Buffy belongs to Whedon and everything else belongs to Tolkien.

Enjoy everyone and thanks for the reviews!

Conversations With Tree People

Buffy continued to regard Legolas with confusion. He still hadn't answered her question.

"So this is the thief!" Gandalf cried.

On hearing the wizard's voice she blinked groggily. What had happened? She had been sleeping and then - Oh. The Eye. Looking at her. Filling her mind with horrible - and then she had been awake . . . and Legolas had called her a melon friend.

"What mischief has he done?!"

Buffy turned to see Gandalf bending over Pippin, who lay rigid on the ground. She sat up and pushed away from Legolas.

"Pippin?" she asked confused. The sudden motion of sitting up caused a wave of dizziness to wash over her and she fell back against the Elf.

"It is not for you, Saruman!" The Hobbit suddenly cried in a shrill voice. "I will send for it at once. Do you understand? Say just that!" Pippin began to fight and shrink back from Gandalf.

"Come back," Gandalf ordered. "Peregrin Took! Come back!"

"Gandalf! Forgive me!" Pippin said clinging to the wizard's hand.

"First you must tell me what you have done!" Gandalf replied.

"I looked into the stone," he answered. "I saw - I saw him. He did not speak to me in words that I could hear. He just looked, and I understood. He asked who I was and when I told him I was Hobbit he laughed cruelly. I tried to look away, but I could not. He asked if the Slayer was there as well and - and I said yes. Tell Saruman these dainties are not for him, he said, I will send for them. Then he made me take the stone to Buffy - I couldn't help myself! It was like someone else was inside my body!"

"It is all right," Gandalf said patting Pippin on his back. "You have taken no harm. There is no lie in you eyes as I feared." He turned to look at Buffy, "And you? How do you fare?"

"I'm fine," Buffy said.

"What did you see?" Gandalf asked.

Buffy shrank back against Legolas. She didn't want to think about what she had seen. "I didn't - I mean it wasn't like Pippin. He didn't talk to me. I just saw the Eye again." The image came back into her mind and she began to shiver. Legolas's arm tightened around her.

"You are both lucky," Gandalf said. "This may even work in our favor. Sauron believes you both to be captured by Saruman. If his attention is drawn towards Orthanc he will not be looking in Frodo's direction. Be comforted, things have not turned out as badly as they might have."

"Where is it now?" Buffy asked looking around.

"I have it concealed within my robe," Gandalf answered. "I should have taken greater care of it to begin with, but I fell asleep before I had time to study it."

"Do not blame yourself, Gandalf," Aragorn said.

"But what to do with the it now?" Gandalf asked. "For surely this is the palantir from the treasury of Elendil. It once belonged to the Kings of Gondor and if there is anyone it belongs to now it is you, Aragorn. If you will take it."

"I do not yet know if I am ready to accept that role, Gandalf." Aragorn looked at the wizard with uncertainty.

"You must accept it if we are to prevail," Gandalf said.

"The palantir is yours," Buffy said. "I saw it, in my dream. You have to take it. It belongs to you."

Aragorn remained silent for a moment and then he reached out with one hand.

"Receive it, lord, in earnest of other things that will be given back." Gandalf said giving the carefully wrapped stone to Aragorn. "But do not use it yet, be wary."

Aragorn nodded and his posture dropped, as if he had just taken a great weight upon his shoulders.

"We must move," said Gandalf. "Isengard is no place to linger. We leave at first light, which does not give us much time."

"Come Legolas," Aragorn said wearily. "We need to check the horses they have not been fed yet."

Legolas made a noise of protest. He didn't want to leave Buffy as she was.

"It's okay," she told him. "I'm fine."

"No you're not," he replied. "You're shaking."

"Okay, so I'm not completely fine. But I am not going to fall apart in the next hour either. Go with Aragorn."

Legolas wrapped Buffy's cloak around her and stood reluctantly.

"You will stay here until I return," he said. It wasn't really a question.

"Yes sir," Buffy replied, saluting sarcastically.

Legolas wasn't amused. Neither was Buffy, she was tired and her head hurt. She was not in the mood to be ordered around by an overbearing Elf. Although he did mean well, she admitted to herself grudgingly.

"Go," she said reaching up and giving his hand a squeeze. "I'll be okay."

