Disclaimer: Not mine; just borrowing.

Simple Curiosity

Estel stooped to pick up a smooth, flat stone. He turned it over in his hands, trying to figure out how Elrohir had made a similar rock bounce across the pond so easily. Estel threw it, but it simply hit the water with a plunk before sinking to the bottom. Frowning, the young boy picked up another suitable rock, and tried to remember exactly how Elrohir had done it.

Deciding that his brother had thrown it under-hand, Estel tried that. It didn't work. Frustrated, Estel just picked up a handful of rocks and threw them as hard as he could. Plunk…plunk, plunk, plunkplunkplunk! The sounds were immensely satisfying in light of his frustration.

Bored with throwing rocks, the young boy turned from the pond and surveyed the area between himself and stables. There was still plenty of time before he had to go inside for the evening meal, and so there had to be something to do!

So Estel set out, scrambling over rocks and jumping over logs as he wandered around, looking for something interesting.

Suddenly, he spotted it: a large, brown, ugly toad. Grey eyes widened as Estel froze in his tracks, staring at the amazing creature. He had seen them before, of course, but never such a big one! Immediately, he resolved to catch it. Maybe his Naneth would let him keep it as a pet, if he promised to take very good care of it!

Estel leapt forward, reaching out to grasp the toad. His hands closed on empty air as it leapt out of reach. Again, Estel lunged, coming even closer to catching his quarry. The toad, however, continue jumping farther and farther away. Paying no heed to the direction he was heading, Estel pursued it, intent upon catching it.

Suddenly, a voice broke Estel's concentration. "Estel, where are you going?" The boy lost sight of the toad, and, with a sigh, turned to see Elladan leap down from a tree not far away.

"I was going to catch a toad," Estel replied, pointing to where he had last seen the creature. "But you made me lose it!"

Elladan smiled and came to place a hand on Estel's shoulder. "Ah, but if you had continued chasing him, look where you would have ended." He pointed ahead of them to where the ground cut off sharply. Estel would have tumbled down the steep hill, and gotten covered in scratches and bruises – or worse. "A hunter must be aware of all his surroundings, not only his prey."

Estel nodded thoughtfully, and looked up at Elladan. "How do you make rocks bounce on the water?"

Elladan tilted his head in confusion. "Make rocks bounce on water?" he repeated. Then understanding dawned. "Oh! Do you mean make them skip on the water, Estel?" Estel nodded. His brother laughed, picked him up, and together they returned to the pond to learn to skip rocks.

As the sun began to sink towards the Western horizon, Elladan picked Estel up, and they began the trek back to the house for the evening meal. "If I had caught the toad," Estel said thoughtfully, "do you think Nana would have let me keep it?"

Elladan laughed. "No, Estel, I do not think so. Ada would have taken her side, as well."

Estel frowned. "Why?"

"Because toads are not meant to live with people."

"Why?"

"You have nowhere to keep him, and he would escape and find his way to the library, or into a council meeting and end up beneath Erestor's chair."

Estel considered this, but could find nothing wrong. "Is that bad?" Elladan only laughed. "Erestor does not like toads?"

"Not when they are in his study." Elladan hoisted Estel onto his shoulders.

Again, Estel considered this information, and an idea began to form. "Are you sure he would not like it?"

"I am certain. Why do you ask, Estel?"

"Has one ever been in his study?" Estel leaned forward over his brother's head to see his face.

Elladan glanced up at him, suspicion in his eyes. "Not to my knowledge…"

When they made it back to the house, Elladan let Estel down with instructions to go wash himself before dinner. Estel hurried down the hallway to do as he was told, and found his Naneth waiting for him. "Nana, I almost caught a toad!" he exclaimed as she picked him up to wash his face and hands. "It was big! And then Elladan taught me to skip rocks on the pond!" His Naneth laughed as he excitedly related his adventures of the day.

Gilraen smiled as he finished his tale. "You will make a mighty hunter someday, Estel, and make your brothers, Adar, and I proud." Estel smiled brightly, envisioning himself fighting balrogs and dragons, like Túrin Turambar, Ecthelion of the Fountain, and other heroes of his favorite tales.

"Naneth, was Ada a great hunter?"

"You could ask him yourself, Estel, tonight at dinner."

Estel shook his head. "No, not that Ada. My other Ada."

His Naneth paused, and smiled sadly. "Yes, Estel, he was a great hunter. I will tell you more of him when the time comes."

"When will that be?" Estel asked as she took his hand to go to dinner. "Soon?"

"When you are older."

Estel waited a few minutes. "I'm older now, Nana." She laughed and shook her head. Estel sighed, realizing that he would get nothing out of her for a long time.

The next morning, Estel woke to the realization that he still did not understand why Erestor would dislike a toad in his study. The boy quickly slipped out of bed and dressed himself, struggling a little with his shoes, and poked his head out of his room. No one was in sight, so he quickly ran down the hall and outside. He paused to pick out a bucket, and then hurried on to the pond.

Almost immediately he found a toad. It was not as big as the one from the day before, but it would do. Estel carefully crept up behind it, bucket ready. As soon as he was close enough, he lunged, slamming the bucket upside down over the place where the toad had been only a moment before. Not to be discouraged, Estel carefully picked up the bucket again, and took a step forward, watching his quarry carefully. Once again, he slammed the bucket down, missing by mere inches as the toad leapt away.

This went on for a long time, Estel concentrating so hard on the toad that he paid no heed to the mud that soon coated his clothes, or the minor scratches and bruises he acquired when he slipped on rocks or brushed against sharp plants.

Finally, the bucket landed on top of the toad, effectively trapping it beneath. Grinning broadly in his triumph, Estel scooped the bucket upright and peered down into it at the toad, who sat atop some mud and rocks inside, looking back up at him. It was really a very interesting creature, with mud-colored, bumpy skin and big webbed feet. Its beady black eyes blinked lazily, and it apparently did not seem fazed by its sudden captivity. Why would Erestor not like to see one? With a shrug, Estel supposed he would find out soon enough, and picked up the bucket to take back to the house.

Once inside, he made his way to Erestor's study, wondering if the old Elf would be in there yet. If he was, Estel would have the answer to his question immediately. If he was not, then Estel would simply leave the bucket near the desk and wait to hear of Erestor's reaction later, perhaps at the breakfast table.

The study proved to be empty, so Estel quietly padded across the carpet and set the bucket down near the desk. The toad let out a croak, but no other sound disturbed the room. Just as quietly, Estel hurried out of the room and made his way back to his room.

Estel's Naneth waited inside, hands on her hips and a stern expression on her face. Her lips twitched once as she took in his appearance. "Estel, what were you doing to become so dirty this early in the morning?" she asked.

"I was hunting," Estel replied. His Naneth sighed and shook her head, kneeling to help him change out of his muddy clothes and wash his hands and face. Then she quickly brushed through his unruly hair, and took his hand to take him to breakfast.

As they approached the dining room, a shout echoed through the Last Homely House from the direction of Erestor's study, "Estel!"