Chapter 4: Enter Treebeard

The hunters on their lent horses rode off to where Eomer and his riders have burned the Uruk-hai that they slaughtered.

Kenshin and Sanosuke rode upon Thendred, the bright yellow horse. Aragorn rode upon Hasufel, the reddish-brown horse. Legolas and Gimli rode upon Arod, the white horse. And Saito and Aoshi rode upon Eothor, the jet-black horse.

As they were near the cremation site… they also found…

A spear sticking up from the ground that had an Uruk's head pierced on top of it. Kenshin gasped at the sight of the Uruk's head on the spear.

Kenshin went up ahead towards the spear, dismounted, and walked slowly towards the spear with the Uruk's head on it. The Uruk's eyelids were still open. Kenshin looked into the creature's eyes with great sorrow and remorse, despite how it was created by Saruman… a creature made of pure hate and mercilessness. That didn't matter to Kenshin because, each time he looked into a killer's eyes… he saw himself in his opponents because they fought for what they believed in… just like Kenshin does.

After a pause, Kenshin lifted his hand… and softly and gently closed the Uruk's eyelids. Aragorn looked on at his companion and silently expressed the same feelings that Kenshin had, knowing of his vow to never kill again. This could very well be the cause of how Kenshin can no longer stand to see death… even if it was an enemy that was just as fierce and merciless as the Uruk-Hai…

'This display of the Uruk's head wasn't necessary, that it wasn't' thought Kenshin, sadly.

"…Kenshin," said Sanosuke, sympathetically, "…we can get to mourning for the enemy later. First, we've got to see if the weasel girl and the Hobbits are okay."

Sanosuke then pointed where the rest of the hunters were dismounted from their horses, near the smoldering pile of Uruks.

"…Okay," said Kenshin.

'Merry… Pippin… Miss Misao,' thought Kenshin, hopefully, 'I hope they're alright'.

Kenshin then went to rejoin his companions as they began scrambling around the burned pyre. Gimli shifts through the smoldering pile, along with Aoshi. Gimli suddenly pulled out a charred belt and dagger sheath that Galadriel gave to the Hobbits.

"It's one of their wee belts," Gimli stated sadly.

Aoshi pulled out a small, knife-like object. "…This is one of Misao's kunai's," he said.

Aoshi lowered his head in great sorrow as well.

"…Miss Misao," said Kenshin to himself in sorrow.

Sanosuke slowly balled his hand into a fist. "…We were too late," he growled to himself, "dammit all!"

"Hiro îth… ab 'wanath..." said Legolas, bowing his head and eyes closed.

Out of frustration, Aragorn kicked a nearby helmet and screamed in agony, "AAAAAAARRGGHH!!!"

Then he fell onto his knees, believing that they were too late to save the Hobbits and Misao.

"We failed them," said Gimli, solemnly.

As the hunters continued to wallow in grief, convinced that the Hobbits and Misao are dead, Saito interjects, "hey! Before you guys start the funeral…"

Saito kneels beside Aragorn, pointing at the ground. "…You might want to see how the Hobbits and the Weasel ended up."

"Saito," said Sanosuke, "this isn't the time for wisecracking."

"It's alright, Sanosuke," resolved Aragorn. He looked to the side and saw the tracks that caught Saito's attention.

"A hobbit lay here… and the other," said Aragorn, "but… " Aragorn sees a slight shift in the ground, there were more footprints.

"These footprints," Aragorn went on, "…are not of the Uruk-hai, nor are they of the Riders of Rohan."

Aoshi walked over to Aragorn, studying the footprints with him, and gasped, "…these footprints belong to Misao. She may have saved Merry and Pippin after all."

Everyone began to feel a little relieved. Aoshi followed her tracks a little ways away from Aragorn.

"She laid the Hobbit here," he said.

Aragorn stood up and slowly followed the other Hobbit's tracks. "The other crawled," he said.

Everyone slowly followed Aragorn. Aragorn then found out something else…

"Their hands were bound…"

Aragorn then stepped a few more paces… and found and picked up a broken length of thick rope to examine it…

"…Their bonds were cut…"

Aragorn paced a little ways ahead of Aoshi as everyone continued to follow. It appeared that he was heading away from the battle instead of running towards it. Aragorn looked around, continuing to follow the tracks that may, hopefully, lead out of the battle as the other hunters have been following, so far…

"…They ran over here…"

Aragorn continued to follow the tracks and then… spotted other tracks that were, undeniably, from an Orc…

"…They were followed…"

Aragorn continued to quicken his pace even more away from the battle…

"…The tracks lead away from the battle!"

'Then that means…' thought Sanosuke.

'Misao, Merry, and Pippin…' thought Aoshi.

