Cat of the Fellowship // Legolas x OC, Boromir x OC

20. Four Hunters

It is the way of life, I guess – some eat, some are eaten, he replied thoughtfully. An animal has such a very short life anyway, and to lose it a little prematurely to help feed another is not so bad. Elves do not kill needlessly, and never cruelly. He paused. We have to cut down trees as well, sometimes, he admitted.

Gasp! Cut down trees! Oh, Legolas, how could you?! I'm so disappointed now.

You are mocking me.

Mocking you? Me? She tried to sound innocent.

You think my love of trees is amusing.

Actually, I do. She smirked. And cute. You're a cute tree-nerd.

Cute – aye, nerd nay. Whatever it means.

You're so conceited.

If I am, it is your fault for flattering me all the time. His lips twitched as if he fought to keep a straight face.

But I never flatter you!

Your eyes do.

Kat hid her face in her paws. You'll have to carry me for the remainder of this quest now. Can't walk with closed eyes, sorry.

Oh, but you can look at me as much as you want. I do not mind at all. I could be your personal... What was that word? Supermodel.

A few weeks back, Kat would have been embarrassed by his teasing; Legolas' deadpan face and completely serious tone of mental voice had tricked her many times, but by now she easily saw through his dry humor.

Seriously, I'm dying here. Stop being so funny. Her chest bubbled with silent mirth; it had to stay in there because sadly laughter was one of the things she could not manage in this body.

Then she quickly checked herself. Gosh, I'm so shallow and insensitive. I shouldn't laugh and joke around – about dying, too! – when the hobbits are in great danger, and Saruman might lay his hands on the Ring, and–

Please, don't stop, Legolas interrupted. You have no idea how cheering it is.

Really?

This journey would have been so much bleaker if we could not joke in the face of danger. He held her a little closer. I will never forget how you comforted me in Moria.

Kat was genuinely surprised at how earnest he sounded. Had her presence meant that much to him? She remembered how profoundly he had hated the darkness and the narrow caves and tunnels, dreaded them even, and she knew he had enjoyed listening to her stories – but it was heartwarming to realize she had actually made a difference.

Ever since coming to Middle-earth, Kat had felt useless and a burden, but now for the first time she felt she had achieved something.

Alright then, Mr Supermodel, but you wear too much for the job; that cloak and tunic hide your nice shape. You should take them off.

You wish. Chuckling, he ran on, blushing only a tiny bit; he was becoming used to Kat's jokes as well by now. Little did he know how serious she was.

/\_,,_.,
( *ᆽ* )

The forest ended and the landscape became rocky and rough. They climbed a hill and continued through a pass between the cliffs. There was no visible trace of the orcs on the hard ground here, which might have slowed the Hunters if they had not brought a cat.

That way. Kat pointed her paw in the direction where she knew they had gone. She smelled them easily; their pungent odor lay in the air like a trail of dense smoke. The drawback was that it effectively masked any traces of the hobbits' scent, but there was no reason to believe they would dispose of them before Isengard anyway.