Oh, there's definitely an aspect of feelings. Shadows for things that ain't alive are one things, but the personal shadows? They're all the hidden things, including the feelings people don't want to expose to others. Same token, the light gets fueled with all the feelings ya throw out there.

First action?

...couple of months before I met her. [He nods his head to Delphi.] I'd been thinking on my own, observing, taking in information my owner wasn't so good at, but I didn't really think about moving on my own until then.

[When Ganon recruited him and said he could.]