Back in Fangorn Forest. Jon, Sansa, The Hound, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli continued their pursuit of their friends who fled into Fangorn.
"Arya!" Jon shouted. "Arya!"
"Arya!" Sansa shouted. "I've done something embarrassing that you would find incredibly funny! Oh, what am I thinking? She'd never come running for that."
"Arya!" Jon continued to shout. "Arya!
"Arya?! Merry?! Pippin?!" Sansa also shouted.
"For Gods sake will you shut your hole?" The Hound asked. "We're not finding your sister anytime soon."
"Arya, Merry, and Pippin just had to pick this Dark Forest to run into." Sansa said as she looked around.
"They were desperate." Jon told her. "Anything sounds better than having to hang with those Orcs.
Gimli then put a finger on a blood stained leaf and tasted it. Then he spat it out. "Orc Blood." He told the others.
"Is there any blood from our friends?" Jon asked.
"No. "I'd have noticed." Gimli answered.
"I thought it was Aragorn that was the tracker." Sansa pointed out.
Speaking of Aragorn, he had paused to examine the ground. "These are strange tracks." He said.
"What do you mean?" Jon asked.
"Not Men tracks, or Orcs, or even Hobbits." Aragorn clarified.
"So what could've done it?" Jon asked.
"It's not anymore Fire Demons, is it?" The Hound asked.
"No. The Whole place would be burning." Aragorn answered.
"The air is so close in here." Gimli commented.
Sansa also took notice of it. She realized that she couldn't feel wind, and could barely see sunlight. "It's like being locked in a dungeon."
"This Forest is old." Legolas said.
"How old is it?" The Hound sarcastically commented.
"Very old." Legolas answered not comprehending the Hound's sarcasm. "Full of memory... and anger."
"Um..." Jon started to say. Until they all heard a deep groaning. Gimli raised his axe.
"What was that?" Sansa asked starting to reach for her sword. Jon already had Longclaw out.
"The Trees are speaking to each other." Legolas answered.
"Gimli! Jon! Lower your weapons." Aragorn ordered.
Jon sheathed his sword. Sansa took her hands off her sword.
And Gimli lowered his axe. "Oh!'
"They have feelings, my friend." Legolas informed. "The Elves began it. Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."
"I don't think the Godswood do that back home." Sansa nervously commented.
"Talking trees." Gimli grunted. "What do trees have to talk about? Hm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings."
"My thoughts exactly." The Hound said.
"Aragorn." Legolas said. "Nad no ennas." (Something's out there.)
"What?" Jon asked. "What did they just say?"
Aragorn followed Legolas. "Man cenich?" (What do you see?)
Legolas looked deeper into the Forest.
"Is it them?" Jon whispered.
"The White Wizard approaches." Legolas whispered.
Sansa gasped. "Saruman."
"Good. We need to have a chat with him." Jon declared.
The Hound readied his sword out.
"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us." Aragorn advised as he started to slowly draw out his sword. Same with Sansa, and Jon. Gimli gripped his axe and Legolas loaded his bow with an arrow.
"Strike fast. We've got to be quick about this." Jon whispered to Sansa.
"Got it." Sansa nodded her head.
This was it. She was about to confront the man who tried to depose of Gandalf and sent the Uruk Hai after her and take her friends captive.
They quickly turned around and were greeted by a brilliant white light.
Gimli threw his axe, which was deflected. Legolas fired an arrow. That was also deflected. And as for Jon, Sansa, Aragorn, and the Hound. Their swords turned red hot and were glowing that they had to drop their weapons to the ground.
The Figure was indeed wearing white robes. But no face could be made out.
"You!" Jon yelled. "What have you done with our sister and her friends?!" He demanded.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits and one young Girl." The figure said.
"That's right. We are." Jon answered.
"Where are they?" Aragorn asked.
"They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect." The Figure answered. "Does that comfort you?"
"Not particularly." Sansa replied.
"Who are you?" Aragorn asked.
The Figure did not answer. "Show yourself!" Jon ordered.
The light died down. And from the light emerged a face very familiar. All dressed in white robes with white straight hair and a white beard with a white staff.
Sansa's eyes widened. "Is that-?"
"My Eyes must be playing tricks on me." The Hound commented in disbelief.
"It can't be." Jon said.
But it was. It was Gandalf. Alive and well.
"It cannot be." Aragorn also said.
Gimli and Legolas were star struck.
"Gandalf!" Sansa yelled in excitement running up to the Wizard and hugging.
Gandalf returned the hug with his own. "Hello, Sansa." He greeted.
"Forgive me." Legolas begged as he and Gimli kneeled down. "I mistook you for Saruman."
"I am Saruman." Gandalf said.
Jon looked confused. "Or rather, Saruman as he should have been." Gandalf clarified.
"This isn't right." Jon shook his head. "You... we saw you in the Bridge. You fell. The Balrog grabbed you. We all saw it."
