Light from Shadows

Chapter 14

Iltani's POV

I panted as I tried to keep up with the orcs. I had underestimated how fast they could travel, but so far, luck had been with me. I scrambled up a tree and traveled along the thick branches. "Why!" I groaned as I fell from a unusually high branch to the ground.

'Honestly Ada,' I thought in annoyance. 'Of all the things I could have inherited, why didn't you give me your shapeshifting abilities?' I scrambled to my feet and dashed right back up the tree. I continued to run as fast as I could along the branches until... I ran into someone?

"Ouch!" They cried as we bounced to the forest floor. I snarled and hurried to my feet again, ready to fight. What I saw was a scrawny female, with bat wings, slight fangs, and fluffy purple hair. She was a little more than half grown, by human standards she'd look about twelve.

"Who are you?" I demanded impatiently, she cowered a bit before saying. "I am Nyríl." "Sad woman?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion. "Why?"

She teared up a bit and said. "My Ammë died." "What about your Ada?" I asked, she pressed her wings closer to her body and whimpered. "He was an Angband-elf. He didn't last long."

"Got it," I said as I pressed close to her, providing heat and comfort. "Who was your Ammë?" "Her name was Thuringwethil," Nyríl sniffled. "I was only a toddler when Lúthien-" A sob escaped her throat. "After that," she whimpered. "I ran away."

"This seems a common trait among the half Ainur." I remarked, then shook my head to clear it. "Have you seen an orc pack pass by here?" Nyríl nodded and pointed towards Angband. "They headed that way less than thirty minutes ago."

"Thanks, wanna come with me?" I asked, knowing I need a companion for the rescue. "Why?" She asked in confusion. "Do you have anywhere else to go?" I asked.

"N-no, but-" "If you help me," I bargained. "I'll make sure Gil-galad lets you stay in our home. Deal?"

"I'll get food too? And Fëa-nursed?" Nyríl asked as her eyes lit up. "I shall arrange it." I promised. "Let's go!" She squealed.

"Any animals live here?" I asked cautiously, she nodded. I reached out with my mind and into the brush came a black leopard and a dark colored lion. "Good boys," I cooed as they rubbed against me. "Help me?"

They danced in delight and seemed to want us to climb on their backs. "Good boy, Chau." I cooed as I slipped on. Nyríl hesitantly climbed onto her leopard. "What are you gonna call him?" I asked curiously.

She thought, then said. "How about...Jabari?" "Brave one?" I said. "I think it fits him well." "Now let's go get that orc pack!" Nyríl cheered as our rides charged in the direction the orcs had gone.

'I'm coming boys,' I thought with a smile. 'And we're all going straight home. No detours.'

Elrond's POV

"Stop squirming," an orc snarled as we were roughly tossed to the ground. "Or I'll whip you!" I whimpered as tears leaked from my eyes. "And stop that crying, unless you want something to cry about! Our king has taken a fancy to you, but that doesn't mean we'll be nice to you!"

The orc dragged Elros and I into a tent and angrily stalked off. "Are you alright, Elros?" I choked softly, he sniffled. "I have blisters from where the ropes rubbed me all day, and one of them hit me."

"I hope Maedhros and Maglor come soon," I whispered. "Then they'll see Gil-galad can't keep us safe and bring us home. And Maglor will sing to us and Maedhros will make our favorite foods and everything will be alright again." "Quiet in there!" Snarled the lady in charge.

Suddenly I heard a quiet tearing noise behind me and something grabbed me and covered my mouth. "Mmhhpp!" I exclaimed in terror. "Hush!" Hissed... Iltani! A strange girl had Elros and she silently crawled over to us, carefully holding him so he wouldn't get hurt.

"Let's get out of here... but first..." Iltani left a small strand of hair and a note inside the tent. "Now we'd better scram." They helped us onto the big cats and climbed on behind us.

The cats quickly ran into the jungle. "Thank you for saving us," I said once we were far enough away. "I was so scared." "It's cool," Iltani said. "I made a new friend. Her names Nyríl, and she's gonna live with us."

"You know what," Elros groaned. "Do whatever you want. I'm to scared to say no." "Wasn't even gonna ask you." Iltani grinned mischievously.

"How are you going to ask him?" I asked Iltani. "Mîrrómen? I'm not asking him." "I meant Gil-galad." "Oh, I won't ask him either. I'll do it so fast he won't even know what happened."

All at once, our cats ran into two wolves... with Mîrrómen and a strange boy on their backs. "Mîrro?" Iltani said in surprise. "I thought you were at the fortress." "Well, I thought you were in trouble!" He grumbled, the strange boy laughed.

"Let me guess," I said. "You and Iltani both made new friends that are going to live with us." "Most definitely." Mîrrómen said with dignity. "Now we best go back before-" He didn't even get to finish that sentence.

"MÎRRÓMEN, ILTANI, YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!!!" Gil-galad yelled as he and several guards entered the clearing. "I might have preferred meeting my father." Mîrrómen hissed to Iltani.

Then Gil-galad's eyes fell on the new kids. "Wha-" "Hi Gil-galad!" Iltani chirped cheerfully. "We made some new friends and they have no home. So they are going to live with us now."

"Wait!" Gil-galad said in panic. "I knew you'd take them in," Iltani continued. "We'll just go back to the fortress now. Thank you!" Elros and I laughed as the animals all ran back to the fortress as quickly as their legs could carry them.