An echoing cry bounced over the tower as the dawn sun battled with the clouds for light. Namir woke from where he had been curled up on the rooftop in an effort to catch some sunlight. His tail twitched as he blinked open his eyes and turned his gaze towards the forest where the cry had echoed. A gust of wind blew past and he shivered, thick fur only doing so much, as he narrowed his cats eyes at the line of green that was faghorn forest. Was the forest moving?  He stood up and squinted, tail flicking side to side. The forest was moving. A line of trees seemed to be walking towards them. 

Ents, he realised with sudden surprise. Beorn had told him stories of the Ents. Tree like beings who cared for the forests. None lived in Mirkwood anymore but there were rumours of them still existing. He guessed that Saruman's destruction of Faghorn had rallied them to attack in defence of the trees. As he watched them advance, it seemed like the whole forest behind them was moving. The trees all swaying and twisting vengefully. There was a rage there that he empathised with. A anger, a violation and a betrayal.                                                                                            

The ents reached the wall lining the lands below the tower and Namir watched gleefully as they tore it apart. Root like fingers breaking off stone and hurling huge boulders at the orcs still littering the grounds. The black figures tried to flee like ants but were knocked down. Some of the Ents stomped on them, another was tearing apart the wooden structures and burying them. Namir made a happy chirping noise as one kicked an orc. The creature flying a good distance before hitting the ground with a crunch. (If he was in human form in that moment, he would be laughing. This was absolutely delightful). Soon the grounds were overrun with Ents. The orcs unable to stand a chance against living, moving nature. 

A shriek echoed up as an Ent caught fire. It flailed it's arms and Namir growled. Another furious cry sounded, though this time from a human mouth. He peered down over the edge of the tower and inwardly laughed. Saruman was standing on the balcony of his study, white robed billowing in the wind as he watched helplessly as his forces were destroyed. Namir felt rather smug. 

A crash from the mountains made him turn his head. The ents had destroyed the damn blocking the river above and the water was cascading down in a great wave. It swept over the valley, knocking the wooden structures over and flooding the mines. The orcs didn't stand a chance. Namir's tail flicked in satisfaction as he sat on top of the tower and enjoyed the devastation. Only the Ents withstood the flood. They stood tall as the water rushed around them. One of them seemed to have two small beings resting on it's shoulders. Namir squinted, were those hobbits? He had only ever met one hobbit before and Bilbo had been surprising. 

A roar of anger and frustration made him pause. Saruman sounded livid. For a second fear filled him but it was met with bitter satisfaction. Fear of what the wizard might do to him to take out his anger, and satisfaction that finally the man was getting what he deserved. That the orcs and Uruks were dead and the foul aura of the place was lessening. It was like a weight off his shoulders. 

There was a crack of the trap door behind him and he turned. Saruman was glaring down at him, eyes red and chest heaving. "I bet you're feeling mighty now", he snarled. Then he was holding out his hand and the collar was burning. It burned and burned. Namir let out a shriek of pain and curled up, writhing as his skin blistered and his fur smoked. Through the haze of pain, he saw the cruel look in the wizard's eyes and he wanted to rip the man's throat out with his teeth. 

--------------------------

Namir was hiding. It was not a very secluded hiding spot but Saruman and his slimy underling had taken position on the roof. So he was on the steps outside the front door. The collar and it's magical restraints forbid him from going further. But it was the only place now where he could avoid the wizard and still get fresh air. The sun had broken through the clouds above and it sparkled off the water where it lapped gently against the steps. It had covered the grounds of Isengard in a knee deep carpet and filled the mines beneath the ground to the brim. Isengard ha become a bog with water filled caverns deep under the surface. Namir liked the change. 

He looked up and tucked his hair behind his ears as one of the Ents approached. It was the one with the two hobbits resting on it's shoulders. Both of the hobbits were blonde and had curly hair. Green cloaks were wrapped around their shoulders and they were staring at him with curious but distrustful eyes. "You are not an orc", the Ent spoke in a deep, slow voice that was more rasp than sound. 

"I am not", Namir replied. "I am a skin-changer". 

"Ah", the Ent nodded. "I am familiar with your race. But what is a skin-changer doing here?"

"What's a skin-changer?" the smaller hobbit muttered to his friend. He had hair of a darker blonde than the other, and hazel eyes. 

"Didn't mr Legolas tell us about those?" his fellow replied. Namir jerked his head up and jumped to his feet. For a second his foot hesitated over the water but at the memory of the burning, he pulled himself back. 

"Legolas?" There was a crack in his voice. "You know Legolas?" One of his hands pressed against the metal collar and the burnt but healing skin around it. 

"Are you a friend of Mr Legolas?" the smaller hobbit asked in surprise. Namir nodded. "You can come with us and find him", he smiled. 

"Pippin!" The other hobbit hissed. "We don't know who he is. He might work for Saruman". 

"No", the Ent shook it's head slowly, the word a deep rumble. "There is dark magic here. He is cursed". 

Namir gestured to the collar. "I can't leave. Not until Saruman is dead. But if you see Legolas, can you tell him I am waiting here?" 

Pippin and his friend looked surprised by the sudden desperation in his voice. After a second they both nodded. "Yes", the second hobbit replied. "We can tell him". 

Namir grinned. "Thank you. Now, shall I show you to where Saruman keeps the food stored? If I remember correctly, then hobbits love food. Or was that dwarves?" The wizard was taking refuge on the roof and the orcs were all dead. The larder would be empty. 

Pippin perked up. "I think it's both. My name is Pippin, and this is Merry. What's yours?"

"I am Namir", the skin-changer greeted. "Lets get you some food". 

unedited