Shun

Shun is a small, bay horse, originally belonging to Otori Takeshi, who becomes the third mount of Otori Takeo. He disappeared after Takeshi's murder at the hands of the Tohan in Heaven's Net is Wide, but was recovered in Brilliance of the Moon by Amano Tenzo and given to Takeo, nephew and heir of Takeshi and his brother Shigeru. Takeo's previous horse, Aoi, had been badly injured in a battle with the ogre Jin-Emon, and his grooms were unable to save him, so Shun was intended as his replacement. Takeo subsequently uses him in all of the Five Battles.

Although not a particularly attractive or powerful horse, Shun is nimble, calm and reliable in combat and an extraordinarily intelligent animal. He demonstrates an uncanny ability to predict the movements of his riders' opponents and their horses, able to maneuver in such a way that Takeo is always in the perfect position to strike. He is also somehow able to understand disdain or insult; when Jiro, one of Takeo's younger followers, rudely dismisses Shun's appearance in favor of another horse, then tries to mount him, Shun bucks him off into the mud, much to Takeo, Jiro and Kubo Makoto's amusement. Only after Jiro apologizes does Shun allow him to mount.

Shun has died of old age between Brilliance of the Moon and The Harsh Cry of the Heron. While Takeo's daughter Shigeko eventually finds him a magnificent replacement horse, Tenba, Takeo never loses his affection for Shun, nor is he ever able to find a horse as smart as him.