Boldness or Stupidity
To say that Harry was startled by the sudden shove he received would be an understatement. He didn’t expect the stranger to respond with this much animosity after all he’s been trying to do to help him. Harry feels a little offended, actually.
After a few seconds trying to regain his barrings, he sits up, arms sustaining his upper body, legs stretched in front of him.
“Ouch, that was uncalled for!” he huffs.
He doesn’t mean to whine. After all, he’s been through worse but it is never nice to be tossed around. And he has many years of experience with that, be it with uncle Vernon or his stay at Hogwarts, he could even say he is some sort of expert at being tossed around, but it doesn’t make it more pleasant.
He raises his gaze and, scowling, locks eyes with the stranger. The stranger is panting and scowling back. That strange noise that reverberates through the clearing, like a deep growling is back. He looks like a very strange, very angry, wild animal right now.
Harry is not intimidated.
“You think you are a meanie but you have nothing on uncle Vernon. He is five times as large as you. So you better stop that.” says Harry in a petulant voice. He won’t let this stranger he won’t let this stranger cower him. nuh-huh. No, sir.
“Now you spilled all the water and I’ll have to go all the way back. See? Nothing good comes out of tantrums. Well, unless you are my cousin Duddley, then you get whatever you want.” He sighs, stands up, and starts reaching for the leaf-bucket only to stop before he is too close to the stranger again.
He takes a good look at the stranger. He has stopped growling, but the panting continues. Harry realises that his hand is holding his side, the bloodied side. Now he is sure that is what the black substance is, blood.
“Look, if you pass me the leaf I’ll get more water and you can clean that by yourself, yes? Since you are so against little me looking at it and wants to keep making mad dog noises at me. Not even Reaper growls that much.”
There is a pause. Harry waits of an answer.
Nothing happens.
The stranger keeps looking at him as if trying to figure a puzzle out. After some time he seems to reach a conclusion, because he extends his arm, leaf-bucket in hand.
Harry nods at the semi-peace offering, grabs the leaf and trots off to get more water.
x x x
To say that Shagrat was surprised of being found by an elf whelp wasn’t an exaggeration. He has never seen one before, didn’t even think they’d exist. Elfs don’t seem the kind of beings to appreciate a good fuck, so probably no whelps coming out of that. But even more surprising was that the midget not only wasn’t afraid of him, but the thing was babying him like he was some kind of invalid.
Granted, he is hurt. That sword through his side was hurting like a bitch but and probably infected but it’s not like he would let anyone know that. He has his pride as an Uruk, even if it meant death. But.. Oh well, it wouldn’t be that bad if he let the thingy help him. There is no-one around to see it and when he feels better he can always just eat the only witness so no one else would know what transpired between them.
The whelp has just come back once again with more water after he shoved him and the leaf away from him.
He has to admit that the mini elf is quite bold. It is stupid to be that indulgent with an Uruk, but he can appreciate the kid’s boldness nonetheless.