When Glorfindel awoke, he found himself alone in the darkness. At least, he assumed he was alone. After feeling around with his hands, he found nothing but the soft moss and warm fur, with no sign of his newfound friend. Stretching was not an option in the small confines of the cave, so he ventured out into the sunshine, immediately feeling better under the rays of the sun.
Here and there, puddles were scattered about, a sign of the rains the night before. With the ground damp, there was a trace of tracks left by the wild one, and Glorfindel followed, more out of curiosity than anything else.
Although he was now without a horse and without a tent, he was determined to see his vacation to its end, whatever that might be. He was also quite hoping he would be able to convince the wild elf to come with him. Obviously, reasoned Glorfindel, the Valar had placed him in such a situation so that he would indeed run into this creature, so that someone could bring him back into civilization.
The trail took him back to the spot where he had set up his camp; what was left of the tent was mangled nearly beyond recognition. His shirt was draped over a tree branch, and his friend was standing beneath a very small waterfall, with his arms stretched out. Glorfindel laughed, and waved to the ellon when he suddenly crouched down in a defensive position.
“Avo 'osto,” said Glorfindel, putting up both hands in a submissive gesture. The last thing he wanted was to be growled at again. The slighter elf grinned to see him, and scampered out of the water and onto shore. Here he shook himself off, and then approached Glorfindel, rather damp and completely naked. “We have to do something about your weight,” mumbled Glorfindel to himself, smiling back, but sad that he could so easily see the ellon’s bones beneath his skin. “I suppose you’ve had your breakfast, but I am positively-“ Glorfindel looked over his friend, feeling that ‘starving’ wasn’t the word that best fit his situation. “-hungry. I wonder if I could find a rabbit or two for us, or should I get my fishing pole...”
As he debated, the wild one shrugged at the ‘nonsense’ he was hearing and walked to a large tree just on the border of the forest. Placing his hand on the trunk, he took up a stance with his legs spread and started to relieve himself against the base of the tree.
Glorfindel shifted his legs, the combination of the rushing water of the falls and what his friend was doing causing him to find he needed to alleviate his own issues. “Good a spot as any,” he said as he walked to where the wild ellon had just finished. Loosening his pants, he dropped them enough to do his business, spraying over the spot that the other elf had just covered. As he gathered things up and tied up his pants again, Glorfindel noticed the serious look that had come over the ellon’s face. “Something wrong?”
No words came, but actions speak louder. He was nearly knocked over as he was nuzzled against and purred into. “Yes, yes, I like pissing on the tree, too,” he muttered, fighting to keep himself standing. Once he managed a good grip on the shoulders of the wild one, he led them back to the shirt that had been left forgotten. “Here, put this on. There’s a chill this morning,” he advised. Clothed and still purring, the ellon ran off into the forest. “Well... “ Glorfindel threw his hand into the air. “Fine. I suppose I am on my own for breakfast, then.”
An hour later, Glorfindel was cooking his latest batch of freshly caught fish when he was pounced upon. His initial alarm was pushed aside as he looked up at the wild ellon who had knocked him over. “Good morning again, my feisty friend. I knew you would be back, so I caught more fish this- good heavens, what is that?”
Glorfindel grimaced. Dangling from the wild one’s mouth from its tail was a lifeless squirrel. A moment later, it was dumped onto Glorfindel’s chest. “I... uhm, that’s... very nice...”
The wild one purred proudly and nuzzled Glorfindel with his head beneath the blond warrior’s chin. Clearing his throat and sitting them up, Glorfindel picked up the squirrel where it had tumbled to the ground. “Thank you, but I have fish for us. Look, fish.” Glorfindel pointed to the fish, and his wild companion crawled over to the small fire.
With a sigh, Glorfindel picked up a large, flat rock and quickly dug a shallow grave, tossing the squirrel in. As soon as it hit the bottom, the wild one was beside him, frowning. “We have fish for breakfast. Fish. You like fish, remember?” Glorfindel had no desire to know whether fish was liked better than squirrel or not.
