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In the meadow where Treebeard left them, Merry wakes disoriented and confused. Behind him, Pippin is drinking from a stone dish. Merry looks around, looking for their protector or anything he could recognize. "Hello? Treebeard? Where has he gone?" Pippin suddenly speaks up, making Merry whirl aorund to see his best friend.

"I had the loveliest dream last night. There was this large barrel full of pipeweed. And we smoked all of it. And then you were sick. I'd give anything for a whiff of Old Toby." The two look at each other. One is smiling while the other one is frowning. Suddenly a groan from something is heard and Merry whip aorund looking for the spruce. "Did you hear that? There it is again. Something's not right here. Not right at all."

Pippin doesn't seem so bothered and gives a growling burp. Merry turns slowly aorund; his face is emotions in shock. "You just said something... treeish."

Pippin scoffs and shakes his head nervously. "No, I didn't. I was stretching."

He strengthens, and two more groans are heard. There is something weird with our young master Took. "You're taller." Merry suddenly exclaims, looking his freind up and down. "Who?" Pippin says, and the two bicker back and forth until they chase each other aorund for a stone bowl containing this magical water. But the hobbits being hobbits, come across trouble and find themselves caught between the roots of a tree.

Dark and silent, the forest grows. No birds sang, and no water gurgled. All is silent. And the two merry hobbits are gone, vanished from the earth. That is until someone comes and saves them. Can you guess who?

♛

Now Treebeard is yet again carrying Pippin and Merry through the waking forest. "The trees have grown wild and dangerous. 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." The acient ent says I'm disappointed and sad.

The curious Took looks down at their protector, asking softly, "Why are there so few of you when you have lived so long? Are there Ent children?"

Treebeard sighs and says softly,  "Bru-ha-room. There have been no Entings for a terrible long count of years."

The three continue to talk while their ride, Carrie's through the forest undisturbed. It's safe enough with a giant ent to protect you, and Gandalf knew this. That was why he let Treebeard protect the precious hobbits.

Meanwhile, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli are approaching Edoras. Inside, Èowyn is kneeling before her king and uncle.  "My lord, you son, he is dead. My lord? Uncle? Will you not go to him? Will you do nothing?" The older man answers, not only looking at her with dull eyes. He is long gone, thanks to the spell Saruman has on him.

Outside, Gandalf sighs as he explains to his companions what danger will lie behind that gate. "Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Théoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Théoden is now firm."

A glimmer of worry fluttered through the companions, but a soft voice drowned the concern out. My friends. It says. It's none other than Tatsuo. This is an excellent opportunity to overthrow Saurman. Take it and be not scared. Fear will only slow your hand. And with a wind cast, the voice was swept away, leaving the four horse riders alone. Things awaited them behind Edoras's gate; they knew that, and they had to face it alone. No magical beings with them. No other power than Gandalfs. Nothing.

But they could manage. They'd done that before, and before they knew it, Tatsuo Frodo and Sam would be back. But things will cost them, and they must make sacrifices to survive in Mordor. Let's see if they can do that.

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