The commotion from Bernahl's group naturally woke the sleeping Dwarves.
However, before Thorin and the others woke up, Tarnes had already rushed over under Bilbo's guidance.
"Bernahl, is anyone hurt?"
Tarnes rode Torrent with Bilbo sitting behind him as they hurried over.
Bilbo nervously gripped the short brass blade Tarnes had given him and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Bifur, Bofur, Oin, and Gloin were all there.
Bernahl stuck his greatsword into the ground and answered Tarnes in a relaxed tone: "If some scraped skin counts as being hurt."
Tarnes dismounted and walked toward Bofur and the others' position, while Bilbo remained on Torrent's back.
Despite having just experienced such a perilous escape, Bofur and Bifur still held their torches tightly in their hands. It was this firelight that allowed Tarnes to see the trees that Bernahl had cut in half.
Bernahl walked to Tarnes' side and said, "Those things attacked the Dwarves. Monsters disguised as trees."
Tarnes frowned, looking at the trees that had been cut in half but were still moving in the firelight, and shook his head: "They're somewhat like the tree-type monsters that are avatars of the Minor Erdtrees, but there are differences. Although they move at will, they haven't grown human-like hands and feet."
Bernahl nodded: "I noticed that too. Their attack methods are nothing more than using branches or roots, quite limited. But limited attack methods don't mean they're not dangerous. If they hadn't encountered me this time, these Dwarves would probably have lost two or three of their number."
As he spoke, he looked toward Oin and Gloin.
Bifur and Bofur were tending to Gloin and Oin's injuries. Upon hearing Bernahl's words, Gloin quickly pulled his hard-of-hearing brother Oin forward, and both bowed deeply to Bernahl.
Though with the Dwarves' build, bowing was really quite difficult for them.
Bernahl raised his hand and waved, indicating it wasn't necessary.
At this time, Thorin also arrived with the remaining Dwarves, shouting in Khuzdul and running to Oin and the others with axes, surrounding them protectively.
But they quickly realized the crisis was temporarily over and all breathed sighs of relief.
Thorin walked over and asked Tarnes: "What happened here? What did Oin and Gloin encounter?"
Tarnes pointed at the tree trunks that were still struggling and writhing: "Those things, Thorin. Do you recognize these tree-like creatures?"
Thorin followed Tarnes' finger and looked over, his face showing surprise as he immediately shook his head: "I swear I've never seen such strange creatures."
Gandalf's aged voice came loudly from behind them: "They are Huorns, Tarnes, Thorin."
Tarnes turned around to look at Gandalf walking over with his staff: "You know them?"
Gandalf stood beside Tarnes and nodded: "Yes, I just never expected to see them again. By rights, these creatures should have long existed only in Fangorn Forest, watched over by the ancient race of Ents. Without Ents to guard them, these Huorns become very strange and savage, quite dangerous."
Bernahl shouldered his knight's greatsword again and said: "Obviously, these creatures called 'Huorns' don't have the Ents you mentioned watching them. Oin and Gloin were just relieving themselves and got tied up in the trees."
Gandalf frowned and mused: "This is indeed somewhat strange. In theory, these Huorns should have an Ent watching them..."
At this point, Tarnes said: "Perhaps it's because of the hobbits that these Huorns have become so dangerous and violent."
He looked at Bilbo sitting on Torrent behind him and whispered to Gandalf: "After all, Bilbo mentioned before that many years ago the hobbits of Buckland had a great conflict with the Old Forest. Perhaps the Ents of the Old Forest died at that time."
Gandalf nodded thoughtfully: "I think you're right."
Then Tarnes asked: "Can Huorns be communicated with?"
Gandalf coughed: "Well... theoretically they can be communicated with, as long as one knows Entish."
Bilbo, sitting on Torrent, heard Gandalf's words and asked curiously: "Entish, is that the language of these tree-folk? Do you know Entish, Gandalf?"
Gandalf didn't answer but changed the subject: "Thorin, tell your people not to go near the Old Forest tonight, and we'll set out first thing tomorrow morning."
Thorin nodded and turned to direct the Dwarves back to their warm tents.
Except for Bofur and Bifur, who were supposed to keep watch, Gandalf specifically warned these two Dwarves: "Don't go look at those trees Mr. Bernahl cut down out of strange curiosity, understand? They're still alive, not dead."
Bofur and Bifur nodded repeatedly.
Bilbo, meanwhile, turned into a curious child, pestering Gandalf with questions: "They're still not dead even in that state?"
Gandalf glanced at Bilbo and said: "That's because their roots weren't severed by Mr. Bernahl, Bilbo. They're essentially still plants, as long as the roots remain, they'll grow new shoots someday."
Bernahl then came over and said to Bilbo with a smile: "I think fire would completely eliminate them."
Bilbo instinctively said: "But that would cause a forest fire, wouldn't it? And they can't threaten us anymore, so let's just leave them be, Mr. Bernahl."
Gandalf said: "The kindness of hobbits never ceases to surprise me. I'm sure our Mr. Bernahl won't do anything more to the Huorns. But Bilbo, you should worry about whether you'll encounter anything strange when passing the Old Forest tomorrow morning."
Bilbo asked in confusion: "Me? Why would I encounter something?"
Tarnes walked over, leading Torrent's reins, and said: "I think Gandalf is reminding you to be careful, since you told us yourself that the trees in the Old Forest hate hobbits like you the most. I'd guess that tonight's attack on Oin and Gloin by that willow was because their height somewhat resembles hobbits."
Bilbo instinctively shivered and showed a forced smile: "It shouldn't be such a coincidence. After all, over all these years, besides hobbits, many Dwarves and humans have been troubled by the Old Forest."
