Chapter 39: Entmoot
Back in Fangorn Forest, Treebeard continued to walk through the woods, carrying Hunter and Blake, descending down towards a large, natural bowl-shaped dell in the heart of the forest, with no trees, save a large thrust of rock in the center. Derndingle, men called it. Two other paths led down into the clearing, from the west and from the east.
"We ents," began Treebeard, "have not troubled about the wars of men and wizards… for a very long time. But now… something is about to happen… that has not happened… for an age…"
"What's that?" asked Hunter.
"It is a gathering." Treebeard rumbled.
"A gathering of what?" asked Hunter, looking at the clearing uneasily.
Just then…
The two hobbits heard the squeaking, groaning sounds of protesting wood from within the forest…
It was a company of ents entering the clearing down the other paths from the woods…
The Ents came in great numbers…
More and more Ents came, entering the meeting place where they have always met for this council called Ent Moot…
the Hobbits were greatly amazed as the Ents drew near towards them.
"Beech… Oak… Chestnut… Ash," said Treebeard, welcoming his fellow ents, "good, good, good… many have come."
The Ents then settled, gazing upon the strange newcomers. Merry, Misao and Pippin in turn, gazed upon the Ents in bewilderment, expecting to see a number of creatures exactly like Treebeard, but saw nothing of the kind. The Ents were as different from one another as trees from trees. However, the trio upon Treebeard knew that they were all the same kindred, with the same kind of eyes… but not as old or so deep as Treebeard's eyes.
"Now we must decide, if the Ents… will go to war," said Treebeard, hopefully.
Hunter licked his lips in anticipation while seeing the great power that the Ents had to offer, hoping that Treebeard and the Ents will decide to fight.