Disclaimers:  BeastMaster characters and concept are property of their creators.   No copyright infringement intended.   Original characters and story are property of the author.
Season:  One.
Spoilers:  "The Demon Curupira," "Ketzwayo," "Circle of Life," "A Simple Truth."

Note:  This does not follow official show canon, since the writing process began well before "Valhalla" aired.   See here for Author's Notes.

Birthright
© 2000, Deb Taylor

Chapter One

It was a very rare morning when Tao awoke before Dar.  The scholar couldn't name what brought him to awareness . . . aside from Kodo and Podo scurrying over his body.  He picked up a ferret . . . he still couldn't tell the difference between the pair . . . and told it, "Be still.  Dar needs to sleep."

The ferret squealed at him and Tao briefly wished his friend  was awake.  But Dar was still recovering from his mauling at the claws of Ruh, as well as his battle with the three warriors of Prince Red-Eyes.  And if the BeastMaster wouldn't take care of himself, then that task fell to Tao.

Tao couldn't fight as well as Dar . . . and found himself getting trounced on a regular basis . . . but he had other skills.  And the claw marks on Dar's shoulder and chest still concerned him.  Tao looked at Ruh, who hadn't left Dar's side in the last week, and said, "Keep an eye on him, will you?  I'll see if I can find some food for us."

Ruh merely regarded him and Tao muttered, "I'm starting to sound like Dar."  His friend moaned in his sleep, and Tao looked at Dar in concern, then at Ruh.  The tiger just returned the stare calmly and Tao continued, "Maybe Kodo and Podo should forage for food."  During the last week, Dar had been tormented by nightmares, apparently from his boyhood.

Dar had spoken little of his early life . . . Tao knew Dar's father had been the BeastMaster before his death.  And from what the scholar could gather, for Dar hadn't told him, his father's death had been a few years earlier.  And he knew about Kyra.  But there was another name which Dar had cried out in his sleep, another woman's name.

Tao didn't know who the woman was, or what she was to Dar, but it was obvious to him that she had meant a great deal to him.  An all-too-familiar voice said, "Ohhhh, she meant everything to him . . . almost as much as his mother, almost as much as Kyra.  You might say she's the reason why both Dar and his father became BeastMasters."  Tao looked up into the bright blue eyes of the demon Curupira.

"Curupira . . . to what do we owe the honor of this visit?" Tao asked.  Curupira just smiled wickedly and Tao added, "Let Dar sleep, you can talk to me.  He's been through enough in the last few weeks."  He knew he was taking a chance with his life, but he also wouldn't allow Curupira to risk Dar's life in such a cavalier way.

Curupira's eyes flashed and she replied, "He is mine!" Tao met her eyes head on.  He had seen what she could do, and he knew she had no problem with killing humans.  Being friends with Dar probably would make little difference.  The seemingly-young demon added begrudgingly, "But I will not wake him.  Besides.  I wanted to speak with you."

"Curupira, you may not care about humans, but Dar will be unable to protect your animal friends if he is unwell," Tao reminded the demon, and she glared at him.  The scholar continued, "That being said, what is it?  Why did you need to speak with me?" He knew it involved Dar somehow; the demon Curupira didn't bother with any other humans.

"It is about the nightmares of the BeastMaster.  As you suspected, he dreams of a time long past, when he was very, very young.  And these dreams come now because . . . well, I cannot tell you the reason for the dreams.  But there is a reason for them," Curupira explained.

"All right . . . and you're telling me this because . . . ?" Tao asked.  Despite her seeming dislike and contempt for Dar, the scholar guessed that Curupira was a bit infatuated with her 'worthless' BeastMaster.  Actually, it was the way she treated Dar which convinced Tao: it reminded him of the way his sisters would act toward a young man whom they liked.

"As you said . . . if the BeastMaster is not well, then he cannot protect the animals," Curupira answered in a sulky voice.  She paused, then added very seriously, "And because I am seeking to right a wrong that was done many years ago.  I did not perpetrate this wrong, but I did profit from it.  The consequences provided me with my last two BeastMasters."

Curupira glared at him, adding, "And you will not tell the BeastMaster that I said such a thing!" Tao bowed his head, half from respect and half to keep the demon from seeing his smile.  In many ways, she behaved like the young girl she appeared to be.  And he did  not want Curupira to believe he was laughing at her.

When he looked up again, she was gone.  Tao had come to expect that from Curupira, however.  And he kept his mouth shut while he was asleep, too.  On her advice.  Ruh was nudging Dar, urging him to wake up, and Tao glared at the tiger.  He told the animal, "Great.  I made Kodo and Podo leave him alone, and then you turn around and wake him up."

