulders, neglecting to button it up over his bare chest. Then he stretched. 

To any being that might have stumbled upon him, he looked liked a human youth. Barely out of his teens. Thick black hair hung in a tangle around his neck and his skin was slightly tanned. Limbs long and when he moved, it was with the same feline grace of his other form. Namir shook his hair out of his face, grimacing at the leaves tangled in the strands. He bent down to pull one last object from the hole. A sword almost half his height sheathed in a thick leather. He swung the strap over his shoulders and began walking away from the woods. His pace loose and relaxed as he headed back to his cottage. Mind still turning the image of the elf over in his head. "Legolas", he muttered, vocals rough with disuse and stumbling over the elvish name. "Legolas", he hummed. "Nice to meet you". 

unedited