A/N: I do not own LOTR, its characters or settings. Anything new belongs to me. I have decided to base this story more on the books then the movies.

Once it was decided by the waiting Riders that they would eat, the Hobbits led them into the shell of a guard house. Athan took wing and flew up into the rafters, to keep one eye on the mortals and another on the sky. Though it seemed as if Curunir had been subdued, she knew from experience that the Istari were not to be underestimated, and she was on edge in this broken land.

She watched as the Hobbits and the Riders ate and exchanged pleasantries, and despite herself there was a softening in her heart. She felt love for most things of Arda, even those of a darker nature, because of her tie to the Flame. Even as the Creator loved all things he had made, so did she love them. But those of a good heart and a kind spirit drew her as nothing else could, and in the Hobbits she sensed a purity and openness that was disarming.

When the party moved outside, she quietly floated in their wake to land upon the remains of the roof, but they took no note of her presence having forgotten her in their happiness at being reunited, and for that she was grateful. She listened intently as the Hobbits began to tell the tale of their capture by the Orcs.

She narrowed her eyes at mention of them, for they were dark and given to cruelty and she had crossed paths with the Orcs many times in her life. They were one of the few creatures she felt no love for. She listened with greater interest to Merry's mention of staying in Treebeard's home, Wellinghall. She had never been privileged enough to visit the place, and was most curious about their time there, thus she was disappointed when the Hobbit spoke of it only in passing. She supposed such a being would appreciate the places similar to his own home more then an ancient forest dwelling, but to her such places were fascinating.

Athan nearly fell from her perch when the Hobbit spoke of the Huorns, for se had seen the dark trees but once, centuries ago, and it had been a brief sighting. To think she had missed crossing paths with them by mere days! The idea was disappointing. The Huorns were children of the land though they had run wild, and she would have loved to speak with them. And then it occurred to her that the presence she had felt outside of Helm's Deep, oddly familiar but yet unknown, must have been the Huorns. A few of them must have made the journey to Helm's Deep.

She listened with interest as Pippin described the fall of the gates, the attack on Orthanc, and the appearance of Gandalf to Treebeard. She realized he had not been entirely truthful with her earlier when he had said he had nothing to do with the forest outside of Helm's Deep, and it annoyed her though she could not blame him for keeping his secrets to himself. Still, it made trusting the Istari difficult, when she was hesitant to put faith in most beings outside of Valinor.

She would deal with the wizard when the time came, if it proved necessary. Perhaps he had feared being overheard by spies of the dark who lingered on the battlefield, one could not be certain with Mithrandir. For now she would follow him, because the Flame bid her to, and while she might doubt those who dwelled on Arda, she did not doubt the land itself.

When Gandalf and Théoden reappeared, she took to the sky and made for them, arriving long before the Riders, and while she was troubled by her recent thoughts on Gandalf, she descended to his side nonetheless, alighting upon his shoulder as he turned to nod a greeting to her.

She remained silent when Mithrandir said he would go to speak with Curunir, though she wondered if he might consider leaving her behind since it was likely the other wizard would know who she was. Part of her was full of caution, uncertain if she should appear before an ally of Sauron's. Doubtless Morgoth thought she was still roaming the heart of Arda with Torsyl, and it had served her purposes to have him think such.

In the end, she decided it best to remain with Gandalf, as her instincts advised her to. She watched with indifference as it was decided that Aragorn, Théoden, Eomer, Legolas and Gimli would accompany Mithrandir.

But the Hobbit Pippin startled her when he walked to Gandalf's side and said, "I will look after the bird while you are speaking to Saruman, Master Gandalf."

But Mithrandir did not hand her down, instead shaking his head and saying, "Thank you young Pippin, but Athan will stay with me. Saruman is not to be trusted, and her eyes see that which my own might not."

It was truth and yet not, and Athan glanced at the Istari with shaming eyes though she remained still upon his shoulder. The Hobbit merely nodded and then moved to rejoin his companion.

"Perhaps you should keep watch from above," Mithrandir murmured beneath his breath so that only Athan might hear him. "I knew who you were the moment I saw you, though you were in the form of Legend at the time. I cannot say if Saruman will know you in this form, but he might."