The tiger just yawned and Tao sighed.  There was no help for it now . . . and the sun was beginning to rise.  Tao reached over and gently shook Dar's shoulder.  The scholar shivered despite himself.  It seemed that his friend might be developing a fever.  At the time of Ruh's attack, Tao had tried to ensure that Dar's wounds would not become infected.  Only time would tell if his efforts were for naught.

~*~*~*~

"C'mon, Dar . . . we can make it if we hurry," the little girl's voice said in the dark recesses of Dar's memory.  He had been a little boy the last time he had heard that young voice, a child of three.  Dar the adult knew it was just a dream, but his soul didn't care.

In his mind he was still a child, and he was being carried through the forest by his older sister.  Mira had been ten years old, seven years older than Dar, and she took her duties as older sister very seriously.

Their mother had died three years earlier, when Dar was born, and Mira had been helping their father raise him.  The three year old looked up at his sister adoringly.  He had never seen his mother, but he had been told that she had dark hair, like Mira.  The little boy bestowed a wet kiss on Mira's right cheek, and she grinned at him.

"None of that, now . . . we're late, and I don't want Father to think we've forgotten about the celebration tonight.  No, I won't put you down . . . if we both walk, it will take us longer, and I didn't put your shoes on you," Mira said.  She froze, her arms tightening around Dar's small body, and Dar tensed as well.

"What is it, Mira?" he had asked in a small voice, and Mira gently placed her finger against his lips, hushing him.  She turned around very slowly, then pressed Dar's face against her shoulder.  Dar sensed her terror, and tried not to cry out.  He was only three years old, but he had been taught not to cry out in the forest.

"You should not be out here . . . the children of the Sula have nothing to fear from the forest or the animals, but they must fear other humans," a young girl's voice said.  Mira's arms only tightened further, and the girl's voice added, "Oh, that?  Merely some foolish men who did not heed my warning."

"We are going back to our village, great Curupira.  We mean no harm to your animals or to you," Mira answered in a trembling voice.  The little boy froze in his sister's arms.  Curupira!  He had heard of her!  Mira added, "My father says that you will harm no one who would not hurt animals.  And sometimes, you helped my mother with her medicines."

"I have little use for humans, but you have nothing to fear from me, Mira of the tribe Sula.  Nor does your little brother.  But you must go . . . before it is too late," the demon Curupira answered.  Dar peeked around his sister's hand and saw a young girl, who seemed to be about fourteen or fifteen, with bright blue eyes and golden hair.

"I thank you, great Curupira . . . She's gone," Mira said softly.  Then she told her brother, "Never mind.  We must get back to the others, else a war party will come looking for us.  And then Curupira will be angry with us."  Dar had said nothing as his sister began walking again.  She was singing a lullaby under her breath, but her brother wasn't fooled.

"Dar?  C'mon, time to wake up . . . Ruh is threatening to give you a bath right here if you don't start moving," a totally different voice said, shattering the dream.  Dar opened his eyes to see Tao at his side, frowning anxiously.  The frown turned to a relieved smile, and Tao said, "What's this, you're trying to scare me again?"

Dar managed a tired smile for his friend and sat up, wincing.  Despite the intervening weeks, his shoulder was still sore.  And once more, he was grateful for Ruh's memory of the years of friendship they shared.  Tao continued, "I'm sorry for waking you, but I thought we should be on our way.  And . . . it seemed like you were having a nightmare."

His friend's voice was hesitant, and Dar hesitated as well before he answered, "Not a nightmare, really.  Just a memory."  Tao looked at him, not saying a word, and Dar admitted, "I was dreaming about my sister, Mira.  She was killed almost twenty years ago."

Now Tao's eyes reflected pity . . . no, not pity, Dar corrected himself.  Compassion.  His friend said, "I'm so sorry, Dar.  How did it happen?" Dar wasn't sure at first if he would even answer.  In the years after his older sister's death, he had thought both he and his father would die from the grief and the pain.

They had never spoken of Mira again, but she was there.  Her ghost haunted their father until the day he died.  Perhaps that was why Dar said now, "We were in the forest, playing children's games while the village was preparing for the festival that night.  We weren't alone.  Mira just had enough time to get me to safety before she was caught."

"Terrons?" Tao questioned and Dar shrugged.  He had never really known who had captured and murdered his older sister.  It was something which his father refused to discuss, and Dar had been too afraid to mention his sister's name after that terrible night.

