Celeborn's Nine - Riders of the Night

Author's note: I suppose this story could go on until Celeborn decides to leave Middle Earth, but there will be an end to it eventually...actually when Celeborn decides to leave Middle Earth :)
The Minotaur? hhhhmmmm???? You know I did a paper on what the minotaur might have really been, and since Minos is Menelaus' grandfather.... oh the possibilities.
And how can a sexy 16 year old wild horseman cause troubles for Tiger? Tiger doesn't think like other women. Now Haldir is a different matter.
My Himeros is based on a rare Spartan legend.
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Tiger stood looking at the dead snake demon as the camp was broken and everyone made ready to leave. Even in death it was a scarey creature, but not so scarey the vultures and ravens weren't attracted to it. They were already squabbling with each other over the choicest parts. Once the riders were gone, wolves, fox and other predator/scavengers would arrive to get their share.

Hearing Aslin calling her name, she looked around and blinked in surprise. Aslin and Asplil were leading a small gray gelding towards her. "This is yours," Aslin said and put the reins in Tiger's hands.

Tiger smiled and stroked the horse's head. It was a sweet horse. "Hal-dear!" she called out. "Look, Tiger has a horse."

Haldir looked around and smiled at Tiger, but only because she was pleased with her present. Since it was a Saka horse, it was probably as tough as old leather, but what the Sakas didn't know was Tiger did not know how to ride a horse. And if the animal had ever had a name, it was gone because Tiger was strangely literal when it came to names. Horse was horse.

Checking over Horse, Haldir noted it was a sound animal with good black hooves, and it appeared to be about as active as Dog on a hot day. "Well, now you can learn how to ride," he told Tiger.

"Ride?" Tiger asked suspiciously.

"Yes, you can now ride Horse," he explained.

"Not ride with Hal-dear?" she asked with a slight frown.

"Not ride with Hal...Haldir," he said with a patient smile.

Tiger looked at Horse and then back at Haldir. "Can Tiger keep Horse and ride with Hal-dear?" she asked hopefully.

"Now why would Tiger want to do that?" he asked, amused by the question. And Tiger told him, in detail. He was glad the Sakas didn't know what she was saying because it would have gotten manchild excited. "I need to pay more attention to what you are doing with your hands," Haldir replied just a little uncomfortably. Looking at the curious faces of the two young Sakas, telling himself that the boy was no threat to him, he said, "Maybe it wouldn't hurt to ride Horse for a little while. They like you."

Tiger looked at Aslin and Asplil and then back at Haldir. "Tiger should ride Horse?"

"For a little while. You really ought to know how to ride."

Getting on Horse was no problem, and she already knew how to cling to him with her legs, but making Horse go and in the direction she wanted was another matter. Fortunately Horse knew how to follow the other horses, and they were all going in the same direction.

The griffins returned and started their chortling roar in hopes of stampeding another horse. Asplil grabbed the reins of Horse and made sure it didn't suddenly bolt when one of the large males swooped down over them. Haldir decided it was time for Tiger to return to her Master.

"Tiger, come here," he told her. Tiger slipped off Horse and reached up for Haldir's hand so he could swing her up behind him. Asplil frowned but held on to Horse's reins as they continued down the trail.

Orophin, amused by the boys' insane courage, eased up beside Haldir and said, "I fear you will have to deal with him."

"Not if I can help it," Haldir replied. There was no honor in beating up a lovestruck boy.

Orophin smiled as if he knew better, but Haldir would have to learn that for himself.

Night found them one more range shy of the grasslands, but the area they were going to make their camp in was lush with fall grass and well watered. A quick survelliance of the area convinced them that there was nothing about that would want to eat horse, man, elf, jinn tiger or centaur. And to think they had started out only with elves and a jinn tiger.

Scopias suggested that they do some hunting for supper, that if they were lucky they might find a nice young boar or some wild sheep and goats. Tiger, interested in making friends with Horse, did not want to join them, which was unusual for Tiger, but this was her first pet Horse and understandible. And since she was staying behind, Asplil decided he was going to stay behind as well and tend the fire. Celeborn, completely uninterested in following a smelly boar around for what might be hours, offered to stay behind and supervise.

Not wanting to look like the jealous lover, Haldir followed his brothers into the surrounding hills. There were plenty of game signs and he was sure it wouldn't take them long to bring something down. Glorfindel and Melanippus decided to try their luck along the stream bed, which would also gave Glorfindel a chance to practice his Hellene. And let's face it, who back in Gondor could claim a centaur for a friend? The Sakas wandered farther down the valley in the hopes of flushing a boar.

Tiger was feeding Horse some pulled grass when she sensed a presence that felt familar to her. Looking around, she saw him, the god that had once been a man, Himeros. He was just standing there looking at her, perfection with golden wings that caught the last rays of sunlight in colors of rose and blush. Tiger blinked in surprise. He smiled and it was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen.

"Hello, Tiger," he said softly.

"My Lord," she answered curiously. Himeros made people long for things, usually sex, but he could also make them long for things like honor and courage and pride. "Can Tiger help you, my Lord?"

"What do you desire, Tiger?"

Tiger shrugged her shoulders. "A bed?"

Himeros laughed and shook his beautiful head. "Not yet," he said, "but I want you to think about my question."

Tiger shook her head. Some gods were strange. When he faded, she turned back to Horse and said, "That was odd."
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Orophin saw the hare and drew his bow. "This is so easy," he said and let the arrow fly. The arrow went through the hare and into the ground.

"Very easy," Rumil chided him as he went to retrieve the hare. "Leave him on the arrow and we can cook him that way." Looking on the ridge above him, he called to Haldir, "Anything?" Haldir waved back.

"I'm ready to go back," he called down to his brothers.
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Tiger sat in front of the fire, pondering Himeros' odd visit. Why would he go out of his way to ask her what she desired? It made no sense to her. Asplil, seeing that Lord Celeborn was dozing, sat beside Tiger and took her hand in his. Tiger looked at it and then at Asplil. He was acting odd, too. She looked up at the sky to see if there was anything odd up there to account for their behavior.

He smiled, and he had a handsome face, and Tiger liked him. Thinking nothing of his hand in hers, she said, "I hope they bring back a boar."

"I do, too," he said and inched closer. "I never thanked you for last night."

"Tiger does not like snakes," she answered, a soft growl rumbling in her chest.

"I don't either," he agreed. "Can I kiss you?" he asked curiously.

Tiger looked surprised, "Why?"

"Because I want to," he answered and leaned towards her, his lips lightly brushing hers.

Tiger drew back and shook her head. "Asplil must not do that."

"Asplil wants to make love to Tiger," he whispered richly. Hearing voices coming, he moved away from her. Tiger blinked at him and shook her head again. So many odd things.

Glorfindel and Melanippus returned with a pair of large birds. Sitting in front of the fire to pluck the birds, Glorfindel said, "OK, this looks easy."