The start of a beautiful friendship by Aprilertuile

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Back home

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The hound stayed right by Tyelkormo’s side on the way back to the Lodge. A way that seemed far longer back than it had been previously to Tyelkormo. 

Not that he was willing to say anything. 

The hound also stayed by his side whenever Tyelkormo went out of the Lodge, whether or not he was with other hunters of Oromë or alone. 

They seemed to enjoy each other’s presence, Tyelkormo willing to share his bounty with the hound whenever they hunted. 

They were both an impressive team when it came to hunting, and very able to argue with each other at the drop of a hat, to the amusement of those who could understand both the elf and the hound. 

Tyelkormo very much enjoyed the winter celebrations with the Hunt.

He learnt a lot during his year with the Hunt of Oromë. 

But as all good things come to an end, so did the year he was allowed to spend with the Hunt, and as Tyelkormo was making ready to return home, to his parents and siblings, so did Huan . 

Indeed, much to Tyelkormo’s surprise, the Maia who usually took care of the hounds unattached to a specific hunter, approached him while he was making  his bag again. 

“May I help you?” Tyelkormo asked quietly, curious at the presence of the maia. 

“Huan wishes to follow you home.”

Tyelkormo blinked at that. 

“Beg your pardon?”

“Huan wishes to accompany you out of the Woods of our lord Oromë.”

Tyelkormo blinked at that. 

“I mean, he’ll be welcome if he wishes to, of course. He’s a marvellous companion.”

And the fact his parents were probably going to have nervous breakdowns at the idea of such a creature following him around had no influence at all on his delight at the idea. 

It was going to be hilarious. 

And even better, going to the royal palace of Tirion was going to be... Interesting. Well, if Huan wanted to follow him up to the palace of Tirion. In the hound’s stead, Tyelkormo would gladly skip that. 

But then in the hound’s stead, Tyelkormo would probably never wish to leave the woods of Oromë so... 

Tyelkormo sat for a solid hour in front of the maia, listening to all the do and don’t of taking care of a hound of Oromë. 

It was both interesting and making him wonder what kind of utter idiot tried to feed a hound sugary grape cake. 

EVERYONE knew that hounds didn’t do well with those fruits and that cake in general, if made for elves, were not all that good for animals, be them pets or wild. So why? 

He shook his head but kept careful notes. One never knew when those notes would come in handy. 

And finally, after saying goodbye to everyone, Tyelkormo was gone, riding back home, with a giant hound of Oromë at his side. 

“Huan then. Is that your name?”

Huan shrugged at that and Tyelkormo rolled his eyes. 

“Way to not answer, Beautiful. Shall I call you that from now on?”

Again, the hound shrugged and Tyelkormo resolved to do just that until either the hound signified he had enough of being called dog, or gave him his name. 

Though to be fair, if the one who named him in the first place had been the elf that had treated him that badly, perhaps he didn’t want anyone to use that name. 

Oh well. It wasn’t like Tyelkormo had any other idea there. 

Upon arrival home, they crossed paths with Fëanáro first. The elf froze when he saw the hound at his son’s side and opened and closed his mouth in silence. 

Tyelkormo would wonder at the uncharacteristic silence of his father but the fact he looked like he hadn’t slept in a week may be the reason why. 

“Dare I ask?” Fëanáro asked finally in an impressive imitation of calm. 

“That’s Huan, he’s with me. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Would it change anything if I answered I did mind?” Fëanáro asked curiously. 

“Eh.”

The older of the two snorted at that and waved his hand in a ‘there you go’ attitude. 

“You can deal with your mother, I want to know nothing about it.”

Tyelkormo chuckled at that:

“Huan is lovely, as intelligent as us elves, and probably way better behaved than me, you realise.”

“I said: you can deal with your mother on that front, Turko.”

Tyelkormo rolled his eyes at the firm tone of voice of his father. 

Huan was looking amused at the exchange, sitting at Tyelkormo’s side, head tilted to the side, tail waving madly, and his tongue lolling to the side. 

Tyelkormo threw him a look but shook his head:

“Well, come on, Huan. Let’s see mom, get most of the surprise out of the way.”

