Flora

Haldir could hear hushed voices outside his bedroom.  His brothers.  He strained to make out their words.  "Do you think he'll like it?"  Haldir recognised Orophin's gentle tones.  "I hope so - I want him to be happy again.  What should we do with it?"  That was Rumil.  Haldir's brow furrowed - whatever mischief were they up to now?  His curiosity and impatience was beginning to get the better of him.  He was just about to leap off his bed, throw open the door and demand to know what they were playing at when his door opened.  It only opened a crack and through it he could hear further whispering.  "He is probably still asleep.  Just pop it in and close the door.  He'll find it when he wakes up."  Rumil again - what was he doing?  He heard a soft thud and the door closed.  He peered through the darkness of his bedroom.  It was still early morning and his curtains were still shut.  He could see movement, but couldn't tell what it was.  He swung his legs out from under the covers and moved to stand.  As soon as made contact with the floor, he heard a hissing noise.  He moved towards the noise.  When the hissing was replaced by a high-pitched grumbling, Haldir could stand it no more - he had to know what was in his bedroom.  He flicked on the light and looked down.  He saw a rather angry, hissing ball of fur arching its back and spitting at his somewhat large feet.  He blinked in disbelief as the furry thing launched itself at his calf.  He howled in shock - and pain - when said furry thing sank twenty needle-sharp claws and almost as many needle-sharp teeth into his tender flesh.  He screamed in fury and agony when the horrible biting creature slid down his leg and he cursed his brothers loudly when he saw the blood drip onto his carpet.

"You poor darling - did you get a fright?  Don't worry; I'll kiss it all better."  Orophin lavished kisses and hugs on the kitten.  Haldir, Rumil and Orophin sat in the kitchen, Orophin and Rumil cooing over the kitten and Haldir casting it - and them - filthy looks whilst cleaning his wounds.  Rumil tutted.  "Honestly Haldir, you do make such a fuss sometimes.  Poor little thing was bound to be terrified what with you stomping about, roaring.  She was merely defending herself."  Haldir threw the used cotton wool balls into the bin.  He pointed at the animal - now purring quite happily, nestled in the crook of Orophin's arm - and said, "That creature is dangerous.  You should get rid of it before it does me some permanent damage."  "Flora."  Orophin grinned as the kitten pricked up her ears at his voice.  "I beg your pardon?"  Haldir asked, trying not to look at the ferocious beast.  "You said 'it'.  She's not an it, and her name is Flora.  She's sweet and cute and she's your's.  Rumil and I got her for you.  To cheer you up after..."  Orophin tailed off.  Haldir's expression softened.  His brothers were concerned about him.  He shouldn't be so harsh.  Besides, when it - she, he chastised himself - wasn't spitting and clawing him, was actually quite a pretty thing.  He reached over and tried to tickle Flora under the chin.  Flora responded by taking a swipe at him and trying to chew off the top of his finger.  "Beast."  He muttered and went to have his shower.

Orophin and Rumil played with Flora until she was exhausted and fell asleep in a tiny, untidy heap in the middle of the rug.  Then they sat and watched her sleep, soppy grins on their faces.  Haldir looked up from the newspaper and addressed his brothers.  "I appreciate the thought; really I do, but a kitten?  What on earth made you think that I would want a kitten?"  Rumil shifted uncomfortably and Orophin cleared his throat.  Flora twitched, dreaming of chasing Haldir's big toe no doubt.  After some hesitation, Rumil finally spoke.  "We thought you might be lonely and in need of some affection after what happened...um, y'know, with Severus."  Rumil winced as he said the wizard's name.  Haldir's expression didn't change.  Orophin took over the explanation.  "Mrs Lupin in the bottom flat said her daughter's cat had just birthed a litter of kittens and asked if we'd like one.  We thought she could give you back some of the love and affection you've lost now that he has gone."  Haldir looked from one brother to the other.  He dared not speak in case the lump that had formed in his throat broke his voice.  He sniffed once then nodded at his brothers before once more disappearing behind the newspaper.  Orophin nudged Rumil and grinned.  Silently, the pair snuck over to the sofa and peaked over the top of the newspaper.  They saw a fat tear roll down Haldir's cheek.  Rumil grabbed the paper and chucked it over his shoulder, then he and Orophin threw their arms around Haldir and hugged him tightly.  Haldir choked back a sob and said "Thank you.  That's really kind of you.  But...a kitten?" 

Haldir watched Flora.  She was perched on the edge of her litter box, a look of intense concentration on her face.  He heard a sound like air escaping from a tyre, then the cute little furball let rip.  Haldir wrinkled his nose in disgust.  "Orophin - what have you fed the animal?  That's enough to strip the paint off the doors!"  Haldir groaned and fanned his nose.  Flora was scraping the litter over her 'deposit'.  Once she was satisfied that she had covered it well enough, she ran away from the odour as fast as her little legs could carry her.  Haldir snorted.  "You may well run you horror!" Three days had passed since Flora had joined the family and for those three days, Haldir had tried to avoid the kitten as much as he could without upsetting his brothers.  Haldir was of the firm opinion that Flora’s sole aim in life was to torment him.  Flora on the other hand, was of the firm opinion that Haldir’s sole purpose in life was to be tormented.  She seemed to take great delight in annoying him in as many different ways as she could – after the first morning with her claws in his leg, she had clawed his covers off the bed in the middle of the night, snuck up on him while he was in the bathroom and rubbed cold nose against his leg and that very morning he’d left his breakfast unattended while he retrieved the post only to re-enter the kitchen to find Flora slurping away at his porridge.  Now she had created an unearthly stench just as he’d sat down to eat his lunch.  To make matters worse, his brothers had gone out for the day, leaving him home alone with the little monster.

Haldir lay on the floor trying to finish the crossword.  He was failing because Flora kept jumping around on the newspaper, under the newspaper and around the newspaper.  If she wasn’t attacking the paper, she was attacking his pen.  Haldir sighed, threw down the pen and crawled over to the sofa, pulling himself onto it.  He lay there, watching Flora bat the pen around.  When she tired of that, she wandered off, out of the room.  Haldir rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling.  It was a times like this that he missed Severus.  The house was empty but for him and the kitten and would be for a few more hours.  He allowed himself a moment of self-pity, sighing once more.  His train of thought was interrupted by a soft “mew” and a moment later, Flora landed on his stomach, toy mouse in her mouth.  She dropped the mouse and regarded the Elf.  Haldir picked up the mouse and tossed it across the room.  With an excited squeak, Flora leapt off and chased it.  She picked up the mouse in her teeth, ran back over to the sofa, up onto Haldir’s stomach and dropped it.  Again, Haldir tossed the mouse and again, Flora went chasing after it.  When she appeared back on his stomach, Haldir allowed himself a chuckle.  Soon, Elf and cat had fallen into a pattern – Haldir would throw the mouse, Flora would bring it back for more.  Chuckles gave way to sniggers and sniggers gave way to full on laughter.  Haldir was beginning to enjoy himself and his melancholy slipped away.

A few hours later, Orophin and Rumil came home.  They walked into the living room and stopped.  Haldir was flat out on the sofa fast asleep and curled up on his chest, purring lay Flora.  Both were a picture of contentment.  Orophin and Rumil grinned at each other and quietly crept away.

The end