Patting the tiny mound of dirt, Glorfindel went back to check on the fish. Turning them, he was suddenly presented once again with the squirrel, dangling from the ellon’s mouth. “Oh, spit that out, it’s dirty!” Glorfindel complained, reaching up to take the deceased rodent away. The wild elf scooted back, seemingly knowing what Glorfindel’s reaction would be. Taking the squirrel in both hands, the ellon ripped into it with his teeth, sitting back with a mouthful of whatever was inside of a squirrel.
“Oh, that’s just... not... right...” murmured Glorfindel as he watched the elf take another bite. He looked away so as not to have to watch, but once again, he was offered the squirrel. “Oh, no, you seem to really enjoy it, I couldn’t possibly-“
~Grrrraaaahhhhhhrrrrr...~
“Then again, I hear raw meat is a delicacy in some places.” Swallowing hard, Glorfindel took the tiny creature in his hands, trying to decide what was what and what he should avoid. Considering that the longer he looked, the more possible it was for him to know what he was looking at, he closed his eyes, cursed Elrond for sending him on vacation, and bit into the dead animal. “Thank you,” he managed after swallowing without chewing and passing the carcass back.
The ellon looked overjoyed now, and the purring began anew. Glorfindel sighed, and hastened the cooking of the fish to get the taste of the squirrel out of his mouth.
Once they were happily fed, Glorfindel and his companion laid in the lush, green grass, watching clouds float by lazily overhead. “I wish I knew how to talk to you,” said Glorfindel. “It would be so much easier if you knew what I was saying.”
He received no response, but he expected none. They continued to watch the sky. Suddenly, Glorfindel realized that the wild one had been inching closer and closer to him, but not until he was being snuggled against. “We are going to need to break you of this habit before you come to Rivendell,” Glorfindel said, but his voice did not sound altogether full of conviction on that charge.
Warmth from the sun and the soft grass was making Glorfindel’s eyelids droop. The calming purr against his chest put him at ease as he began to drift into reverie. He stayed just on the edge, for the nuzzles he was the recipient of kept him awake. Louder and louder became the purring, and caught off-guard, Glorfindel felt a pinch at his neck. It was only after he abruptly sat up that he realized he had been bitten.
“Aiya, what was that for?!” he demanded, rubbing his hand against his skin. The ellon, whose purring had diminished, yet not stopped, blinked in confusion. “If you are still hungry, just say so.” Realizing how foolish this sentence was, Glorfindel shook his head and said, “Just... no more biting,” he scolded lightly. Standing up, the blond walked to the edge of the river and began to look for bait.
Unlike so many times before, the wild one made no attempt to be silent as he approached. Grass shifted and stray leaves rustled on the ground. Glorfindel, who was sitting on a rock and about to cast his line, was suddenly snuggled, purred upon, licked, and finally, presented with a firm, rounded backside as the ellon dropped onto his hands and knees before him.
“Oh, sweet Elbereth, what did I do or say.” Glorfindel set the fishing pole aside and scooted forward. “Ah, erm, here, sit down.” The purring was replaced with a whimper of confusion once he managed to get the wild elf sitting down beside him again. “Obviously, you are either confused, or anyone who has been kind to you in the past has shown you some sort of disrespect. I wish I could... just...” Unable to know what to do to make his friend comprehend him, Glorfindel let out a sigh.
The ellon scratched at the dirt between the blades of grass. His sound of frustration came out sounding more like Asfaloth did when he was fairly perturbed. Glorfindel could not help but smile. “How do I make you understand? If only I knew an easy way.”
Slowly, the dark one crawled to the fishing pole, bringing it back to Glorfindel and handing it to him. Smiling, Glorfindel thanked him as he was snuggled against, but the more amorous reactions seemed subdued now. This was a sign of trust and friendship, decided Glorfindel, as he cast the line into the water. The rest of it, well, he would deal with the rest of it if it ever happened again.