'Are still alive…' thought Kenshin.

Aragorn continued his quickening pace…

At the night that Merry, Misao, and Pippin were thought to have been killed… Pippin continued to scream as he looked up at a pair of thrashing hooves bearing down on him…

…SWOOP!

The Hobbit was somehow away from the horse as he hears a voice, "hey Pippin, miss me?"

Pippin looked up… and cried out, "Misao! Thank goodness you're here. Where are the others?"

"I managed to get a head start on them," answered Misao. Then she looks to see Merry, wondering where Pippin is.

"Hey, Merry! Over here!" Misao cried.

Merry looked over, "Misao! Boy are we glad to see you."

Merry crawled over to her and she helped cut his bonds.

Merry then helped Misao cut Pippin's bonds as well. With the Hobbits' bonds finally cut, Misao tried to guide them away from the fight, dodging under some horses and trying to stay out of harm's way.

"Come on, you guys," cried Misao, "we've got to go."

As they continued to flee…

A pair of Uruks began to come over to them. Misao brandishes her Kunais ready for throwing.

"Kansatsu Tobikunai!" she cries out her attack, hitting the Uruks.

The trio of Misao and the Hobbits continued to dodge the riders of Rohan. But then…

…An Orc grabbed Merry by his belt and clingged on. It was Grishnákh, the same Orc that was pierced on the back by one of the rider's spears. Misao and Pippin gasped with fright.

"The belt!" cried Merry.

"Let it go, Merry," cried Misao.

Merry undid his belt like she suggested leaving Grishnákh still holding onto the belt. The Orc angrily threw the belt aside… and continued to follow them…

"Run!" cried Merry once again.

Then Misao saw a nearby forest and figured it’s a nice hiding place.

"Guys, wait," she said, "this way. We can hide in here!"

Misao directed the Hobbits toward the forest and entered…

"…Into Fangorn Forest," said Aragorn as the others stopped to look at the dense, dark forest before them.

"Fangorn," added Gimli, "…what madness drove them in there?"

"If you ask me," interjected Sanosuke, nervously, "it looks like madness to go in there. Its creepy by just looking at it."

Faced with a new challenge within Fangorn Forest, Kenshin, Aragorn, and the hunters were at least relieved to know that their friends, Misao, Merry, and Pippin… were still alive.

Meanwhile, deep inside Fangorn forest…

Misao, Merry, and Pippin continued to run from the battle, trying to lose the pursuing Orc. All three of them collapse onto the ground, out of breath. They look around to see if they aren't followed.

"Did we lose him?" asked Pippin.

Misao answers, "I think we did, Pippin."

"Yeah, I think we've lost him, too, Misao," added Merry.

Misao and the Hobbits, convinced that they lost the Orcs, began to take a rest. But it was, however, short-lived as they hear a rustling in the bushes. They looked to see the bushes in question.

"I wonder what that could be?" asked Pippin.

The bushes continued to rustle…

"Could it be Himura or Lord Aoshi?" wondered a hopeful Misao.

"…Or…" wondered Merry…

The bushes finally parted…

And an Orc appeared out of the trees, in bloodied and battered shape. It was the persistent Grishnákh, who just couldn't stay dead. Misao and the Hobbits noticed the Orc and recoiled in fright.

Grishnákh looked around, frantically, for his prey… and then looked forward to spot Misao, Merry, and Pippin.

"I’m gonna rip out your filthy little innards!" cried the ferocious, bloodthirsty Orc as he brandished his blade and proceeded menacingly, towards Misao and the Hobbits.

The trio ran from the Orc, often huddling behind the trees.

"Hey Misao," said Pippin, "don't you have any of those kunais of yours?"

"Sorry, Pippin," Misao replied, frantically, "I'm fresh out."

"…COME HERE!" roared Grishnákh, out for the Hobbits' and Misao's blood.

As the Hobbits and Misao continued to run frantically from their cannibalistic foe… Merry had a suggestion.

"Trees!" Merry cried, "climb a tree!"

Pippin looked behind and spotted a tree. The trio quickly scrambled up the tree. Misao jumped up the tree, of course, using her highly trained ninja skills.

"Can you see him?" Misao asked Merry.

Merry looked around to see if they lost the Orc.

"…He's gone." Merry sighed with relief…

ARGH!

But Grishnákh took Merry by surprise as he grabbed Merry from below, at the leg and tried to pull the Hobbit from the tree. The Orc had managed to catch up with them, as he wouldn't give up trying to make a massacre out of Misao and the Hobbits.

"Merry!" cried Misao.

