Stoneclaws the Bear

There are few bears of any sort within Fangorn, much less ones as massive as Stoneclaws. The Ents, as a rule, aren’t very fond of bears. Their tendency to sharpen their claws and mark their territory by tearing into the trunks of trees has never endeared them to the Onodrim. Still, for every rule there’s an exception. Stoneclaws’ mother staggered down from the Misty Mountains long years ago, bloody rents scored in her sides. The Ent Beechbone found her, all but spent, near the Limlight. Perhaps he would have left her, letting nature take its course, if not for the Orcish arrows that guaranteed his sympathy or the new life struggling to escape her, for she was heavy with cub and in labour.

Thus, Beechbone the Ent found himself a midwife and soon after a parent, for the she-bear passed with the birthing of her cub. Beechbone turned to his fellow Ents and explained (for over a week or so) what had occurred. Together, they decided to raise the bear-cub. Fairly early on, the Ents pointedly directed his claw sharpening away from trees and towards stones within the forest, hence his name. Stoneclaws is now a mighty beast, for he has been raised on the draughts of the Ents and has grown to an impressive size indeed. He wanders through the northern portions of Fangorn foraging, occasionally roaming to the edge of the woods when a tantalising new smell presents itself. He’s exceedingly intelligent and fairly friendly, for a colossal bear, but a company that meets him in the woods may not know that and attacking him can quickly awaken a terrible wrath. Beornings will find him a cheerful soul who could help facilitate a meeting with the Onodrim if treated well. Killing Stoneclaws would upset all the Ents and certainly rouse the wrath of Beechbone.