AN: Sorry for not updating in a while. Had some problems.

'Nothing really changes about this forest, does it?' Kendra thought to herself, as she fought to get her coat free.

This was the fifth time that the branches closer to the ground had snagged her coat and she was getting further and further behind every time. She barely had Legolas in sight and she could easily pick him out because of his blond hair. Her coat came free and she started running to try and catch up with her three companions.

"The air is so close in here," Gimli muttered.

Legolas looked around, "This forest is old. Very old. Full of memories. And anger."

'Well, that's a relief. Just where I wanted to be. In an old forest with trees that probably have grudges against man,' Kendra thought.

She moved past Legolas who had caught Aragorn's eye before turning to look back at Gimli who had just raised his axe at an unusual sound. Kendra listened and noticed how it sounded like something was creaking. Just like an old, wooden house that was just getting ready to fall.

"Gimli," Aragorn whispered, motioning for Gimli to put his axe down.

Gimli got the hint and lowered his axe. That's when Kendra felt something.

"Aragorn, something's not right," Kendra whispered.

Legolas moved past her, eyes scanning the forest ahead. He said something, again in elvish, before saying quietly, "The White Wizard."

Kendra didn't like the way they said that and slowly prepared one of her knives. As they had been traveling, Boromir and Aragorn had been teaching her how to throw her knives, which would give her some protection from a distance. If they were going to be meeting someone dangerous, she wanted to be prepared.

"Don't let him speak," Aragorn said.

The rest of what he said was lost on Kendra because they turned quickly. Legolas let loose and arrow and it was batted away like it was a fly. Gimli threw one of his axes and it was shattered just like it had been at the Council meeting. Kendra and Aragorn never got to do anything as their weapons suddenly became too hot to hold.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits," a voice said, coming from the light that surrounded the body. "They passed this way not too long ago."

"Who are you?" Aragorn shouted, covering his eyes as he tried to peer into the light.

The light started to fade as the stranger moved forward. Kendra suddenly gasped as the face was revealed.

"Gandalf."

Legolas and Gimli were on their knees, bowing before Gandalf. Aragorn stood there in shock, looking at their once lost companion. Kendra wasn't sure what was happening and she just stood there.

"Gandalf, what happened?"

That's when Gandalf told them. Kendra listened as he told them about how he fought the Balrog that had dragged him into the bowels of Moria. Gandalf told them how he had fought and wounded the Balrog in the caverns and then how he had killed him on the mountaintop before surrendering to death himself.

"I have been sent back, until my task is complete," Gandalf finished.

"Gandalf," Aragorn said again.

"Gandalf?" he said, like he was trying to remember. "Yes, that was my name. Gandalf the Grey."

"Gandalf," Gimli said, grinning happily.

"I am Gandalf the White."

They started moving again. This time, Gandalf leading them on some unknown path. He had told them that Merry and Pippin were safe with Treebeard, an Ent. As they walked, Gandalf told them of all that had been happening but had never reached their ears. The king of Rohan was being manipulated from Orthanc, making his country easy to access. Eomer, his nephew, had rebelled and was now gathering all the Riders that were still loyal to him.

'What does the idiot plan to do with all those Riders?' Kendra though after she heard everything. 'Wouldn't it be easy enough to go back to the capital city and then throw out the creature that is causing all this misery? But no, that's too simple.'

They came out of the forest and Kendra smiled a little as the sunlight hit her skin. Their horses were there, but now they had Gandalf and the horses could really only carry two riders. Gandalf looked out onto the open grasslands and started to whistle. The whistle carried out into the open sky. Just when it had truly faded away, another sound seemed to pick up.

Legolas stepped away from his horse and watched as a white figure started to crest one of the hills.

"That is one of the mearas unless my eyes are deceived by some trick," he said, awe evident on his face.

'What is a mearas? It looks just like another horse,' Kendra thought, after being helped back onto Aragorn's horse.

"Shadowfax," Gandalf said, petting the pure white horse. "He has been my friend on many a journey."