Also Known As
Rocco (to some friends), Large One (to the Lakota)

Name Meaning
Rock in French

Gender
Male / stallion

Age
Roughly same age as Spirit

Breed (of horse)
Brabant (Belgian Heavy Draught)

Rank Status (in herd/home)
Subordinate stallion

Territory/Herd/Home Status:
Currently lives in the Ninovan Herd

Appearance and Build
A handsome, 16 hands high specimen of his breed, with a small, squarish head (with a slight Roman nose) and muscular neck. His legs are shortish with some feathering.

Pelt Colours
A mixture of both pale and dark red roans, and some black; black mane and tail.

Eye Colour
Bright chestnut

Markings (Natural)
Black points

Marking (Painted)
None

Personality
Willing, hardy and strong; affable and sensitive; paternal and quietly stubborn. Has huge faith and determination, and is very positive-thinking.

Likes
Rainy days; being helpful and of use; proving himself

Dislikes
Anyone/anything coming too close to his legs (because children of his old home Billy'O town used to like cutting off his feathering); cruelty; Mikasi being annoying.

Relations
Johanna (mate), Lemenet (daughter), Puer Solis (son-in-law), Amadias, Esmour (grandsons), other relations including parents and numerous brothers and sisters

Friends
Draconian, Bright Season, Little Creek, the Lakota Indians (also his owners for a short time), Daisy Morris, Gower, Oatis, Tradick, Iron-Oak, members of the Ninovan Herd

Foes
Mikasi; the Morris Brothers (also his owners for a long time)

History

Born in the rocky hills of Belgium, Flemish Brabant region, Roc was reared by a farmer who bred heavy-horses as a money-making hobby.

Into his fifth year and onwards, Roc went through tough times.

Firstly, his master sold him to customers to America; Roc suffered severe illness during the sea journey when he was transported by boat to the New World. Fortunately though, he was strong enough to recover.

His new home in America was a ''town'' called Billy'O, which was really a recently-established settlement with only six or so solid buildings, located near the Cimarron River. Roc's new owners were Jimbo and Alfie Morris, brothers who for a living rented out their small number of draft horses. Roc's main job was as a cart horse delivering supplies to the nearest US Cavalry fort, manned under the Colonel's authority. While the Cavalry paid for the use of Roc, a young man called Paul Adams (son of Sgt. Adams) drove him to and from the army post with the provisions. This task, however, Roc did only monthly - during the time between each deliver journey, he was an odd-job horse, hired by various different people for all sorts of things including pulling wagons, ploughing and log hauling. The trouble was, all the people who hired him (save Paul Adams, who could just afford it), didn't have enough money to give him enough feed, and the Morris brothers themselves were atrociously cruel, overworking and underfeeding poor Roc, so that in a few short weeks he was in very bad shape, soon to live on the verge of death.

It was all very horrible; but as he had endured the sea journey to the New World, Roc managed to endure the difficulty of living under the ownership of the Morris brothers, especially after witnessing Spirit's escape from the Cavalry fort. The Mustang stallion's determination inspired Roc, who strove on, urging himself with positive thinking and the faith that there would soon be an end to his suffering.

And indeed Roc's hardships were made more bearable by the company of a mare, Johanna, who shared the barn and small paddock in which he rested after his daily work. She became his mate. Roc also made friends with some Cavalry mounts from the fort (Iron-Oak, Oatis and Gower), and a young horse in Billy'O called Tradick. Paul Adams, and his sister Jenni, were also very kind to him. Roc's life eventually did start to become easier, when the owner of Johanna the mare (Daisy Morris, the niece of Roc's owners) began topping up Roc's meagre rations secretly, so he was reasonably better fed.

Then later, in Roc's seventh year, a vastly-numbered band of the local Lakota (some from Little Creek's tribe) attacked Billy'O; the Native Indians plundered the small town after driving away its few inhabitants. This was a terrible incident for the people of Billy'O - but for Roc, who was left behind in his barn by the Morris brothers, it was a happening that improved his life hugely. The Lakota braves claimed Roc as one of their victory winnings. Roc became a Lakota horse, part of Little Creek's village.

He was very much happier, although one of the tribe stallions, Mikasi, a moody soul very was very protective over 'his' herd of Lakota steeds, was not glad to have Roc around, and so made things for big horse a bit difficult. But even worse, Roc missed Johanna, who with the Morris family had been driven away from Billy'O by the attacking Indians. What was more, Johanna was carrying Roc's foal. He wished to be reunited with his mate, with their foal, in the future.

Months later, his wish was granted. Johanna, ridden by Daisy Morris, unexpectedly appeared one day outside the camp of Little Creek's people. Miss Morris' family, having agreed mutual friendship with the Lakota, had set up a homestead nearby. Roc went down to the Morris stead every day to meet Johanna. But he was careful not to let any person touch him - not even Daisy Morris - after he found out his old owners the Morris brothers were also living on the stead. He was not keen on returning to the life of a work horse. Roc visited his mate oftener and oftener, hoping that she would join him as a Lakota horse. Finally, Daisy Morris decided to give her horse to the Lakota Indians. Roc and Johanna were together, properly, at last.

In time, Roc and Johanna's foal, Lemenet, was born. She grew up to have two foals (with an appaloosa stallion called Puer Solis): twins Esmour and Amadias.

Roc and Johanna were nearing old age when they met Lucius, leader of the Ninovan Herd. He invited them to join his horses, and since Mikasi was becoming so very crochety towards his own elderly years (there was no end to the trouble he gave Roc), they agreed.