***2008 MEFA winner, 2nd place in Hobbits: Post-Ring War***

This story was requested by shirebound in response to a timestamp meme.  This is the meme:  Give me one of my own stories, and a timestamp sometime in the future after the end of the story, or sometime in the past before the story started, and I'll write you at least a hundred words of what happened then, whether it's five minutes before the story started or ten years in the future.

This was shirebound's request:  How about "To Isengard", weeks later, when Merry and Pippin are trying to explain to Frodo and Sam what Ents are like.

Dedicated to shirebound:

Regarding Ents

“Mercy! Talking trees?” Sam asked sceptically.

“No, not trees,” Merry corrected patiently. “Ents are caretakers of the trees. Sort of like tree shepherds, if you will. Although they are as tall as trees, and look much like them.”

“And their eyes,” Pippin interjected dreamily. “I’ve never seen their like. It was like looking into an ancient pool, as if there were nothing else on this Middle-earth quite as old as they were…”

“They speak… and move… very, very slowly,” Merry smiled. “In fact, one of Treebeard’s favourite sayings was ‘Don’t be hasty’”.

“Tell us how you grew an extra three inches,” Frodo chimed in.

“Oh yes,” Pippin said. “There was this wonderful Ent draught that Treebeard gave us to drink. It’s hard to describe… sort of like water with some honey added, if you take my meaning. It was very cold, and very refreshing. In addition to adding several inches to our height, it seemed to act as a healing draught as well. Our injuries from our time with the Uruk-hai healed very rapidly, it seems to me, and I can only reckon that it was the Ent draught that was responsible.”

“Although it didn’t seem to have any effect on Pippin’s patience, it would seem,” Merry added cheerfully. “Why, you should have seen him, Frodo and Sam! He was about ready to force the Ents to come to your aid directly! He could hardly wait for the Ent Moot to end. Of course, it all turned out well in the end. It seems we did our little part by defeating Isengard and putting Saruman out of commission. Those Ents are slow in deciding anything, but when they finally do come to a decision, they act swiftly. They were almost vicious in their sacking of Isengard. They didn’t hesitate to kill anything that got in their way, whether it be orcs or Men. I certainly wouldn’t want to be on their bad side.”

“Indeed not, “said Pippin. “They are normally very pleasant, easy-going beings. That was part of the problem. They needed to be riled up and made very angry before they would decide to go to war. It took the destruction of their beloved trees to stir them up enough to march on Isengard. And what a glorious sight that was! I will not soon forget it.”

“I would like to meet these Ents sometime,” Frodo said. “I would like to thank them personally for taking such good care of my cousins.” He grinned at Merry and Pippin.

“I don’t know,” Sam said dubiously. “They sound most unnatural, beggin’ your pardon, Mr. Frodo. Walking and talking trees… now don’t that just beat all?”

“More unnatural then, say, waking up here and finding that Gandalf is alive?” Frodo asked, giving Sam a wink.

Sam blushed. “I guess not, Mr. Frodo. I just don’t know what I’d do if a tree were to come up to me and start talking!”

Merry said, “Remember, Sam, they’re not trees. They just look like them. They’re far more intelligent than actual trees, of course.”

“Of course,” Sam mumbled. He couldn’t help remembering what his cousin had said, about seeing a walking tree in the Shire. He hoped that these Ents would keep to Fangorn Forest, and not venture anywhere else.

At that moment, Aragorn came striding into Sam and Frodo’s tent, and was greeted with the sight of the four hobbits sitting in a circle on the ground, chatting. Smiling, he announced, “Well, if this isn’t a sight for sore eyes! How are you all doing, my young friends?”

“Very well, Strider,” Frodo greeted. “I suppose your presence means it is time for us poor, injured hobbits to take to our beds?”

“Indeed. Although you are not so injured anymore; the three of you are all healing very nicely. However, I do insist that you all get your rest. Not only for you three, Frodo, Sam, and Pippin, but for Merry as well. He was heartsick when he arrived here, not knowing if any of you were to survive. He needs his rest as well.”

With that, Merry and Pippin retreated to their tent (for Merry refused to be put anywhere else), and Sam and Frodo prepared themselves to retire. As Frodo drifted off to sleep, he smiled as he heard Sam mutter, “Talking trees! If that don’t beat all.”