Long Lost Leaves - Part III

[Earniel]

The following months were a bit in a daze, Radagast afterwards thought. They had decided not to push their luck and avoid the lands of the Ultai on their way back.

Earthshaker's Entdraught had clearly done the Entwives well, for they were able to walk with great ent-strides and sometimes it was the adventurers that had trouble to keep up with the impatient Entwives. The fresh air and sun helped speed their recovery, and over the course of weeks, new buds and leaves regrew on their branches, and colour returned to their cheeks.

They passed by Erebor and then to Greenwood and everywhere they were received well, if with much astonishment. The Greenwood Elves promptly started re-writing the ending of their songs about the Ents and Entwives. King Thranduil even gave them an escort to the boundaries of the forest so that the spiders dare not trouble them. (As if they had dared with some many Entwives!)

And so finally, they reached Entwood.

When the Entwives caught sight of the wood, they started running, leaving the adventurers struggling to keep up. The Ents naturally had already received warning and were waiting.

Words could hardly describe the moment of reunion under the eaves of Fangorn Forest. There was a noise like you wouldn't believe it, for the Ents were very vocal in their joy and the voices of the Entwives like silver trumpets mingled with them.

The adventurers received a heroes' welcome and the Ents gave them vows of friendship and set to learning their full name and lineage, so that the list of adventurers that had brought back the Entwives could be recited as long as the Ent Realm endured.

The celebration that followed was a glorious one. Music was played, many songs were sung, the huorns danced and the Entdraught was distributed freely. It was such a party that weeks later, when Radagast and Haldis had finally returned to Rhosgobel, the wizard still remembered the hang-over of the following morning. Even that head-ache had been glorious.

But rather than the head-ache, Radagast prefered more often to remember his one-time companions. When the quest had been fulfilled, (and the subsequent hangovers had been cured) the time of goodbye had been imminent and home called to many. But he was certain bonds of friendship had been forged that would stand the test of time and it was unlikely that they would never meet again.