Calmatan's early wanderings as one of the Onodrim had made him equally slow in thought and intent. Hence often he would forget the task at hand to savour worldlier flavours. Thus, it passed that he became particularly fond of food, and especially for honey and all things sweet, for it reminded him of Yavanna's Miruvórë. For indeed the concept of hunger was all but knew to him, and the feeling displeased him greatly, though he knew it was by the Valar’s design.
In Middle-Earth he learned the meaning of cold also, and the value of robe and hat. But in choice of wardrobe he was easily satisfied, and he carried only one hat, which in the long years of its use had grown moldy and covered in moss, and when it risked tearing, and no needle and thread could be found, he would patch it up using the resin of trees. Of this resin it must be said that he coveted it greatly in the form of amber, which he held to be the fairest of all earthly treasures. Hence, he fashioned it into a necklace, which he has carried ever since.
In his wanderings in the forest of Fangorn, it was only a matter of time ere he met Fangorn himself, though the Onod took some time to decide upon whether Calmatan was friend or foe. For it was Fangorn’s task to keep off strangers and the foolhardy. But Calmatan appeared to him merely a quaint old man with a creaky lantern, and he happily learned that he was kind to leaf and bark and that he had a willing ear for the many stories he had to tell and the many songs he had to sing. Thus, Fangorn called him Onondil, or Ent-friend, and to Calmatan he relayed many secrets of the forests which Calmatan wrote down in vast volumes of lore, and he became knowledgeable in all that grew and all that had once grown.
From Fangorn Calmatan learned of hollow dales in the forest and in other woods far off to the north where the Great Darkness yet lingered, blackening the hearts of trees. Calmatan was then reminded of his task and his mind turned diligent, as if at last he woke from his Entish dreams. But Fangorn bade him to take heed of his council, and not venture there alone. He appointed an Ent named Hivrif to aid him in his quest.
Hivrif was fair in bark and needle, for he had much akin to a fir, though his limbs looked smoother and his roots looked like long toes, counting no less than twelve. Then, far above the ground, a pair of green eyes peered from under branches of prickly petals, stained with tears of resin. And his legs and arms glistened in the sunlight, for they too were sticky with golden gum. That is why his name is Hivrif, for in the common tongue it translates to Gumbark.
'Ruuuum, taruum, runaaa, ruuum!'
Or at least that is how his first words to Calmatan sounded. For Calmatan could not speak Entish, none but Ents can. But their conversation quickly turned to High-Elven, which the Eldar had taught them long ago. And yet even in the Vanyarin tongue it lasted a full passing of the sun ere they had finished introducing each other, for neither Calmatan nor Hivrif were of the hasty sort.
They forged an unlikely friendship, and together ventured deep into Fangorn forest, from the tallest peaks of the southern Misty Mountains to the low bedding of the rivers Entwash and Limlight, flowing steadily from under the eaves of the forest into the grassy vales of Rohan. And wherever they came upon those patches yet tainted by the Great Darkness, Calmatan invoked the name of Varda to ease the blackened hearts of the trees affected.
‘A Varda, áni aina calanen!’, he would shout, and his lantern would gleam a bright light, the like which is not seen in the world today, save as memory in the stars. But there were some Huorns that could not be saved by mere incantations, nor by the soft Entish singing of Hivrif, for they were angry beyond memory and evil were their thoughts through day and night. Then Hivrif would intervene with the unmatched strength of the Onodrim to save Calmatan from harm. Such was the friendship of Calmatan Onondil and Hivrif and so would it last for many long years.
