Beastly || Legolas

Thirty four - Epilogue

Forty years after the battle of five armies.

The sky was dark and the moonlight was pouring through the window when Namir woke. It cast the room in silvery shadow as he yawned and stretched. The bed was warm in the cool air of summer nights. Some part of him wanted to bask and go back to sleep but the cat part was restless and was done with sleep. It wanted to go and wander. He sighed and blinked slightly glowing eyes at the ceiling, the light reflecting off them as he gazed around. Sharp ears listening to the soft night noises of animals and insects outside.

 His bedroom had not changed much in the decades. It remained simple and without many possessions. But a new long sword of recognisable elven craft hung from a hook on the wall next to the door. The silver on the hilt gleaming gently and the leather scabbard dark. A few other notable changes were the bow and quiver of arrows hanging on a matching hook along with a dark brown cloak. A pair of boots, the only pair in the whole house, were arranged neatly under the bed and a set of clothes were draped over the back of a wooden chair. Green tunic and brown trousers abandoned  but Namir knew that there were at least three more sets in his wardrobe. (The elf now had more clothes here than Namir even owned). 

The owner of these items and the one who had given Namir the sword (it had been a courting gift) was lying in the bed next to him. Legolas was on his back, golden hair covering the pillow and head turned towards Namir. One arm draped over his chest, the other was half extended towards where the skin-changer was lying. The blonde's face was slack with sleep and his breathing was soft and slow. It made him look younger, less stern. Namir rose up on to one arm, his shoulder length hair falling around his shoulders in messy waves. The sheets pooled round his waist and he tucked them up higher around the elf before they could fall from him too. 

He took a moment to brush the hair from Legolas' face and wrap the blankets closer round his sleeping form. The elf didn't need the extra heat as elves could regulate their body temperatures better than other races, but Namir liked to make sure that he was comfortable anyway. He lingered long enough to lean in close, inhaling the familiar scent as he pressed a kiss to the elf's forehead. Then he was pulling back and swinging his legs out of bed to pad soundlessly across the room and towards the open window. It was a big enough window for a large cat to slink out when needed. He pulled off his cotton trousers and changed. The panther jumping from the window and out on to the moonlight dew grass. The shadows of the night absorbing him like a shadow.

Namir spent a few hours roaming from their garden and out round the plains. He took his time to chase a deer through the hills. The startled creature fleeing towards the rocky beginnings of the misty mountains to the west that marked the edge of Beorn's territory . Namir slowed and jumped up onto a rock, growing bored of his chase. The deer fled up the mountain unscathed. The cat flicked his tail. Dawn was approaching, the sky was already beginning to lighten. He should get back for breakfast. Maybe he could sneak some honey? He yawned and closed his eyes to savour the cool breeze from the east. The day was going to be warm.

He sniffed the air. The air smelt of dry plants and of dust. Distantly he could just about scent the smoke from the mines of Erebor. The mountain smoke diluted by the forest of Mirkwood between them. Namir yawned, white fangs glinting and shook out the dew from his fur. There was a moment as the wind died down and then a rustle as it regained it's strength and began to blow from another direction. Namir climbed down the rock and paused, instincts blaring as a new scent caught his attention. Filth and foul mould. Orcs. 

He turned, eyes scanning in the gloom of rapidly approaching dawn. Something moved in the shadow of the mountain above him and he growled. Something came flying towards him through the air. He didn't get time to move before the net hit him. The thick ropes intertwining around him as the stone weights forced him to the ground. Namir yowled in shock and sudden pain at the weight. Form now trapped and helpless on the ground as he writhed. The more he struggled, the more the rope dug into his skin. From above, dark shapes emerged from their hiding places and descended. 

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Legolas woke to sunlight and an empty bed. It was still early and the coldness from the space at his side told him that Namir had left hours ago. Yet, he was no concerned. It was not uncommon for the skin-changer to wake in the night and go for a prowl. It was the cat in him that left him with a need to be sometimes nocturnal. Legolas was sort of used to this by now so he got up and went through his morning routine of getting dressed. Outside, he could hear Beorn already awake and letting the animals out of the barn. The morning chores ready beginning. 

When he was dressed, he went to go and help the bear man milk the cows and check the bee hives for honey. They worked in containable silence, neither of them big talkers, as the sun steadily rose up over the sky. Once breakfast was laid out on the table and Namir had not yet returned, Legolas went to go and wait at the gate. It was unusual that the cat wasn't back for breakfast, but it had happened before. Legolas was calm but a seed of concern was beginning to bloom in his chest as he gazed out over the plains. The sun was bright and he could not see a black cat beast out on the grass. 

"This is strange", Beorn commented as he came to stand at the elf's side. The large man moved surprisingly quietly for someone of his size. "Namir is usually back in time for food". He had said exactly what Legolas was thinking. 

"He should be back soon", The blonde replied. But the worry was growing in his chest and a bad feeling was settling over his shoulders. Namir should be back by now. 

Namir didn't return. 

unedited 

did you think this was going to be a happy ending? sorry to disappoint. 

this is the end of Beastly! Thank you for getting this far. As you can tell by the cliffhanger, I am planning a second book for LOTR. be patient. 

as I do with all completed books, I am having a Q&A. so if you have any questions about Namir or this book, comment them below and I will answer them soon. (please no questions about the next book. I won't answer them). 

Thank you again for reading. Hope you enjoyed it. Vote, comment, follow!