Pronunciation: SHOO-shenn (rhymes with who then)
Lifemate of Dart
Shushen is one of the original Jackwolf Riders, a protector and hunter for the desert Sun Village of Sorrow’s End. He first left the village on a rescue mission to aid the Wolfriders in their struggle against Winnowill, a mission that ended with the restored Palace of the High Ones descending into the forest and landing almost literally at his feet. Along with the rest of the Sun Folk and Wolfriders, he celebrated the freedom the restored Palace represented. And like the others, he mourned the loss of that freedom when Rayek stole the Palace away into a far future time. Yet the tiny replica of the Palace shaped by Ekuar as a gift to Savah gave all the Sun Folk something to rally around, Shushen included.
When Kahvi attacked the village to steal the Little Palace, Shushen developed a distrust of all Go-Backs. Though Kahvi wasn’t successful, Shushen’s suspicions weren’t totally unfounded. When the rest of the Go-Backs showed up later to finish the job Kahvi started, under Zey‘s leadership, Shushen was the first to fall, pierced by an arrow through the heart.
His death sent his devoted lifemate Dart into a kill-frenzy. Dart slaughtered Shushen’s killer, and many other Go-Backs, in a blind rage. Though thousands of years have passed, Shushen’s death still haunts Dart.
