The sunlight was warm against Namir's skin as he stirred. The light and warmth slowly waking him from his dozing. He yawned and stretched his arms up, legs gripping the branch under him instinctively as he lifted his head. His senses tuning into the world around him. The smell of baking bread in the kitchen and the distant sound of grazing animals. A bee buzzed past his face and he swiped at it more instinctively than out of any need to and it easily swerved around his lazy movement. 

Another noise made him glance down. A babbling noise and he smiled widely as he began to swing down from the comfortable branch. His bare feet hit the grass and he beamed. "What are you doing cub?" He cooed as he faced the toddler. 

The infant was pale and had a mess of brown curly hair that matched his green eyes. His pointy ears peaking through his curls as he grinned a few toothed grin and babbled happily. Namir swept him up into his arms and bounced him against his bare chest. The toddler shrieking in delight and immediately grabbing ahold of his hair. Namir winced as the long strands were tugged. 

"How did you get out here? Where's your Ada?" He asked as he freed his hair from little hands. 

"He escaped when is was feeding the goats", Legolas' voice reached out over the garden. Namir lifted his head and smiled as he watched the silver haired elf wade his way through the long grass and wildflowers towards them. He was dressed simply in a cream shirt and brown trousers, his customary green tunic layered on top and enhancing his blue eyes. "It's almost like he inherited your cat stealth", he smiled. 

"Reinion", Namir chided playfully. "No sneaking away from your Ada". Reinion just gave him a three toothed grin that had him melting and pressing a series of kisses to his son's cheeks. The toddler laughing at the sensation. 

"Did he wake you?" Legolas asked as he fondly brushed Namir's long dark hair away from toddler hands. 

"Yes but I should have woken up anyway", Namir hummed. The little body warm in his hold. 

He still remembered when they found Reinion. Despite the destruction of Sauron over a hundred years ago there were still tribes of orcs and goblins roaming middle earth. Wild men and bandits that plagued some of the roads. The world was better but still not peaceful and Namir doubted that it would ever be. They found a elvish couple, Sindarin elves from Mirkwood who had been travelling to visit Rivendell. They had been slaughtered by a travelling pack of orcs that Legolas and Namir had been hunting. They had been too late to save the couple but they arrived in time to save their baby. The couple had no relatives still in Middle Earth, all having passed to the Undying lands. The family having been on their way to join a possession in Rivendell and journey with them towards the undying lands only to have been killed on the way. 

Namir could never forget the way he had stood surrounded by death. The stench of orc blood in the air. It was splattered across his chest and face in a way he was far too used too. Yet he had smelt a different scent in the air. Legolas was had been muttering blessings in elvish for the dead couple and did not notice Namir scanning the roadside. His eyes taking in the over turned cart and the dust tracks from a bolting horse. The tarp roof of the cart was torn in places and the dirt road was covered in their belongings. The orcs having been ransacking the cart when they arrived. 

"What is it?" Legolas asked, noting Namir's focus. 

"I smell something". He stepped around various items of clothing strewn on the dust and began sniffing at the cart. 

That was when a noise reached his ears. A whimper and he was quickly on his knees and climbing into the over turned cart. His hands smoothing over the wooden surface until he found what he wanted. The little notch in the wood that indicated a hidden space. He pulled it open and reached inside. The infant had been quiet and it immediately grabbed Namir by the hair as he tucked him to his chest. The green swaddling cloths were dusty and his skin was flushed. Big green eyes watery from crying.   

"Hello little cub", Namir had whispered to the infant. "I've got you". 

"Oh", Legolas had gasped at the sight of the infant in his husband's arms. "Is that a baby? Is it unharmed?" Namir had crawled out of the cart, one hand steadying the baby against his chest. When he rose, Legolas had smiled at the infant. One hand wiping away tears and tracing his little pointed ears. "Hello pinig". 

They had asked Elrond if the couple had any family still in Middle Earth. Some of the elves in Rivendell had offered to take the infant boy to the Undying isles with them in place of his parents but Namir couldn't let the child go. Legolas had agreed and Elrond had nodded and suggested they they talk to one of the woman about getting baby supplies. Namir had never thought about being a parent before but once he had held Reinion, he knew that this was his cub. It reminded him of how he had felt upon first seeing Legolas. That their fates were tied. 

Beorn's face when they had returned home from a hunting trip over a week late and with a baby strapped to Namir's chest was priceless. The bear, who was ageing faster than Namir remembered. His hair turning white and his once tall frame shrinking. They did not know how long Skin-changers lived but Beorn was over eight thousand and it seemed that his age was catching up. Yet after he got over the surprise of the sudden baby, he took to being a grandfather like a fish to water. 

Thraundil on the other hand, he was surprising in his adoration of the child. It seemed the fact that they had adopted a child was enough to get him to accept their marriage. Namir was certain that the king would be giving their son a toy bow next time they visited. Regardless if that Reinion was too young to even know what a bow was yet. 

Reinion giggled and it brought Namir back to the present. The toddler was ten years old now, the equivalent of a human around one. He was a cheerful toddler who was already crawling his way around the cottage. Mischievous and cheerful. The child had brought a light to their lives that they had not been aware they were missing. He chuckled and lightly tossed the boy up into the air before catching him again.

"Careful", Legolas commented with a fond smile. 

"You know I would never drop him", Namir shot back. 

"I know". 

"You're like a mother hen", Namir accused teasingly. He tickled Reinion just to hear him giggle again. 

"Your father is calling me names again", Legolas complained to the infant as he swiped him smoothly from Namir's arms. The skin-changer laughing as the elf darted away. 

"And you're stealing my child", Namir called, unable to keep the amused tugging off his lips. 

"Devig?" 

"Devin", he uttered, holding his hands up in surrender. 

Legolas stepped closer and Namir lunged. He grabbed the elf around the waist and pulled him in close. Legolas letting out an amused huff as the cat nuzzled his cheek, a purr rumbling in his chest. In the elf's arms, Reinion blew a raspberry as if to mimic his father's purring and the two men laughed. Their love for their family almost overwhelming. Namir leant down to rub his face against his son's, scenting him as if he could pour every ounce of love he had for him into the motion. 

"Gi melin", Legolas breathed. Namir glanced up and the elf caught him into a kiss. The connection deep and loving. When they pulled away, their foreheads resting against each other. 

"Gi melin", Namir breathed back through his smile. Purrs vibrating loudly in his chest. 

unedited 

Legolas - Greenleaf. 

Namir- Panther. 

Reinion- Son of a free one. 

Beorn- Bear. 

Ada- Dad. 

Pinig- Little one. 

Devig- Yield?

Devin- I yield. 

Here it is guys. The epilogue to Namir's story. It has been such fun to write this and thank you for all your support and comments. If you have any questions then feel free to comment them below and I shall endeavour to reply. 

Thank you again for all the support. Hope you all loved Namir's story as much as I did. Please check out my other books. 

Have a good day.