Legolas turned and ran to catch up with Aragorn.

* * *

Buffy sipped gratefully at the cup of tea Gandalf had brought her. He said the tea would help ease the pain of her headache and she hoped he was right. The short amount of time she had been exposed to the palantir had left her with a persistent throb in her head. She still shook slightly and had to force herself not to think of the thing she'd seen within the stone. The Eye. Closer and more real than ever, it had burned itself into her mind.

"Buffy?"

She turned to see Pippin standing before her looking distraught.

"Are you - ? That is - Oh, Buffy! I am so sorry!" The Hobbit cried and threw himself at her feet.

"Pippin!" Buffy said pulling him up. "It's okay I know you didn't meant to."

"But if I hadn't looked - if I hadn't taken the stone from Gandalf -"

"If, if, if," Buffy said, "we could sit here for weeks playing that game. It happened but we're both fine, so don't let it bother you. You are just as much a victim as I am."

Buffy hugged the Hobbit and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

"Does your head hurt too?" she asked.

"It did until I drank Gandalf's tea."

"Well, that's good to know." Buffy took a big gulp and drained the cup. She fought back a yawn and rubbed her eyes. Honestly, what she wouldn't give to have one night of peaceful sleep.

"Pippin!"

Buffy looked up to see Merry standing before them.

"Gandalf said we may go make our farewells to Treebeard," Merry said. "He waits just inside the forest. It is but a short walk."

"Oh," said Pippin standing, "I shouldn't like to go without saying goodbye to him. We'd likely be dead if it weren't for Treebeard."

"Why don't you come with us, Buffy?" Merry asked. "You've never met Treebeard."

"Well . . . I did tell Legolas that I would wait here," she said. "But now that I think about it, you need someone to protect you. What kind of Slayer would I be if I let you wander off by yourselves? Anything could happen after dark."

Merry and Pippin both grinned at her sneaky reasoning.

"Let's go," she said.

* * *

It only took a few minutes to walk across the camp to the edge of the forest. Buffy admitted it wasn't the most dangerous situation considering that there were soldiers everywhere, but how could she have known that? She had followed the Hobbits because she was concerned for their safety . . . and because she was dying of curiosity about the Ents.

"Treebeard!" Merry called as they stepped into the forest.

Buffy immediately felt a sense of unease as she looked at the surrounding trees. It was hot and she removed her cloak.

"Treebeard!" Pippin cried out into the darkness.

"Maybe he isn't here," Buffy said.

Suddenly, one of the nearby trees moved. Where before there had been a solid trunk covered in bark, two eyes were looking out at them. The limbs began to move as the creature made its way over to them.

"Hullo, Treebeard!" Pippin said waving.

It was a tree, but it wasn't, Buffy noted. Two great yellow eyes, a large knotted nose, and a long mossy beard combined to make up a face that was lined with wisdom.

"Hrrrmmm," Treebeard's deep voice rumbled, "I see my Hobbit friends have come for a visit."

"We've come to say goodbye," Merry said.

"Yes, we're leaving soon," added Pippin.

Buffy coughed.

"Oh!" Pippin cried. "Treebeard this our friend Buffy."

"HrrrmmHmmm, a Man friend," Treebeard said.

"Uh, try woman friend," Buffy corrected.

"Buffy . . . hrrrmmmm . . . I have never heard this name before . . . hmmmmm . . . What does it mean?"

"What is it with the people here and names?" Buffy asked.

The ground gave an abrupt heave as another Ent came through the trees. This one was one tall with long, thin limbs. He seemed younger than Treebeard in appearance.

"Hullo, Quickbeam!" Pippin said.

The Ent looked down and noticed the three companions for the first time.

"Greetings Hobbits," he said in a clear voice that was very different from Treebeard's grumbles.

"This is our friend, Buffy," said Merry. "We've come to say farewell."

"Hi," Buffy said with a small wave.

"Pleased to meet you," Quickbeam replied. "You are leaving? So soon?"

"Yes," Merry answered. "Gandalf says we mustn't linger."

"Hoooom, hrrrmmm," Treebeard grumbled. "Seems hasty to me."

"The hobbits spoke of you while they stayed with us, Buffy," said Quickbeam.

"We told them all about you," Pippin said.

