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		| However, all sentient beings are either Children or Ainur-class/ealar ... | 
	
 But what about the sentient animals such as the Eagles themselves, the Fox in LotR and the Ravens in the Hobbit?  Assuming that there were sentient non-Maiar Eagles around in the First Age, could Thorondir (on the theory that he was a Maiar spirit incarnated in Eagle form) have mated with one of them?  Or would they fall into the category of beings without a fea, making a union between any such creature and a good Maia spirit implausible?