Shahrizai was born in the jungle to Scorch and Hestoni. He was well loved and a little bit spoiled as a youth. He was born into the unnatural winter that assailed to Jungle, but he not only survived, he thrived. When he was not quite a year old, he met Librette. She was the first horse he had met that were not his parents or sisters of the Jungle, and he was fascinated. They formed an unlikely friendship. Librette tried very hard to convince Shah to move to the Valley. He found himself torn between remaining in the Jungle or going to the Valley. During this time, he was strongly encouraged by his mother to participate in the Deserts competition for the crown. For this reasons, as well as others he couldn't quite yet name, he chose to compete. He lost in the first round, though the goddess was very kind to him, leaving him with a lasting, very warm impression of the Deserts. After several years, Librette gave birth to twin girls, whom Shah grew quickly attached to. Shortly after the girl's birth, Librette died unexpectedly, shocking Shah and the twins. Shortly thereafter, Val came to the Amazons, giving Shah to friendship and companionship he badly needed then. Shahrizai, though he had called Amazons home, had been drifting more and more. He realized that his home was not meant to be the Amazons, and after a time, came to understand that he had always been meant to go to the Deserts. He decided then that he would make his home in the Deserts. In the meantime, as Val grew into a woman, they slowly came to realize that they had feelings for each other. Unfortunately Val disappeared, leaving Shahrizai alone and very confused. It was then that Shahrizai's parents, Hestoni and Scorch, died within minutes of each other. Shahrizai was devastated. With no one else to turn to, he went to the meadow, where he met Ilka. They developed a strong connection, but before they had a chance to meet again, Shahrizai was pulled unexpectedly into another world where he became humane. The Mistress, the woman who had pulled him into this world, subjected him to several daunting challenges. In the first challenge, he watched a man who had become his friend die, and in the second challenge, he inexplicably changed into a monster and killed his remaining companion. This act horrified him, and in the final challenge, this came back to haunt him, along with all the ways in which he had failed his parents and Val. This broke him, leaving him unable to finish the quest. The Mistress saw something in him however, and decided to grant him the ability to manipulate shadows. Following his return to Beqanna, Shahrizai had to come to terms with his new ability as well as everything that had happened to him. He wallowed in self pity and misery until Ilka found him again. In her he found a kindred spirit and was able to pull himself back together. He returned to the Deserts with Ilka, ready to take his place there. Soon thereafter, he had twins with Ilka, a boy named Illum and a girl named Heartfire, just as war was breaking out across Beqanna.