Black-Paws Helkos is the oldest son of Kostajor Wolf-Champion. Jomes Hostralos killed one of his five brothers and Black-Paws has sworn revenge against Jomes for this act. Now only Helkos and his brother Goram White-Fang survive from amongst Kostajor’s children.
Black-Paws served in the Telmori Royal Guard — as such he dresses in ‘civilized’ clothing of tunic and trousers, wears gold and silver arm rings, and carries a spear, sword, and shield. This may surprise people only used to seeing Telmori savages.
His first wife was a daughter of Prince Terasarin. She died in the Holy Country before they had children.
After that Black-Paws turned his back on his brothers’ service to the House of Sartar. He does meet with Kallyr Starbrow and considers her the true heir to the throne. He would sell his life to protect her, much as his father would have sold his.
Seven summers ago, while stalking deer, Black-Paws came across a group of Orlanthi attacking a Telmori camp. He led his small party of hunters to the rescue of the camp, driving off the attackers, who included Frekor Deep-Woods of the Red Cow. The leader of the camp was grateful and offered Helkos his two daughters in marriage. Their younger sister begged her father not to part her from her sisters and so became Black-Paws’ wife as well. Leikorl the Shadow killed the younger sister on Wildday, and skinned her to wear as a trophy. Black-Paws howled for seven days to mourn her. He has sworn vengeance upon Leikorl for the act.
Black-Paws still has three wives, and so spends many hours stalking deer in Stagland, to escape their nagging. He tries to avoid Red Cow or Wulfsland hunters, for fear of breaking the treaty, but kills any foolish enough to try to hunt him.
Four years ago when a Telmori hunting pack stole a red cow from Cloudburst Stead, along the Heort Creek, Borngold Many-Brothers demanded retribution. With Aethelric the Girl, he tracked the Telmori to Black-Paws’ pack. Citing Sartar’s treaty, Borngold demanded compensation and the brave who had stolen the cow. Black-Paws refused claiming that the brave was a guest from another pack, and that he had no authority over him. Borngold complained to Queen Ivartha the Skinner, and they led a band of the Wolfskinners Warband into the Wolf Hills seeking vengeance.
When Black-Paws again refused to hand over the brave, the two sides clashed at Pine Stand. Borngold and Ivartha’s forces were beaten back, and the Queen and Red Cow councilor were among the few survivors to escape. Since then, his pack has waged guerilla war with the Sartarite clans along the border, and the Wulfslanders.
Jomes has put a price on his head. He has killed seven who have tried to claim the bounty.
Black-Paws’ only son by his second wife, Ostling Spotted-Fur, remains a hostage in Queen Ivartha’s household. Black-Paws is worried that Ivartha will decide that his pack’s acts are enough justification to kill his son. If Ostling were killed, then Black-Paws would seek vengeance.