Chapter One- Squirrels and Mud Puddles
A golden haired elfling ran after a gray squirrel that had a small eagle toy in its tiny hands.
“Give that back you filthy rodent!” Legolas screamed. The squirrel scurried up a tree and into a hole. Legolas stretched out his arms to the lowest branch but it was too high up.
Meanwhile, Elrond’s sons, Elrohir and Elladan, rode their horses through the woods of Greenwood. Spotting the young elfling, Legolas, Elrohir trotted over to him and dismounted his horse. Legolas, though hearing him approach, continued to reach for the branch.
“You stupid rabid squirrel. Give me my toy back!” Legolas yelled. Elrohir cringed at Legolas’ tone but continued to walk up behind him.
“Young elfling, why are you trying to get in the tree?” Elladan asked as he came up behind his brother. He knew his name but did not want to panic the young elf. Legolas whirled around and stared at the two twins.
“Stupid squirrel has my toy…” Legolas pouted. An acorn hit the back of his head.
“OW!” Legolas whined and turned around to see the squirrel wielding an armful of acorns. Legolas picked up a rock and hurled it at the squirrel. Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other then looked at Legolas again. Legolas was reaching for the branch again.
Slowly, Elrohir picked Legolas up and let him grasp the tree branch. Legolas scampered up the tree with the twins in hot pursuit. Finally Legolas reached the hole.
The squirrel flung another acorn at Legolas which surprised the elfling causing him to fall backwards. Elladan grabbed Legolas’ collar before he could fall any further.
Legolas swung around, his arms flailing, and grabbed the tree branch. He pulled himself up with the help of Elladan and returned to his quest.
Elrohir climbed to a branch just above Legolas and made himself comfortable.

Glorfindel galloped on his bay horse, through the woods. He found the twins’ horses by a large oak.
Glorfindel carefully dismounted and looked up in the tree. He sighed when he saw Elrohir and Elladan up the tree with a small elfling. Carefully, he started to climb.

“I can’t reach it!” Young Legolas screeched. Elrohir lifted him out of the way as Elladan reached for the toy.
“I… got it!” Elladan stated as he grabbed the toy and attempted to pull it out of the hole. He stopped pulling.
“What? Why aren’t you getting my toy out?” Legolas asked.
“It’s stuck…” Elladan said as he tried to pull it out again.

“Stupid twins… Maybe when I get to the palace I can get Thranduil to lock them out…” Glorfindel said to himself as he climbed up the tree. “No, wait, they have that little elfling to bargain with.”

Elladan jerked at the toy. His hand flew back and hit Glorfindel square in the forehead. The three watched him fall to the ground.
Legolas threw an accusing glare at Elladan, grabbed his toy, then scurried down from the tree.

Glorfindel peeled himself from the mud puddle he landed in.
“Yuck…” Glorfindel stood up and untied his cloak around his neck. It got the most of it and he decided to just leave it. Slowly he mounted his horse and galloped to the palace gates.

Legolas jumped out of the tree and spotted Glorfindel’s cloak in the mud puddle.
“It ate him!” exclaimed Elladan as he climbed down from the tree.
“It di…” Elrohir tried to explain but it was too late.
“AAAAADDDDAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Legolas screamed as he rushed off to find his father.

Thranduil turned his attention from Glorfindel to the door as young Legolas rushed in with Glorfindel’s cloak in his hands and the twins following.
Legolas did not notice Glorfindel and flung himself into his father’s arms.
“Squirrel… acorns… toy… tree… Glorfindel… hit… cloak… mud puddle… it ate him!”
” Peace Legolas, mud puddles do not eat people.” Thranduil explained.
“But they,” Legolas stated throwing an accusatory glance at Elladan and Elrohir, “said that it did! And here is Lord Glorfindel’s cloak!”
Thranduil looked at the twins and they shifted under his glare.
“Legolas, quiet down. I did not get eaten.” Glorfindel stated as he came up to Thranduil and Legolas. Legolas turned his head to him then launched himself into his arms. Glorfindel held the elfling in his arms, shifting so Legolas loosened his legs’ grip around his waist.
“I am here young one. Do not worry.” Legolas buried his face into Glorfindel’s neck, slowly falling asleep. Quietly, he shed the young elf off of him and handed him to Thranduil then took his mud soaked cloak out of the elfling’s hand.
“Let me take this sleepy one to his room and then I shall talk with you two.” Thranduil said as he walked past the twins. Somehow, the twins did not feel it was going to be a pleasant talk and they stared at their boots as Thranduil left the room.
Glorfindel muttered something about a bed, food, and wine as he left the room. Elladan smirked at Elrohir and the two followed Glorfindel to see where this wine was.
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