"Uh, that's great," Buffy mumbled.

"Hmmmmm . . . Yes, I remember," said Treebeard. "The Hobbits said you were a great warrior, a Slayer they called you. What is a Slayer?"

Buffy tried to explain her calling, but she was frequently interrupted by the Hobbits. They kept adding things in about how she could smash Orcs into walls and use a sword as well as Aragorn.

"I cannot use a sword as well as Aragorn," Buffy said and then added, "Just almost as well."

"Hrrrmmm I know of no songs that tell of Slayers. You must teach us some, Buffy," said Treebeard.

"T - Teach you? Songs? About Slayers?" Buffy said. "I don't think there are any."

"No songs!" said Quickbeam. "I do not understand."

"Hoom, I would like to learn more of your calling Buffy," Treebeard said. "It seems an interesting tale. You must come to visit. Hrrrmmm, yes, we will drink Ent water and I will sing you tales of the Ents and you can tell your story."

"And I will make a song of it for you," said Quickbeam. "It seems a shame that there are none."

"Oh - well - That's - Um - Thanks," Buffy stuttered a little embarrassed.

"You will like Ent water," Merry said.

"It is very refreshing," added Pippin.

Buffy remained a little overwhelmed by all the interest in her. A song about her? That was - that was absurd.

"We should be getting back," she said. "They will miss us."

"You are right no doubt," agreed Merry.

Pippin and Merry said their goodbyes while Buffy was made to promise that she would return to share her tale with the Ents. They made their way out of the forest and found the camp fairly quiet.

"Buffy!"

Legolas was running towards them.

"Uh oh," she muttered.

The Elf came to a stop in front of them.

"You moved," he said.

"I had to take Merry and Pippin to say goodbye to the Ents," she answered defensively.

"She was protecting us," said Pippin.

"From what?" asked Legolas. "You had only to walk across camp."

"Yes, but she had to keep us out of trouble," covered Merry.

"You know us hobbits," added Pippin, "always in trouble."

Legolas looked unconvinced.

"You should have told me where you were going," he said. "I was worried."

Buffy sighed and felt a little guilty. "I'm sorry."

"We still have an hour or so before light," Legolas said. "You should all try to get some rest."

Pippin yawned. "A good idea. I could use a nap."

"I'm not tired," Buffy lied. She desperately wanted to avoid going to sleep. She feared what she would see when she closed her eyes.

Legolas looked at her and noticed the circles under her eyes. "Must we go through this again?"

Before Buffy could answer Legolas stiffened and looked to the sky. She followed his gaze but saw nothing at first, although she felt coldness seep into her body. Suddenly, a huge winged shape appeared in the sky casting a black shadow over the moon. It wheeled to the side and flew north. Then it was gone as swiftly as it had appeared.

"Nazgul!" cried Gandalf. "The messenger of Mordor. They have crossed the River! We must ride! Now! There is no time to wait for the dawn!"

Everything burst into activity. Buffy and the hobbits quickly gathered their things while Legolas went to fetch their horses.

"Merry, you can ride with me," Buffy said tying her bag to her saddle.

"What about Pippin?" Merry asked.

"Pippin will be going with me," Gandalf said appearing suddenly with Shadowfax. "So, that I might observe any effects of the palantir."

"Of all the luck," Merry muttered. "Getting to ride on Shadowfax."

"Perhaps you should come with me as well Buffy," said Gandalf as Aragorn placed Pippin on Shadowfax.

Buffy stiffened at the idea. Her gaze flicked to Legolas who stood nearby.

"No!" she said. "I mean - I don't think that's necessary."

Gandalf studied her for moment before nodding. "Very well, you were not exposed for as long as Pippin."

She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Aragorn, Theoden, ride fast!" Gandalf cried. "Farewell!"

With that Shadowfax burst forward and was gone before Buffy had time to process he was leaving.

"Come," said Aragorn already astride his horse with Merry sitting in front of him.

Buffy quickly followed suit as Legolas pulled Gimli onto Arod with him. All around the Rohirrim were mounting their horses and the clang of their metal armor filled the night. Soon they were all ready to depart. As Buffy nudged her horse into a trot a thought struck her. She turned to Aragorn who rode beside her.

"Where are we going, anyway?"