“Wait, did you seriously call this poor dog ‘dog’?!” Fëanáro reacted suddenly. 

“You called your eldest son Third Finwë and the son who looked most like you, you gave him your own name. I don’t think you have any stones to throw.”

Fëanáro snorted at that.

“Fine, that’s your problem.”

“Indeed.”

Tyelkormo skipped inside the house, Huan at his side and it’s by a newly acquired reflex that the young elf’s hand found its way to the animal’s fur, as if to reassure himself that the hound was there and fine. 

“What is that ?!” Nerdanel spluttered when she saw them. 

“ That is a hound of Oromë.”

“And what exactly is a hound of Oromë doing in our house?”

“He followed me home.”

“ Why ?!”

“Because I’m charming and he likes my company.”

Nerdanel raised an eyebrow at that, looking very much unimpressed at her son. 

“Hm... Because we get along, and he’s as clever as an elf and overall better behaved than me, if it can reassure you?”

Nerdanel sighed and looked at the hound. 

“If I tell you this dog should not be inside, will you listen?”

“... Do you want an honest answer or a diplomatic answer?” Tyelkormo answered after a short moment of weighing his options. 

Nerdanel sighed tiredly:

“It’s like the fox all over again. Fine. I want no mess inside. If this dog makes a mess inside this house, he’ll find himself unwelcome. Understood?”

Huan and Tyelkormo both nodded, before Tyelkormo pulled Huan to his room. 

“Hm... Well, that went better than I imagined it would. Did you see dad’s face?”

Huan huffed at that, amused despite himself. His elf was silly when he wanted to. 

There was soon the sound of rushed foot-steps in the corridor next to his room and his door opened on most of his siblings. 

Maitimo was probably at the palace, working, and Makalaurë would be in Alqualondë at this time, or back with Nelyo possibly. 

That left Carnistir and Curufinwë and the twins in residence:

“Wow, they didn’t lie when they said it was gigantic! Did you find nothing smaller to bring back home brother?”

Tyelkormo rolled his eyes at Carnistir’s comment. 

“Huan’s perfect as he is, brother. Also Oromë’s hounds are not generally on the small side so...”

Curufinwë shook his head at that:

“And what does dad think of that creature?”

“Dad carefully thinks nothing at all about it. Also I think he wasn’t awake enough to deal with the idea of me having a dog.” Tyelkormo answered amused. 

“... Well dad did spend the last few days and nights travelling, I guess. There’s an important council coming up that he can’t just skip, and one of his projects in Aulë's hall was not doing what dad thought it would so he left a bit too late and arrived just this morning with the face of someone who needs an emergency nap…”

“That showed. I swear I saw a raccoon with less black under their eyes than dad today.”

Huan snorted at that, amused, and the four younger elves looked at him warily. 

“Oh yes, I should probably warn you, Huan understands us all very well, all of Oromë’s hounds do.”

“Ah so between you two, the dog has the actual brain. Yes, that makes sense.”

“And here I thought you’d at least wait an hour before starting the hostilities brother.” Tyelkormo said mildly. 

“How old is that creature?” Curufinwë asked his brother. 

“Why?”

“It doesn’t look like a... What do your lot call them? Young? Child? Puppy?”

“He’s fully grown, and probably a fair bit older than me to be quite honest about that.”

“... How is that even possible?!”

“Animal companion of a Vala. I would be more surprised if he was strictly mortal and short lived.” Tyelkormo answered with a shrug. 

“So it was not like... A trap gift because the dog’s becoming too old to hunt?”

Tyelkormo blinked at that. 

“I think brother, that you’ll find that Huan wasn’t a gift, and decided himself to accompany me here. He’s free to choose to come and go.” 

“Ah. So how long will he be here?”

“However long he wishes to be here.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“That’s the only answer I can give. Huan wanted to come with me, so I invited him home, it’s all there’s to it.” 

Tyelkormo hadn’t done anything remarkable enough to deserve being given a Hound of Oromë after all. He had just been a student for a year and thought he learnt well, he hoped , he had just been a student.