Disclaimer: don't own, yada yada yada...do I HAVE to keep putting these bloody things up???? Plz tell me no.....anybody?????????

A/N: Thanks to....

BrOwN eYeD tOoK: yes, lol, an update! U and ur smeags, lol. Don't stop with those, I luv 'em! Boo on the Episcopalians paper...hope it turned out okay for ya! And sure, here's ur update!

CrazyCruzet212: lol, srry...I luv writing cliffhangers...it's an easy way to end a chapter...especially filler chapters. Thx, and here's ur update!

MystiqueHottie8: really? That's weird. ::rolls eyes:: some people...thx, glad you like the story, I'm trying to make it as interesting [and non-Mary-Sue-ish] as I can. I'm getting a lot more time to write lately, so I'll probly be able to update frequently. Here's chap 8!

'Yes, it's me,' Gandalf said, smiling.

'But it cannot be,' Gwyn said, confused. 'You fell.'

Gandalf's smile faded slightly as he answered, 'Through fire, and water. On the lowest dungeon, on the highest peak I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me and I strayed out of thought and time. The stars field of end, and everyday was as long as a life age on the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again...and now I have been sent back until my task is done.'

'Gandalf,' the hobbits smiled.

'Yes,' Gandalf said. 'But I am now Gandalf the White.' He turned to Gwyn. 'Gwyn, you and the hobbits must stay with Treebeard. You will be safe with him.'

Gwyn nodded. She hesitated a moment before finally saying tentatively, 'Gandalf, when and if you find my father, Legolas, and Gimli...you will let them know that we are safe, right?'

Gandalf smiled and lifted his chin knowingly. 'Yes, of course.'

'Hannon le (Thank you),' Gwyn said softly.

'Well, I must be off, and quickly,' Gandalf said. 'I must find the others.'

Gwyn nodded and Gandalf said in a lower tone to her, 'Do keep both eyes on those hobbits. Keep them out of mischief.'

Gwyn laughed softly. 'Of course.'

'I take my leave. Treebeard, keep them safe.' Gandalf strode quickly away.

Treebeard lifted all three of them up and rested them on his branches. 'My home lies deep in the forest near the roots of the mountains,' he said. 'I told Gandalf I would keep you safe, and safe is where I'll keep you. The trees have grown wild and dangerous, anger festers in their hearts. They will harm you if they can. There are too few of us now...too few of us Ents left to manage them.'

'O rowan mine, I saw you shine upon a summer's day. Upon your head how golden red the crown you bore aloft. Such a beautiful verse.'

'Is it much further?' Merry asked.

'Bru-ar-hrrom, don't be hasty. You might call it far perhaps...well, I believe you will enjoy this next one too...'

The two hobbits glanced boredly at each other, but Gwyn was interested in the old poems of the Ents. They were such interesting creatures.

'It's one of my own compositions,' Treebeard continued. 'Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves and the dreams of trees unfold. When woodland halls are green and cool and the wind is in the West come back to me. Come back to me and say my land is best....'

Treebeard noticed that the hobbits had fallen asleep. Gwyn was drowsy, too. Treebeard stopped, as it was now night. 'Sleep, little Shirelings,' he said. 'Heed no nightly noise. Sleep till morning light.'

Gwyn and Merry awoke at the same time to the sun shining brightly through the trees. Pippin had, apparently, been up for a while, and was drinking out of a bowl. Merry got up and looked around. 'Hello?!' he called. 'Treebeard? Where has he gone?'

'Probably on some forest business,' Gwyn said, getting up. She walked over to Pippin and picked up and bowl of her own, filled with water. She drank deeply. 'It's good,' she commented to Pippin, and drank again.

Pippin was staring at her. 'What?' she asked.

'Y-your hair,' he stammered.

'What's wrong with my hair?' Gwyn asked, touching it. But her question needed no answer. She immediately felt what was wrong—or right, rather. Her hair was curlier than ever before, and it had grown down to nearly the middle of her back. 'What--?' she said softly, then glanced at the drink. She shrugged. 'Must be the water,' she said, lightly brushing it off.

'Ah, well,' Pippin said, 'I had the loveliest dream last night. There was this large barrel, full of pipe-weed...and we smoked all of it.'

Gwyn chuckled at her comrade.

'And then—' Pippin turned to Merry. 'You were sick.'

Gwyn laughed out loud at this.

'I'd give anything for a whiff of Old Toby,' Pippin continued, laying back. A deep roar came from the forest.

'Did you hear that?' Merry asked. Pippin sat up. Another roar. 'There it is again.' Pippin filled his bowl up again.

