The Fall of Moria and the Decision to stay
While tarrying in the valley of Imladris, for some time he considered returning to Lórien, but events soon made such a journey most uncertain. The Balrog had awakened in Moria, and the Dwarves were driven from their ancient dwelling of Khazad-dûm. The lands between Rivendell and Lothlórien became most perilous, and the connection between the realms grew tenuous. The same was true for Mirkwood — though he had long since ceased to consider it as home, by now the growing darkness there made the idea of returning even less likely. Yet, this was not a decision made out of necessity alone. By now, Rivendell had become more than a mere refuge to him. He had found a purpose in its halls, a role to play in ensuring the survival of the Eldar in Middle-earth. His diplomatic nature flourished there, and he befriended not only Elves but also Men and even Dwarves, forging bonds that transcended race and fostered unity among the Free Peoples. His gentle diplomacy and good-humoured nature fitted well among the Elves of Rivendell.
A new purpose and and a new home
As the years passed by, his ties to the Woodland Realm had evidently grown distant, not through bitterness, but through the slow and natural shifting of the years. The leaf that falls upon the river does not betray the tree — it simply follows the current to new shores. In Rivendell, he now seemed to have taken root at last, and though Tanathon still wandered or explored whenever duty or curiosity called, it was always Imladris to which he returned. No longer bound by the lands of his birth, Tanathon embraced a broader understanding of the Elven realms and their shared struggle against the Shadow. He did not reject Mirkwood or even Lórien, nor did he its people, but he no longer saw his fate as tied to theirs. Instead, he chose to remain in Rivendell, where he continued to protect the Free Peoples, offering aid and fostering unity in a world that was rapidly changing.