Return to our Destiny.

11. Entdraught

Merry awakes in a forest glade, his sleep was the best he'd had in a long while and he realized this as he got up. Looking around he found Pippin drinking from a stone dish. Smirking he turned to look for Treebeard, "Hello? Treebeard? Where has he gone?" he asked in general. "I had the loveliest dream last night. There was this large barrel, full of pipe-weed. And we smoked all of it." Merry smiled at the thought of that,

"And then you were sick. I'd give anything for a whiff of Old Toby." Merry then lost that feeling when Pippin said he'd gotten sick, when they both know that Merry could out smoke the younger hobbit. A groan is heard. "Did you hear that? There it is again. Something's not right here. Not right at all." Merry asks as he looks around. Pippin gives a growling burp. Merry looks at him with pure shock and surprise on his face.

"You just said something... treeish." Merry said his eyes wide as his head turned to face Pippin. Pippin is standing before his friend with a clay drinking plate and a jug, "No I didn't. I was just stretching." Pippin stretches and two more groans come from him. Merry moves to stand behind Pippin, and is shocked to see what he thought was right. "You're taller." Merry gasps out, Pippin looks between Merry and not looking at Merry.

"Who?" he says but it's forced, he trying to come off as more stupid than normal. "You!" Marry snaps, and Pippin follows through, "Than what?" Pippin muses. "Than me!" Merry snaps again, Pippin smiles and chuckles, "I've always been taller than you." Merry doesn't believe that at all and steps in closer to him. "Pippin, everyone knows I'm the tall one. You're the short one." he argues calmly. "Besides, Thilia measured us back in Rivendell, she said I'm taller," Merry argued.

"Please, Merry. You're what, three-foot-six? At the most? Besides, we both know she was just being generous. Whereas me, I know I'm three-seven," another groan comes out and he grows another inch, with a smile he adds, "three-eight." Merry is full on frowning at this point. He is so confused and almost insulted by this. "Three-foot-eight? You did something." Merry realizes then puts two and two together when he realizes its the water Pippin's been drinking. 

Merry grabs the stone jug out of Pippin's arms and drinks. "Merry, don't! Don't drink it. Merry! Treebeard said that you shouldn't have any." Pippin said as he chased his friend while he drank water, not wanting to share. "I want some!" Merry snaps as he moves more to get space from Pippin, who is trying to stop him. "It could be dangerous! Give it back! Merry!" Pippin argues the two of them running towards some trees, 

The hobbits trip over the roots of a tree. The roots begin to close in on them. "What's happening?" Pippin gasps as he and Merry start to be entangled by strong thick roots. "Gah! It's got my leg!" Merry shouts, "Merry!" Pippin screams as his own arms and legs get pinned. They're screaming in fear at this point, before the tree roots cover them up completely. "Help!" Pippin screams but it's muffled. 

Treebeard finally arrives and approaches the tree. "Away with you. You should not be waking. Eat earth. Dig deep. Drink water. Go to sleep. Away with you." he orders and the roots open up and the tree releases the hobbits. They couldn't get out any faster. "Come, the forest is waking up. It isn't safe."

***

Treebeard is carrying the hobbits through the forest. Treebeard is explaining the wildness of the trees, "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." he explains sadly. "Why are there so few of you when you have lived so long? Are there Ent children?" Pippin asks,

"Bru-ha-hroom. There have been no Entings for a terrible long count of years." he says sadly, "Why is that?" Merry asked concerningly. "We lost the Entwives." Treebeard says but the two Hobbits have mistakenly assumed they were dead, "Oh, I'm sorry. How did they die?" Treebeard frowns, "Die, no. We lost them. And now we cannot find them. I don't suppose you've seen Entwives in the Shire?" Treebeard asks and Merry frowns,