Shadow, the black half-Shire son of Barega the Silver Stallion, is huge and daunting in appearance but gentler even than Barega himself, though his formidable looks have earnt him the name 'Jirrand' (fear) in tales told by those who do not know how kind and harmless he really is. His Shire characteristics are obvious, but he is a little smaller and finer and strangely fast thanks to his sire's blood, and he has an obscure blaze and hind sock that are only visible from certain angles. His dam, a dun sabino Shire named Rosie by the humans who owned her, was stolen from men by a black stallion before Barega got her, and was a wise and strong mare, well-respected by both the worlds of horses and men. This is all that the brumbies knew of her, though of course the humans who bred her knew more of her background. The humans wanted her back, but seem to have given up, and Rosie is presumed dead since the tragic avalanche that took the lives of the dams of Waiirri and Ash. Rosie had sometimes wondered if Shadow was not the son of the black horse who had stolen her, but to anyone who knew the silver horses, it was clear that he was Barega's, much to the relief of the Shire mare.
Shadow spent most of his youth following the older Waiirri and Morang and the tri-coloured Yulu-Wirree, and longed to be as magnificent as them. But his heavy build and black coat made him feel awkward around the Silver Herd, a feeling which lasted for some time. But finally he left his friends, and his home, to go with Barega to help him watch over his herd till the black colt collected one of his own. He knew that the Cascades was to be the land of the Sky Stallions, and that if he was going to make a name for himself he would have to do so elsewhere. But he never felt any resentment toward his half-brothers, and his good nature only grew stronger as he matured.
As a two-year-old, Shadow went on a raiding party with Waiirri, Morang, Ash, Leena and Yulu-Wirree to steal the mahogany bay sabino Jarrah Mayr from the herd of Burando, the shallow younger half-brother of the Wind Whisperer. The filly, only a yearling at the time, captivated the big black colt, and she was by his side constantly from then on - until she was stolen soon after Shadow took her south with Barega, while she was birthing their first foal.
Shadow had recently become allied with Yaraan, the Snowgum Stallion of the South, as he discovered the pale grey's respect for the Silver Herd and enjoyed his company, as he knew he would not have to worry about the usual stallion squabbles. He and Yaraan began watching each other's mares, and Shadow allowed the rising young King of Quambat to help him take care of Barega's herd, so Shadow was free to search for his mare and their foal, who he had never even seen.
He moved to Quambat Flat, and settled the mares in while he hunted throughout the mountains for his beloved filly. He wondered if she had perhaps been too young, too small, to bear his foal, and lost a lot of sleep. But in Yaraan's herd the half-Shire discovered another son of Barega, a silver colt Yaraan was raising as his own. With Whinya,  who Yaraan assured him was good luck, Shadow searched and searched but could not find his dear Jarrah.
But one day, when Jarrah had been missing almost a year and someone had come to take Barega's mares back to him, Shadow had almost given up hope when a young painted colt came out of the deep Wilderness of the south, and behind him was Jarrah, with her foal - already almost as tall as her dam - and a filly Shadow didn't recognise. Shadow was overjoyed to see Jarrah Mayr alive, and their bay daughter Ghera, and all his spirit seemed to return. He was grateful to Broon for bringing back the two fillies that were the world to him, and to Yaraan for sharing his bimble for so long, and even Whinya for bringing him luck - but his old wanderlust was coming back with his love for life, and he wanted to take Jarrah and Ghera to see all the wonderful places he had discovered while searching for them.
So he left Quambat Flat on good terms with its occupants, and began to roam the mountains and valleys of the south with the only mate he ever really wanted, and the daughter they would now be raising together.
Shadow at a Glance

black half-Shire stallion, 4 years old
obscure blaze and left hind sock
(EeCC)

by Barega out of Rosie (dun sabino Shire)

allied to the Silver Herd

sometimes called 'Jirrand' by brumbies who do not know him, as his size is unsettling

mate:
Jarrah Mayr

get:
Ghera
click to go back
Shadow is played by and (c) to his creator penni creep