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Chapter 4

Path to Bree

Pippin and Merry began their journey slowly, both trying to put off the encroaching feeling of dread. How were two hobbits going to find the long lost Entwives? They had no training in the ways of tracking, and if the Ents themselves could find no trace of their kin, how were they to succeed?

Though each knew they couldn't give up, it would be against every moral they had ever made, and both knew what was at stake. Neither mentioned it, but both could see the pain in Treebeards eyes when he talked about his lost love. He hadn't hid the fact that she was always on his mind, even when they were descending on Isanguard, they knew Treebeard's thoughts were with his wife.

Fimbrethil, they even remembered her name. They could almost imagine the her beauty, after all they had heard all they needed to know, from those few words Treebeard had spoken. It was not the quantity of what he said, but the feeling and emotion that had poured out of each one. The songs of the Elves only outlined the pain and sorrow of the Ents, only summarized the basic history.

Pippin and Merry had a feeling nothing could truly sum up what the Ents themselves felt. Did they blame themselves for loosing the Entwives? Treebeard and spoken with an edge of guilt in his voice. The hobbits knew no matter how perilous, or futile their quest was in the end, they had to try, had to give everything they had, if only for the sake of their old friend.

For they would not, could not, let their friend wither away unknowing of what the fate of his wife was. That was asking to much of the poor tree Sheppard, and neither of them could bare the thought.

So they trudged onward, trying to douse the thoughts of despair. They met other hobbits, but were not questioned on why they were so far from their homes. They were heading in the general direction of Buckland, where Merry's home dwelt, but the fact they carried a load of equipment was enough to at least raise some suspicion.

They pinned it on the fact no one wanted to know, after all they weren't exactly the most liked of all hobbits, and so most just left them to their business.

"You know Pip, I remember the first time we left the Shire. We had to leave so quickly, but that was because of the wraiths after us."

Pippin nodded slowly, he would never forget the fear that crawled up his back at the very knowledge they were near. "But everything was so different then, we were still young, and clueless to what had been going on."

Merry laughed, a low deep chuckle, "You know I think those were the good old days, when we were traveling with friends. Never mind the fact that we didn't know the path ahead of us, but just the excitement of it all, and the longing of peace, was enough to keep us going." Sighing he look at the rising moon, "I wish it was like that now. I wish Frodo and Sam could go with us, and that Strider would be behind us, just like the old times."

Pippin agreed with a nod, they both missed their friends, but unlike the others they didn't have everything they wanted. Truth be told neither knew what they wanted. It had been ten long years since they saw their friends together, but they knew they couldn't visit them, for fear of leaving their families.

And so they trotted along, their thoughts swimming in the history of the Ents. But the thought of the impossible mission only grew stronger still.

But something tougher then that grew inside the two hobbits, something beyond the thoughts of the other folk in the Shire, their devotion to their friend, and the small hope that the Entwives were still alive. Though it was unrecognized at the time, the hobbits began to trust in each other more then they ever had, because this time it wasn't the Fellowship's journey, no it was their journey.

So as they made their way to the base of the Old Forest, they came across a deep knowledge that maybe they had always known. They could not return without something, without some inkling of where the Entwives were. Sam's words returned to them, but this time it was not a joke, it was the truth. Of course their families would accept them back, but Merry and Pippin could never live with themselves knowing they had come back without anything of use.

They would find them, or die trying. The Ents deserved their undivided effort, and that was what they would give.

So the two hobbits bravely took the first steps of what would become their journey, their tale, their legacy.

Ok just clearing up some of the questions, but yes Tolkien did say that the Entwives did vanish never to return in the battle of the Last Alliance, but I do believe he hints many times that there are in fact still some left. As when Sam and Ted argue over what his cousin Hal really saw in the North Moors. So maybe there was more to the Entwives story, so that is the base for my fanfic. Hope that clears things up ;) Thanks for reading!