'Something's not right here,' Merry continued. 'Not right at all.' He turned to Pippin and Gwyn.

Pippin stretched, and a deep growl came from where he was standing.

Gwyn looked at him suddenly.

'You just said something...Treeish,' Merry said, awestruck.

'No, I didn't,' Pippin said. 'I was just stretching.' He stretched again...with another growl.

Merry frowned, and circled him, while Gwyn watched, amused. 'You're taller!' he said.

'Who?' Pippin asked.

'You!'

'Than what?'

'Than me!'

'I've always been taller than you!'

'Pippin, everyone knows I'm the tall one. You're the short one.'

'Please, Merry,' Pip said. 'You're what? Three-foot-six? At the most?'

Merry crossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders.

Pippin continued. 'Whereas me, I'm pushing 3'7"...' He stretched again. '...3'8"!' He gulped some more water.

'Three-foot-eight?!' Merry said weakly. 'You did something.'

Pippin smiled innocently. He set his bowl down. Merry's eyes shot to it, and he quickly grabbed it and began drinking. 'No, Merry!' Pippin yelped. 'Don't drink it!' They began to fight over the bowl while Gwyn looked on, laughing.

'Calm down, you two,' she admonished after a few minutes, still laughing.

Finally, Treebeard returned, and set them on his branches once more, setting off into the forest. 'The trees have grown wild and dangerous,' he said again. 'Anger festers in their hearts. Black are their thoughts. Strong is their hate. They will harm you if they can. There are too few of us now, too few of us Ents left to manage them.'

'But why are there so few of you when you have lived so long?' Pippin asked curiously. 'Are there Ent children?'

'Bru-ha-hroom...There have been no Entings for a terrible long count of years,' Treebeard answered.

'Why is that?' Gwyn asked.

'We lost the Entwives.'

'Oh, I'm sorry,' Pippin said sadly. 'How did they die?'

'Die, no. We lost them,' Treebeard corrected. 'And now we cannot find them. I don't suppose you've seen Entwives in the Shire?'

'Can't say that I have,' Merry said. 'You Pip?...Gwyn?'

'What do they look like?' Pippin asked, while Gwyn shrugged.

'I don't remember now,' Treebeard said sadly.

'Look!' Pippin said suddenly. 'There's smoke to the south!'

'There is always smoke rising from Isengard these days,' he said.

'Isengard?' Merry repeated.

'There was a time when Saruman would walk in my woods,' Treebeard recalled. 'But now he has a mind of metal and wheels. He no longer cares for growing things.'

'Gwyn!' Pippin whispered, motioning for her to climb to a higher branch, where he and Merry were. As she reached their height, she saw why they were calling her. A view over the trees showed a large group of orcs marching with spears and shields.

'What is it?' Pippin asked, staring.

'It's Saruman's army,' Gwyn answered. 'The war has started.'

Presently they came upon a great clearing, a large rock was protruding from the earth. 'What—' Gwyn began.

'The Ents have not troubled with the wars of men and wizards for a very long time,' Treebeard told them. 'But now, something is about to happen that has not happened for an age...Entmoot.'

'What's that?' Merry asked.

''Tis a gathering.'

'A gathering of what?' Sudden thumping and groaning was heard from the depths of forest around them. The trio glanced around and saw many, many Ents approaching.

'Beech...Oak...Chestnut...Ash....good, good, good,' Treebeard said. 'Many have come. Now we must decide if the Ents will go to war.'

Gwyn, Merry, and Pippin looked excitedly at each other, all thinking the same thought: if the Ents would fight, there would be a strong chance of victory.

'Now that we are all here,' Treebeard said. 'We will begin.' He turned to the three. 'The ways of the Ents are not hasty. Roam the forest if you like...' He turned back to all the other Ents and they began moaning, groaning, and droning in an exceptionally boring manner.

Gwyn turned to the hobbits with a mischievous smile. They grinned back. 'Let's see what mischief we can get into!' she said happily, for she loved what dangers the forest held.

'Yes!' Merry and Pippin cheered, and took off.

Gwyn followed them, thinking of the Ents and their ways. 'The ways of the Ents are not hasty,' Treebeard had said, and, 'Don't be hasty.' He had told them that a good few times, Gwyn more than the other two. Was she too hasty? Did she speak without thinking? If she slowed down, would she understand her father more? She sighed, and resolved to act more slowly...and see if it would help.

'Gwyn, come on!' Merry and Pippin called eagerly.

Gwyn grinned and took off after them.