After the first few day of travel, our pace slackened a bit, allowing us to conserve our strength for the upcoming battle. This gave Saeros more time to talk, but fortunately he wasn't the type to pry and didn't ask much about me. He would talk about anything he could think of, only needing an occasional 'hm' or 'oh, really' at the appropriate place to keep him going.
I wished I could get in touch with Sydney, Olivia, or Erica again, but there was no time. Besides, even if there had been time, Saeros would have seen the mirror if I had tried to use it.
The plains were huge, but incredibly monotonous. We could have gone one mile or ten, and nobody would be able to tell. Everything looked the same; it was almost like we were going in circles.
To distract myself from the boredom, I tried naming animals I could hear in the grass around the army. Saeros and I competed to see who could guess the most, though he crushed me hands down. He had just won the two-hundred-forty-eighth round when a dark, imposing forest came into view.
"Where are we?" I asked, though I felt I already knew the answer.
"Fangorn Forest," he confirmed, looking apprehensive.
I understood why he was reluctant to enter the trees. Saruman's orcs were demolishing the trees and the Ents would be waking up at around this time. As we got closer, all the Elves could feel the anger emanating from the forest.
Soon, we were passing under the outermost boughs. There seemed to be a slight path through the trees, but one in particular appeared to have grown directly in the center of the trail. I wondered what we were going to do, because the trees obviously didn't want us there.
Haldir carefully approached the tree blocking the path and laid a hand on its wide trunk.
"Please, we mean you no harm. Allow us safe passage through your home," he softly pleaded.
"You will not be harmed by the trees of this forest, Firstborn. However, if you harm us in any way, you will not make it out of this place alive. We also cannot guarantee that no fell creatures will hinder you," the tree replied, its ancient voice resonating within all of our ears.
"We have no wish to damage such beauty. We understand the consequences such a dishonor would bring," Haldir assured it.
"Then you may pass," the tree sighed, and when I looked again, there was an obvious path through the gloom.
Haldir signaled for the army to run, and we did as swiftly as was wise. We were awed by the encounter, but we all shared the wish to be away from the danger that the trees reeked of.
We kept our pace until we exited the forest, only slowing when it was nothing more than a dark shadow on the horizon.
"I can't believe we spoke with a tree of Fangorn! That was amazing!" Saeros breathed as we set out our bedrolls for the night. "I can't wait to tell my wife!"
"Yes, it was incredible," I agreed. I couldn't wait to tell my three friends, but I got the feeling they wouldn't understand the magnitude of the encounter I had just had.