See Chapter One (A) for Disclaimers

It was dark when Tao finally awoke.  The little princess, daughter of Gereon and Carrin, had led him to a bedroom.  Tao hadn't planned to fall asleep . . . there was too much to think about, and besides, he was too worried about Dar to get much rest.  Or so he had thought.

The next thing he knew, Tao was opening his eyes and a little voice said, "Mama said you would sleep for a long time.  She said that you wouldn't want to fall asleep, but you would, 'cause you didn't realize how tired you are."  Tao looked over to find the princess sitting across from him, beside the door.  She smiled brightly.

"I know your mama is the queen . . . I suppose she's almost always right?" Tao questioned as he sat up and Princess Arduinna nodded with a big grin.  Tao muttered, "Of course she's always right, what was I thinking?  You never ask a little girl if her mother is ever wrong, especially not when her mother is a queen!"

"Papa told me that Mama is asleep right now.  He said that healing your friend made her very, very tired," the princess offered.  She paused, then asked seriously, "Will your tiger hurt me if I pet him?  He's so pretty."  Tao almost groaned aloud, wondering what Ruh would have to say about a little girl calling him 'pretty.'

And that was when he realized that Ruh was lying on the floor beside the bed where he now rested.  Before Tao could speak, the child had padded over to the animal.  Ruh stared at the girl and Arduinna began stroking his fur.  Ruh simply purred his pleasure, and the little girl laughed, "I like your tiger! He's nice!"

"Ahhh . . . he's not really mine.  He just travels with us," Tao answered.  He threw back the covers and left the bed.  For the first time, he got a good look at his small companion.  She was no more than five or six . . . even younger than he thought.  Tao asked, "How long have I been asleep?"

"Well, Mama and Papa brought you and your friend back just after the second meal . . . and it's almost time for the third," the little girl answered.  Tao did a mental calculation . . . he had been asleep for at least four hours.  That explained why it was so dark.  The child continued, sounding worried, "What happened to your friend?"

"We were attacked, and he was hurt very badly.  I'm Tao, by the way . . . and that's Ruh," the scholar said.  He looked around the room, and located Dar's pouch, the one which carried Kodo and Podo.  He crossed the floor, careful not to trip over the little girl or Ruh, and picked up the pouch.

Two small heads emerged from the pouch, chirping and squealing.  They probably hadn't eaten in hours, and it was a running joke between Tao and Dar about how the two ferrets did nothing but eat.  The scholar turned the ferrets to face the child, adding, "And this is Kodo and Podo."

The little girl clapped her hands with delight, drawing more chirps and squeals from the two animals.  Tao continued, "Princess Arduinna, forgive me for my lack of manners, but might you take me to see my friend?  I'm very worried about him."  The princess looked up from petting Ruh, her small face brightening.

"Of course . . . and you can call me 'Ari.' That's what my mama and papa call me.  Can Ruh come with us?  I think he wants to see your friend, too," the child suggested.  Tao frowned.  From what Dar had told him, he had the ability to communicate with animals due to Curupira.  Was it possible for someone to be born with that ability?

Tao resolved to ask Dar when his friend was awake and coherent.  For the moment, he told Ari, "I think you're right.  I think Ruh would like very much to see Dar."  As if he understood Tao, Ruh gave another purr and Tao took Ari's hand, drawing her to her feet.  Ruh also got up, rubbing along Ari, drawing giggles from the girl.

"Ruh loves Dar . . . he told me that.  He told me that a terrible creature tried to turn him against Dar, and almost succeeded.  Ruh almost killed Dar because of that creature.  And now, Ruh wants to make sure no one ever hurts Dar again.  Not even Lady Curupira, our goddess.  He told me, when I was petting him," Ari explained matter of factly.  As if she spoke to animals every day.

For all Tao knew, she probably did talk to animals every day, if only in her imagination.  But her imagination hadn't told her about that little monster who had driven the animals insane and nearly destroyed Dar.  Tao fought off another chill.  He would have to ask Dar if it was possible . . . if this child could be a born BeastMaster.  If Dar survived.

