All of the Elves felt great relief when they left Dunland behind them and entered the territory of the Rohirrim. True to their word, the horse masters awaited them, their encampment marked by the wind-whipped banners of a horse running on a green field. Anomen looked about eagerly for the Man who had given him the liberty of Rohan years earlier but was disappointed to learn that he was on a mission elsewhere in the realm.
The Elves sent up their own camp within sight of the Rohirrim's, and Anomen spent one night there before he departed for Isengard. That night Erestor and Glorfindel had entrusted him with a letter signed by Elrond, as well as a second one in Mithrandir's strong but elegant script. Said Erestor, "You will no doubt need to remain several days in Isengard whilst Saruman considers his answer. We will wait for your return."
"Yes, Lord Erestor."
"But linger for no other reason," added Glorfindel. "No doubt after the rigors of this journey, you will find the comforts of Isengard to be enticing."
"I will hasten back as soon as I may," Anomen assured the two Elves.
Glorfindel said sternly, "See that you do."
Anomen wondered whether Glorfindel thought that Anomen would drag out his stay at Isengard in order to avoid his chores for as long as possible. In truth, however, Anomen had no desire to stay in Isengard a day longer than necessary.
Only Thoron rode with Anomen to the eaves of the forest of Fangorn. The Rohirrim had been sweeping the plains near their encampment for several weeks and could say with certainty that no foes were present for several leagues on all sides. For the sake of companionship alone did Thoron accompany Anomen.
Thoron had looked back doubtfully at the forest when he parted from Anomen, but the younger Elf felt no fear when he was left alone with the trees. He sensed that deep within the forest some darkness lay, but he perceived that the trees closest to him were friendly to most two-legged creatures. They were, he felt, particularly well-disposed to Elves. He wondered whether he would encounter any Ents. Elves in Rivendell had lately been saying that the tree herders had at last passed from Middle Earth into the realm of legend. Anomen hoped that this was not true.
Anomen had sent his horse back with Thoron because it would have been difficult to lead, let alone ride, a horse through this ancient forest. For a long time he walked on with no companion other than the occasional bird and squirrel. Gradually, however, he realized that some other creature was nearby. But what it was he could not make out. He began to feel that some force was blocking his ability to speak with the trees. It was as if a fog were muffling the sounds that usually echoed within his mind. What were the trees thinking? Was this creature a threat or no? He could not tell.
Suddenly, with no warning whatsoever, a large and heavy creature catapulted out of the undergrowth and sprang at Anomen. For the first time in his life, the young Elf found himself with no time to react. He was knocked over and pinned by the creature, its weight bearing down heavily upon his chest and arms.
Anomen found himself lying on his back and looking up into the jaws of a slavering warg, shreds of flesh dangling from its yellowed teeth, its breath stinking of putrefaction. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to fill his mind with the faces of his friends, for he did not want to depart Middle Earth with his mind darkened by the image of that cruel beast. He waited, calm, a kaleidoscope of smiling visages swirling behind his closed eyelids. Slowly he became aware that the clearing had fallen silent and that the weight of the warg had lifted from him. He opened his eyes to find an aged Man looking down at him with an expression of amusement upon his face.
"I know you, do I not?" said the Man. "Were you not my guest in Isengard a few centuries ago?"
"Lord Saruman?"
The wizard inclined his head in acknowledgement.
"I believe you said your name was Anomen—was that not so?"
"Yes, Lord Saruman."
"Do you plan to spend the night in this clearing?"
"No, Lord Saruman."
"Then I suggest you arise. You might also want to brush yourself off. You appear to be a trifle dirty."
Bewildered, Anomen stood up and brushed off the dust, twigs, and leaves as best he could.
"My Lord, there was a warg!"
"Oh, do not trouble yourself about that." The wizard waved his hand dismissively.
"But wargs are fell creatures—"
"Only to those who cannot control them. A dog may rend one's flesh; a horse may trample a man. Do we shun such creatures? No, we tame them and make use of them."
"A warg is neither a dog nor a horse. A warg is altogether evil—like the Orcs who are their allies!"
"There is nothing that cannot be turned to account by he who has the wisdom and strength of mind to do so. There is no creature, no plant, no metal, no weapon or jewel or ring, that a man may not command."
"Even an Orc, my Lord?"
"Yes, even an Orc. For if such beasts can be controlled by the cruel and the degenerate, then how much the better could they be controlled by the wise and the noble."
Anomen shook his head. "I cannot believe that any good could come of making use of the tools of the enemy."
"If your sword broke during battle, would you not seize upon the nearest weapon—even if that sword had fallen from the grasp of one of your foes? In such a case, if you disdained the weapon of your enemy, like as not you would be slain—is this not so?"
Anomen remembered back to the time when he had been journeying from Greenwood to Lothlórien and had been forced to use an Orc scimitar to defend himself. How could he deny the truth of Saruman's words when he himself had made use of the devices of the enemy? And when he had battled the Dunlendings, had he not used devices of the enemy in another sense—had he not hacked and stabbed and slashed?
"But no doubt," said Saruman, breaking into Anomen's thoughts, "you think me a sophist for engaging in such banter when you surely have traveled far and must long for sustenance and shelter. Come, I will gladly be your host once again—for you must remember that I told you that you would always be welcome at Isengard."
"Ah," thought Anomen with relief, "so Saruman's words are no more than a species of wordplay. So wise a man as he must sometimes entertain himself by constructing clever arguments. In truth, he would not really try to make use of Orcs and wargs or any other such tools of the enemy."
Thus Anomen tried to convince himself that Saruman was yet a sound ally. Still, he could not deny that he had been startled by the intensity of Saruman's expression as the Istar had talked of adopting the devices of his foes. It took quite an effort for Anomen to put the matter out of his mind.