Gandalf sighed and shook his head without saying more.
The wizard's expression made Bilbo worry, and he quickly looked at Tarnes: "You'll protect me, right?"
Tarnes nodded as a matter of course: "Of course, as long as you're in my sight."
Bilbo loudly promised: "Of course I won't leave your sight, Tarnes."
By the time Bilbo was coaxed into his tent by Tarnes, it was already very late.
So despite the Dwarves' snoring and those annoying branches, Bilbo still fell into a deep sleep from exhaustion.
Dawn broke with thin mist like gauze, the road across the plain stretching to the horizon, flanked by green grass and the occasional wildflower.
A slightly cold morning breeze passed by, the grass tips swaying gently, accompanied by morning frost and the cold of approaching winter.
The fire was buried with sand and lost its warmth, stubbornly sending up its last wisps of white smoke.
The expedition that had camped here last night had already departed.
Bilbo wrapped his clothes tightly around himself and rode on his pony but still couldn't help shivering.
Only the second day after leaving Bag End, Bilbo already missed his warm bed terribly.
Bofur ahead turned back and said: "I think you should put on another thick garment, Bilbo. Winter mornings are colder than you think."
Bilbo rubbed his cold nose with his hand while replying with a small complaint: "That's because I never expected to wake up so early. This should be a time for continued sleep. Yesterday's early departure was one thing, but why do we have to leave so early today too?"
"And we didn't even have breakfast. Good heavens, can't these Dwarves eat their fill before setting out?"
Bofur just smiled at Bilbo's minor complaints.
Tarnes helped Bilbo retrieve a fur-lined coat from the saddlebags hanging on either side of his pony. The hobbit quickly put it on and finally felt warm.
Gandalf rode leisurely on his horse, smoking his pipe-weed.
Seeing this, Bilbo's smoking urge also kicked in. He took out his pipe and said to Gandalf: "Give me a light too, Gandalf."
Gandalf chuckled and extended the finger wearing Narya, snapping his fingers lightly to ignite the pipe-weed in Bilbo's pipe.
"I'd call this the most convenient magic of all," Bilbo said with enthusiasm.
"Indeed," Gandalf replied with a knowing smile, "it should be the most convenient magic for hobbits who enjoy their pipe-weed."
At this moment, Thorin shouted loudly from ahead: "We're approaching the Old Forest, everyone be careful."
This shout immediately made the hobbit nervous. He remembered Tarnes and Gandalf's words from last night and instinctively guided his pony closer to Tarnes' direction.
He was about to say something to Tarnes when he noticed that Tarnes somehow had several silvery-white, gourd-shaped glass bottles in his hands, with faint golden powder seeming to drift from their mouths.
"What... what are you doing?" Bilbo asked hesitantly.
Tarnes replied concisely: "Protecting you all."
Then he unscrewed these glass bottles and scattered them skyward.
The golden powder seemed conscious as it covered the entire expedition. Each Dwarf touched by the pollen glowed with a faint golden, translucent bubble.
The Dwarves were surprised, and Tarnes' voice came in time, loud and gentle: "Don't be nervous. This pollen forms protection that can block one fatal attack for you."
Gandalf's curious gaze swept over repeatedly as he said in surprise: "Just how many secrets do you have that even I find incredible?"
Obviously, this wizard had discovered that Tarnes wasn't lying, that golden pollen could indeed block one fatal attack.
Tarnes said: "Probably less than ten percent of what you've seen?"
Bilbo curiously poked at the translucent bubble surrounding him, but it didn't change due to his finger.
The expedition continued along the road outside the Old Forest. Bilbo didn't know how much time had passed, he only knew Thorin had said they could eat when they were nearly out of the Old Forest around noon. But it seemed like a long time had passed, and they still hadn't exited the Old Forest.
Instead, there were more and more trees on both sides of the road, not at all like they were heading outward.
Wait.
A great fear suddenly arose in Bilbo's heart. His listless appearance instantly disappeared as he anxiously raised his head.
The sky had somehow been obscured by intersecting branches, with only glimpses of sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, making it impossible to determine the time or direction.
Bilbo shouted loudly: "Stop! We must stop! The direction is wrong, we're not walking toward the outside of the Old Forest, we've already walked into the Old Forest!"
Thorin stopped and took out his map to compare with the road beneath their feet, frowning: "But we're following the road marked on the map."
As he spoke, he pointed to a landmark not far away by the roadside, a signpost placed there to prevent travelers from getting lost.
Dwalin laughed loudly: "Is our burglar master homesick, or hungry?"
The Dwarves laughed, all thinking Bilbo was making a fuss over nothing.
Bilbo showed an exasperated expression, but lacking sufficient evidence to convince these Dwarves, he could only continue shouting: "But we're now surrounded by towering trees everywhere! Look up, the sunlight is being blocked!"
The Dwarves, led by Thorin, all looked up. The laughter stopped and they began discussing among themselves.
Thorin still frowned: "But the map shows..."
At this moment, Tarnes looked around with a serious expression and, quite rarely, interrupted Thorin: "Thorin, what Bilbo said is correct. We're already in the Old Forest now. The map is useless."
Thorin sat on his horse, looking over in surprise: "How is that possible? I've been carefully comparing the map as we walked."
Gandalf narrowed his eyes, looking at the countless trees around them, his voice ethereal: "That's because the trees of the Old Forest are different from other forests, Thorin. They move, just like those trees Oin and Gloin encountered last night."
Tarnes said: "When Bilbo spoke up, I focused my attention on those trees. Just now, I noticed those trees had moved a bit closer to us. Ready your weapons, Thorin. I'm afraid something big is coming."
[Chapter Complete]
***
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