MIRKWOOD DISCUSSION

[GreatWarg]

Khelek's Character and Ancestral Outline:

A wolf pup of seven months, Khelek is intelligent for his age, and strong for his stature. He is pure white, with shaggy fur made for cool climates. Originally, his kind may have been bred from wolf hounds of Oromë, for they are stealthy and silent, with keen eyes and good senses. Indeed, they must have been akin to Huan, taken from Valinor by the Noldorin Elves as they returned to Middle-earth in exile. Many beasts feared them, for the Light of Aman was in their eyes, and the spies of the Dark Lord were often hunted secretly. From these wolves, Morgoth tortured them and corrupted them, as he did to Elves, and they became Wargs, hateful servants of the Enemy. They were ever friends of Elves, but especially Dark Elves, for they could speak mind to mind, an ability which all beasts and Elves have, called osanwe.

His pack was hunting far from their usual boundries in the valley of Rivendell, where they dwelt and guarded the land, unseen by many travellers, a few days after messages had reached Rivendell about Orcs taking Celebrían hostage. Orcs surprised them, taking as many wolves captive as they could, and slayed the rest. Sauron intended to use them for breeding a stronger and more agile type of Warg. Khelek knows nothing of this, however.

In Mirkwood, as the Orcs were hurrying back to Bârad-dur with their captive, Anarya Silverbranch, the young Elf maiden of Thingol's realm, and Rûdhchamion the Dark Elf, took the Orcs at unawares and freed the young wolf pup. From there, their journey takes them to the fortress of Bârad-dur.