Athan understood his concerns, and so took to the sky immediately, circling to the very top of Orthanc and alighting upon its great spire. She watched Gandalf knocked upon the door of Orthanc, and glared when at last the figure of Curunir appeared, his treacherous voice preceding him. She listened as he attempted to cozen the Men with his sweet words and his deceptive air. She herself was immune to his power, having been seduced by a far greater manipulator in the past she was no longer susceptible to such subterfuge.

She watched with interest as the Men struggled against his manipulations, her opinion of Eomer rising when that Man had the wherewithal to defy Curunir. But it was Théoden's denouncement of Saruman that made her understand man had come a long way over the years, and there was hope for his future after all. At last the façade of Saruman cracked and he began to rant at the Men, until he turned his charm upon Mithrandir.

But Athan had no fear the Istari would be turned by honeyed words, for she knew him to be wise. But still she watched with wary eyes, for she did not trust Curunir, who she could clearly see was lost to the thrall of the Dark. When Gandalf broke Saruman's staff a glowing orb fell from the Tower, and she felt a great unease, and paid no mind to Curunir as he crawled from sight.

Instead she looked down upon Pippin as he retrieved the orb, and when Gandalf moved to claim it she at last flew down from her perch, sensing in it the presence of Sauron, he who she feared above all others save his Master. Gandalf glanced up as she winged by, and there was understanding in his eyes, they both felt the black power the orb emanated.

She settled upon his shoulder as he made counsel with Treebeard, the Ent did not as much as glance at her though she knew he was aware of her presence. She had been surprised Saruman had failed to sense her, his powers had faded with his corruption it seemed, and he had been more intent upon swaying the enemies he could see rather then searching for the ones he could not.

But when Gandalf turned to ride from Treebeard's company, she moved to the Ent's side, descending upon the hand he held up to her. Gandalf rode on, and the Ent walked away from the Riders, carrying her back into the circle of the Ents. Many of them did not know her, but those that did drew near.

"Daughter of the West," one said in solemn tones. "It has been a long time since you have walked among us."

"And the company of your kind has been missed, Birchbough," she assured him. "But please, do not call me by any name, for none of my party know who I am save Gandalf, and I would have it remain thus for now."

The great tree eyed her for a moment and then sighed. "Hoom hoom, these are strange, dark times indeed. I suppose it would be for the best if the wizard in the Tower did not know who you were."

Athan turned back to Treebeard and said, "I have heard there were those among you who were injured in the attack upon Saruman. I wish to see to their wounds."

Treebeard frowned in concern, glancing at the forbidding outline of the Tower. "Would that be wise?"

"Saruman is of no concern to me any longer, he has turned to the dark and I have my own way of dealing with those who serve the Enemy," she assured him.

"Hoom, as you wish," Treebeard consented, turning to Birchbough. "Take her to the wounded."

Pippin had watched Treebeard carry Gandalf's companion off and, thinking the wizard might miss her, had decided to retrieve her from the Ents. Merry had of course decided to follow him, since the two of them were virtually inseparable. They could not cover as much ground as the Ents, and so when Treebeard handed her to Birchbough and the Ent had carried her away from the Tower of Orthanc, they were hard pressed to keep up with him.

"Do you think this is a good idea, Pip," Merry muttered. "I'm thinking the bird can find its way back to Gandalf."

"But what if she can't Merry," Pippin replied. "She doesn't know this land, and if he goes indoors she might become separated from the rest of the party."

"That might happen to us if we wander too far chasing after a bird," Merry grumbled to himself.

Pippin ignored him, his thoughts on the shining bird that he had only recently come to know. The truth was, he had become fascinated by Athan the moment he saw her, and once she had landed on his arm, the strangest feeling of peace had come over him. She had looked at him with eyes that reminded him of Treebeard's, endless and wise. The contact had only lasted briefly, but he had felt kindness in her, and he had been drawn to the bird so that she had remained in the back of his mind.

He could not allow her to be separated from Gandalf; he somehow sensed she was very important to the wizard. "Hurry up, Merry, or we'll lose them!"