"He could be just an illusion." The Hound suggested.
"He isn't." Sansa said clearly knowing that he was not an illusion. "He's the real deal."
"Jon is right." Aragorn agreed still in disbelief. "You fell."
"Okay. There had better be an amazing explanation for this." Sansa said.
Gandalf looked back at Aragorn. "Through fire.... and water." He said. "From the lowest dungeon to the Highest Peak, I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth. My sword, Glamdring with a flash of lightning. And I plunged it right into the Balrog. Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside." He then paused for a second. "Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead and every day was as long as a life age of the Earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again."
"Okay." Sansa shrugged. "Well, glad to know you beat him."
"So you're back now?" Jon asked.
"I have been sent back. Until my task is done." Gandalf answered.
"Gandalf." Aragorn said moving forward.
"We missed you so much, Gandalf." Sansa still hugged Gandalf.
"Gandalf?" Gandalf asked puzzled. But then he remembered. "Yes. That was what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name." He then smiled.
"Gandalf." Gimli said.
"I am Gandalf the White." Gandalf informed. "And I come back to you now... at the turn of the tide."
"We need all the help we can get." Jon grinned.
Legolas grinned.
And the Hound also grinned. "Well, welcome back, Old man."
All 7 walked through the Forest. Gandalf now wore a Grey Cloak over his white robes.
"One stage of your journey is over. Another begins. We must travel to Edoras with all speed."
"Edoras?" Sansa asked.
"The Capital of Rohan." Aragorn answered.
"Edoras? That is no short distance!" Gimli pointed out.
"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the King." Aragorn said.
"Yes, and it will not be easily cured." Gandalf replied.
"Is he slowly becoming like the Mad King?" Jon asked.
"Doesn't sound like it. Everything would be on fire." The Hound answered. "You weren't there when the Mad King committed those crimes."
"No. But we heard from Father how the Mad King burned our Grandfather alive and strangled our Uncle to death." Sansa said.
"It is not as bad as all that. But if we don't hurry. We may be too late." Gandalf replied.
"Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits and that little girl here... in this horrid, dark, dank tree infested-?" Gimli was interrupted by the groans in the Forest. "I mean, charming... quite charming forest."
"Yeah. We can't just leave Arya, Merry, and Pippin-" Jon started to say.
"It was more than mere chance that brought Arya, Merry, and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many years. The Coming of Arya, Merry, and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones, that starts an avalanche in the mountains.
Aragorn grinned. "In one thing you have not changed, dear friend. You still speak in riddles."
Both he and Aragorn laughed.
"A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days." Gandalf added.
"Like what?" The Hound asked.
"The Ents are going to wake up, and find that they are strong." Gandalf answered.
"Strong?!" Gimli asked in disbelief. The Forest groaned again. "Oh, that's good."
"So strop your fretting, Master Dwarf." Gandalf told him.
"What about Arya, Merry and Pippin? Are they safe? Are they alright?" Sansa asked.
"Do not fear, Sansa. Your sister, Merry, and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be." Gandalf answered.
"I have very mixed feelings about that." Sansa commented.
"Well..." Jon breathed. "I feel better... knowing that our friends and Arya will be safe."
"You trust a guy who we saw fall of a bridge and come back to life?" The Hound asked.
"Well... it feels strange." Jon admitted.
"He's back. So what does it matter?" Sansa asked frustrated.
Jon sighed. "You're right, Sansa." He replied.
"Thank you." Sansa thanked.
"This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one." Gimli muttered to himself.
Once they reached the outside of the Forest with their horses in tow, Jon realized a problem. "Uh... we don't have a Horse for Gandalf." He realized.
"Not to worry, young Son of Eddard." Gandalf assured. "I have arranged that." He made a whistling noise. He then whistled again as if waiting for something to happen.
From the distance, a horse neighed.
Sansa could see it and she gasped. "It looks so magnificent." She said.
And indeed as Jon could see it too. He saw a great white horse gallop in their direction. Its white majestic mane.
The Hound looked indifferent.
"That is one of the Mearas." Legolas commented. "Unless my eyes are cheated by some spell."
"What's that?" Jon asked. "Is that a type of horse?"
"Not just any Horse, Jon." Aragorn answered. "The Mearas are strong, wild, and intelligent horses. They bear no man but the King or Princes of the Mark. And Gandalf."
The Horse galloped up to Gandalf as Gandalf greeted the horse. "Shadowfax." He said as he stroked the horse. "He's the Lord of all Horses. And has been my friend through many dangers."
Jon looked at Sansa. "Well, Arya's safe and so are Merry and Pippin. What do you think?" He asked.
Sansa nodded her head. They had to go to Edoras next and help Rohan in whatever way they could. "Let's ride." She declared.
And all of the companions rode off to Edoras at great speed over the plains.