Merry continued to struggle with Grishnákh, but the Orc was able to pull Merry forcibly from the tree… and fell onto the ground. The Orc leaned over Merry with his menacing blade. Merry tried to kick Grishnákh, but to no avail. Suddenly…

"Kecho Kick!" Misao tried to take Grishnákh by surprise but…

The Orc took a swing with his blade, injuring Misao's leg. She was unable to complete her attack as she tumbled onto the ground, in agony.

"Misao!" shouted Merry as he tried to go to her. But the Orc immediately held him down.

"Misao! Merry!" cried Pippin from above. And then…

Movement slowly overtook the tree that Pippin was in and startled him as he turned his head to look at a pair of yellow eyes, blinking in the tree, which began to move and groan, like a living, breathing creature…

"…Argh!" screeched Pippin.

The tree then slowly turned its eyes… and looked at the startled Hobbit and groaned, "hoooooo…"

Pippin suddenly lost his grip in fright… and grabbed at the air futilely as he fell. The tree caught Pippin before he hits the ground.

At the ground, Misao, still in pain from the injury, struggled to lift her head, and looked helplessly at Merry, who was at the Orc's mercy…

"Let's put a maggot hole in your belly," Grishnákh said, frighteningly. Suddenly…

The Orc sensed something behind him and as he looked up…

SMASH!

The tree stomped and squashed Grishnákh onto the forest floor, killing him instantly. Merry and Misao looked up at the tree that just stomped the Orc and became scared out of their wits.

"…Im… impossible," squeaked Misao, "…a walking tree."

Pippin called out, "run Merry! Run Misao!"

"Come on!" said Merry.

Misao could barely run thanks to her injured leg. Merry tried to help her out but the tree scooped them up. Now the tree had all three of them in its hands. The tree almost looked like an ordinary walking man, and appeared to have a long beard on its face. The tree observed its captives carefully…

"…Little Orcs! Burárum!" the tree spoke as it started to stomp slowly, throughout the forest.

"It’s talking," said Pippin, "the tree is talking guys!"

"…Im… impossible," stuttered Misao, "…now… the tree talks!"

"Tree?! I am no tree!" cried the tree.

"Okay, okay," Misao said nervously, "then what are you?"

"…I am an Ent," it replied.

"A treeherder!" said Merry with a lightened expression, "…a shepherd of the forest."

"Don’t talk to it, Merry," Pippin protested to Merry's amazement, "don’t encourage it."

"Yeah, Merry," added Misao, "we don't even know who he is, let alone what he's capable of."

The Ent answers Misao's question, "…Treebeard, some call me, little Orc."

"Treebeard, eh?" said Misao, "that's a good name for you. You certainly have a beard, that's for sure."

"And," interjected Pippin, "who's side are you on?"

"Side?" queried Treebeard, "I am on nobody's side, because nobody's on my side… little Orc. Nobody cares for the woods anymore."

"Would you stop calling us Orcs, already," said Misao in frustration, "I still happen to care for the trees too, you know!"

"She's right," added Merry, "we're not Orcs, we're Hobbits!"

"Hobbits?" wondered Treebeard, "never heard of a Hobbit before."

"Well I, on the other hand," said Misao, "am a beautiful woman and am part of the Oniwaban group."

"Hmm?" Treebeard wondered again, "…I've not heard of the Oniwaban group either…"

Treebeard took a few moments to consider what the Hobbits and Misao have said. However… Treebeard was still not convinced…

"…Sounds like Orc mischief to me!" Treebeard growled intensely.

Misao squealed at the Ent's growing anger as he tightened his hold on the Hobbits and Misao, squeezing them. The trio whimpered and squealed in pain.

"Hey," said Misao, "easy, pal! I'm injured you know…"

Treebeard went on, snarling, "…they come with fire, they come with axes…!

"…Gnawing, biting, breaking, hacking, burning…!

"…DESTROYERS AND USURPERS, CURSE THEM!" Treebeard roared out, stomping very loudly in anger.

"No, you don’t understand," Merry said, pleading, "we’re Hobbits… Halflings… Shirefolk!"

Pippin nodded, adding his plea to Merry's own plea.

"And I'm a girl who'd rather die than be one of those creepy Orcs!" yelled Misao.

"…Maybe you are," said Treebeard, settling down a little, "…and… maybe you aren't…

"…The White Wizard, will know…" Treebeard suggested.

"…The White Wizard?" wondered Pippin, in a low voice.

Merry paused for a moment as he realized whom Pippin was talking about…

"…Saruman," Merry gasped to himself, in realization.

Misao froze for a few moments and then frowned, regaining her wits as Treebeard dropped them on the ground. The trio slowly picked up their faces... and looked up at the White Wizard… with astonished looks upon their faces…

'…Why that's… its…' Misao thought, speechlessly as she looked at the wizard with bewildered eyes, '…I, I don't… I don't believe it…'