Fellbeast

The Fell beasts, also called hell-hawks and Nazgûl-birds, were the flying creatures on which the Nazgûl rode after being unhorsed at the Ford of Bruinen.
== Description ==
The fellbeasts were described as large, winged creatures without feathers, that had pinions in between their horned fingers, and whose bodies gave off a stench. It is possible that fellbeasts came from "an older world". The dark lord Sauron bred these fellbeasts and gave them to the Nine.
== History ==
When seeking and pursuing Frodo, the Nine Nazgûl rode coal-black horses. These steeds were consumed at the Ford of Bruinen by the flood caused by Elrond's intercession, and the Nine also vanished in the river. Unseen, they eventually returned to Mordor in the next months, and were there given "fellbeasts".
When the Fellowship of the Ring had left Lothlórien and were camped on the western shore of the Anduin, they saw "a great winged creature, blacker than the pits in the night." When Legolas raised the great bow of Lórien and shot it with an arrow, it gave "a harsh croaking scream" and vanished into the gloom of the Eastern shore.
Frodo, Sam, and Gollum encountered a fellbeast while passing through the Dead Marshes, and in their fright Gollum spoke of "wraiths on wings".
According to the chieftain of Harrowdale, a fellbeast flew over Edoras and stooped just over Meduseld. They described it as being a darkness in the shape of a monstrous bird. After this, Gandalf told the Rohirrim to assemble at Dunharrow rather than outside Edoras to prevent attack.
When Faramir, captain of Gondor, was fleeing from the besieged city of Osgiliath on his way to Minas Tirith, he and his men were many times beset by winged Nazgûl until Gandalf rode out and drove them away with a shaft of white light from his raised hand.
At the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, the Witch-king of Angmar arrived in battle mounted on a fellbeast. When he mortally wounded King Théoden on the field, Éowyn removed her guise as Dernhelm and slew the fellbeast. She then confronted and slew the Nazgûl, with the aid of Meriadoc Brandybuck. The winged Wraiths would later join the Battle of the Black Gate and be engaged by Gwaihir and his Great Eagles, only to flee at the command of Sauron once he sensed Frodo donning the Ring within Mount Doom. The fellbeasts were then destroyed in the ensuing eruption.