"I don't know.  I was only three years old when Mira was killed . . . she was ten.  And it decimated my father.  I sometimes wonder what would have happened if Curupira hadn't needed a new BeastMaster at the same time.  I've always believed that my father . . . well, he thought he could have gone after Mira if he had the ability to communicate with animals," Dar explained.

"Ten years old . . . so she would be almost thirty now, if she was alive," Tao observed and Dar nodded with a sigh.  He had thought of that . . . she would have a mate, perhaps children.  And if she had lived, she would have become a Healer, like their mother before her.  Or so he had been told by Kyra when they got older.

"Yes," Dar said sadly.  He smiled at his friend weakly, then said, "But enough of the past.  We have far to travel today."  Tao rolled his eyes, and Dar laughed.  With that, he shook off the memories of the past.  Mira was dead . . . and he had finally accepted that he couldn't bring her back.

~*~*~*~

Curupira had broken no rules when she warned Tao about Dar's nightmares.  She had not interfered . . . in fact, compared to some of her demonic and divine cousins, she had been quite circumspect.  But she knew the Sorceress and the Ancient One would not be pleased.

For all her words, Curupira was extremely displeased when the pair began playing games with  her BeastMaster!  Dar was hers, just as his father had been, and Curupira had no patience with the Sorceress or the Ancient One.  Not that she had much patience with Dar's undying love for Kyra.  That was the one thing she feared . . . that Dar's love for Kyra would prove his undoing, and Curupira's own.

She tried to tell herself that she was just fulfilling the promise she had made to Dar's father.  That she didn't really care about Dar, or that irritating friend of his.  Curupira could lie all she wanted to Dar and to Tao.  But she couldn't lie to herself.

It was true that Curupira had little use for humans, overall.  But there were one or two whom she genuinely cared about.  One was just beginning his day's journey with his friend and companion.  And the other . . . the other Curupira needed to see.  A demon, a spirit, had few friends.  And Curupira had learned to take the ones she could find.  With just a thought, she willed herself to find her friend.

~*~*~*~

The sun was high overhead when they were attacked.  Tao and Dar had been travelling for several hours, joking and talking about the last few adventures they had.  Tao had just finished teasing Dar about the last time they encountered Curupira when Dar froze in his tracks.

His brown eyes took on a familiar glazed look, and Tao knew he was communicating with one of the animals.  Perhaps Sharak, but Tao would say nothing.  At least, not until his friend was ready to answer his questions.

Then Dar said very quietly, "Sharak just told me that there are several men hiding in the trees.  Be ready to run."  Tao glared at his friend . . . he had seen Dar fight, and he knew the animals would not leave his friend, but Tao would not just abandon Dar.

"I'm not going anywhere, Dar.  I may not be the fighter you are, but I won't abandon you," the scholar answered.  Dar merely looked at him, a hint of amusement in his dark eyes, but Tao didn't smile.  He repeated, "I'm not going anywhere.  So let's get ready."

Dar nodded in acknowledgment and the two continued walking toward the forest.  Sharak had warned them of the men in the forest . . . but the great eagle had not seen the men hiding in the grass.  More to the point, he hadn't seen the men who disguised themselves and hid in the grass.  Sharak wasn't perfect . . . he couldn't see everything.

Tao found out for himself when he was tackled from behind.  The scholar fought back, crying a warning to Dar.  Tao heard a growl and his attacker found himself looking into the eyes of Ruh.  Tao was released and he immediately was engaged once more.  During the last few months, he had learned some fighting skills, and he utilized those now.

But it wasn't enough.  Even as the scholar successfully defended himself, Dar was facing off with ten men.  Not very good odds at all, especially not when all ten were attacking at once.  Dar cried out, "Tao!  GO!"  Tao started to shake his head, but Ruh growled at him as he bounded to Dar's side.  Tao didn't understand what was being said, but he could figure it out anyhow.

A voice, which sounded like Curupira's, whispered, "He will not survive if you do not escape.  Now go!  Before they kill him!"  It only took another quick glance for Tao to realize it was true.  While Ruh was dealing with several warriors, Dar was still overwhelmed.  And he was tiring.  Tao could see it in his eyes, in his grimace.

"I'll be back for you, Dar," Tao whispered, "I swear, I will be back for you!"  Hating himself for abandoning his friend, Tao ran in the opposite direction . . . praying he would be able to find help before it was too late for Dar.  Praying that the help he would receive from the animals would be enough in the meantime.

(continued)

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