"So... who's looking after Arya, and Merry, and Pippin anyway?" The Hound asked.
Back in Fangorn Forest, Treebeard was looking after Arya, Merry, and Pippin, who were now sitting in Treebeard's branches, as Treebeard walked through the forest.
"I can't believe that Gandalf is still alive." Arya commented. She could hardly believe it, and the same with Merry and Pippin when they first saw Gandalf the White. Good thing that he told Treebeard that they weren't Orcs.
"I had a feeling he was still alive." Pippin said grinning.
"You had a feeling?" Merry asked in disbelief.
"He's a Wizard, isn't he, Merry?" Pippin asked.
"Yes, Pippin. But I don't think that you could tell he would find a way back." Merry answered.
Treebeard in the meantime recited a song.
"O rowen mine. I saw you shine. Upon a summer's day, upon your head, how golden red. The crown you bore aloft." Treebeard sang.
Arya yawned.
"Such a beautiful verse." Treebeard said.
"If by beautiful, you mean make me very sleepy." Arya thought.
"Is it much farther?" Merry asked.
"Bru-ra-hroom. Don't be hasty." Treebeard said. "You might call it far, perhaps. My home lies deep in the Forest, near the roots of the mountain. I told Gandalf I would keep you safe. And safe is where I'll keep you." He then decided to go back to singing. "I believe you will enjoy this next one too. It's one of my own compositions. Right."
Pippin started to close his eyes.
Arya started to get sleepy too. Treebeards singing reminded her of when her Mother, Catelyn Stark used to sing Arya to sleep when she was younger. Anything to get her to sleep.
"Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves. And the dreams of trees unfold. When woodland halls are green and cool. And the Wind in the West. Come back to me. Come back to me. And say my land is best." Treebeard sang. When he was done, he saw that the Trio was fast asleep. And he gently placed them on the ground.
"Sleep, little Shirelings. Sleep, little wolf of the North." He said to them. Sleep till morning light. I have business in the Forest. There are many to call. Many that must come." Treebeard then walked away. "The Shadow lies on Fangorn. The withering of all Woods is drawing near.
That same evening. Gandalf, Jon, Aragorn, Sansa, The Hound, Legolas, and Gimli rested by a camp fire. Gandalf was looking towards the East. Aragorn moved to join him.
Jon stayed up and stayed by Sansa as she slept. Or at least Sansa tried to.
"Still trying to get used to sleeping on the ground?" Jon asked.
"I think I've gotten used to it." Sansa answered. "I had to sleep on the ground with Frodo and Sam as we went off to Bree. Not to mention when we were travelling on the first leg of our journey." She then looked to the Hound who was complete out cold. "How does he do that?" She asked.
Jon chuckled. "Try to get some sleep, Sansa." He said.
"Yes, Brother." Sansa shut her eyes.
Jon in the meantime could not sleep. So he went up to see Aragorn and Gandalf talking. "The veiling shadow that glowers in the east takes shape." Gandalf said. "Sauron will suffer no rival. From the summit of Barad Dur, his Eye watches ceaselessly. But he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him. The rumor has reached him. The heir of Numenor still lives."
Aragorn looked at Gandalf.
"Heir of Numenor?" Jon asked.
"It means the Heir to the Throne of Gondor. Me." Aragorn answered.
"Oh, right." Jon nodded his head.
"Sauron fears you, Aragorn. He fears what you may become. And so he'll strike hard and fast at the world of Men. He will use his puppet Saruman to destroy Rohan." Gandalf informed. "War is coming. Rohan must defend itself, and therein lies our first challenge, for Rohan is weak and ready to fall."
"So what can we do about it?" Jon asked. "We can't defend Rohan from Saruman and Sauron. Not with trouble brewing."
"And you are correct, Jon." Gandalf answered. "The King's mind is enslaved, it's an old device of Saruman's. His hold over King Théoden is now very strong. Sauron and Saruman are tightening the noose. But for all their cunning, we have one advantage. The Ring remains hidden. And that we should seek to destroy it, has not yet entered their darkest dreams."
Jon questioned why Sauron would not assume that. But was that because Sauron thought the heroes would use it for themselves?
"And so the weapon of the enemy is moving towards Mordor, in the hands of a Hobbit." Gandalf continued. "Each day brings it closer to the Fires of Mount Doom. We must trust now in Frodo. Everything depends upon speed, and the secrecy of his quest."
Aragorn looked worried and guilty. For it was him who told Frodo to leave in the first place.
"Do not regret your decision to leave him. Frodo must finish this task alone." Gandalf assured.
"He's up to the challenge." Jon said nodding. "Sansa believes in him. And so do I. And he's got Sam to watch his back."
"Does he?" Gandalf asked, smiling.
"Yes." Aragorn answered. "Sam went with him."
"Did he, indeed?" Gandalf nodded. "Good. Yes, very good."