~*~*~*~

Curupira was very displeased.  While he was awake, the scholar Tao's guard was up.  And as Dar had told him once, he couldn't see, because he knew too much.  Only when Tao's guard was down, only when he wasn't thinking, could Curupira reach him as she reached Dar.

She had planned to point Tao in the proper direction, but that was out of her hands at the moment.  So, instead, she returned to the sickroom.  Once more, she made herself invisible.  It really wasn't necessary, since Gereon was asleep.  But, he wouldn't be alone for much longer.

Curupira knelt at Dar's side.  Once before, she had taken Kyra's form, and had kissed the boy Dar.  It was one time when her kiss wouldn't take the life of another.  She stared at him . . . he was sleeping, would never know it wasn't her.  And yet, even as she gently stroked his light hair back from his closed eyes . . .

She couldn't do it.  She whispered, "Damn you, you worthless thing . . . what have you done to me?  I cannot kiss you, I'm afraid I might kill you.  Even when you're not awake, when you won't know what I feel, I can't do this.  I hate you, BeastMaster.  I hate you for making me care about you, and I didn't want to!"

Dar remained still, his breathing labored and his face ashen.  Curupira fought back her tears.  This wasn't right, this wasn't natural.  The man lying on the blankets wasn't really Dar, because he was too quiet.  He wasn't supposed to be this still, this silent.

The guardian spirit gently caressed his hair, murmuring, "You cannot die, Dar of the Sula.  I won't permit it.  You are needed too much.  I won't let you go."  Curupira knew that Carrin had healed Dar to the best of her ability, that there was more work to be done.  But it shattered her, seeing him so limp and lifeless.

Curupira had pushed Dar into action in the past with insults and barbs, by hurting him.  There had been a part of her which hoped she could do the same this time.  It hadn't worked.  Which left only one more card to play, one more possibility.  The truth.

Curupira wondered why it took more courage to speak the truth than to face that foul little creature she had to kill twice.  But, she found the courage to whisper, "You can't leave me, BeastMaster.  Think of Kyra.  She still needs you.  I need you.  You were right, BeastMaster . . . I do need humans.  Especially you.  And I've hated you as much for that as anything.  Maybe even more than making me care about you."

There was a gentle breeze in the sickroom, and Curupira knew before the words were spoken that her mother had arrived.  The Mother Goddess said quietly, "He can hear you, little one . . . but he must rest.  He has driven himself, until he is on the verge of collapse.  He forgets to take care of himself, which is why he needs Tao."

Curupira didn't argue with her mother.  Telling Dar the truth had taken too much strength.  Instead, she blinked back tears and asked, "Mother, why must it hurt so much?  When you gave the animals to me, to protect them, you told me that it would hurt when they were harmed.  But you never told me how much it would hurt if I allowed myself to care for a human."

Pelagia put her arm around her youngest daughter, murmuring, "In a way, the animals are your children, as you are my child.  But Dar is something completely different.  He is yours, but at the same time, he is not.  You came to care for him, because of who he is.  What he is."

Her mother paused, stroked Curupira's hair, then continued, "I remember when he was born, you know.  I warned his mother what would happen if she became pregnant again, because Mira had been such a difficult pregnancy and delivery.  But she insisted.  Sometimes, Curi, the mortals which you claim to hate so much are much wiser than we are."

Curupira didn't answer her mother's statement.  She welcomed her mother's counsel, welcomed her comfort.  It was her mother, after all.  She could accept things from her mother that she couldn't have accepted from Carrin.  While a divine spirit, Curupira could be killed.  But she had already lived longer than any human or animal, with the possible exception of Sharak.

Pelagia reached out to touch Dar's cheek, then continued, "Dar isn't foolish or worthless or stupid.  Willful, yes.  Stubborn, yes.  And human, yes.  He makes mistakes, he is vulnerable.  But he learns from his mistakes.  Perhaps that is why I have such faith in the humans, child.  No, not all men are like Dar, or his father.  But they do exist.  And that's reason enough for hope."

"Ketzwayo never learned from his mistakes, did he?  He never learned, because he was one of us, and he thought he would live forever.  The humans learn, because they have shorter life-spans . . . and there are among us who are like children, like little Ari," Curupira murmured.

"Yes, my little love.  Humans have to learn things we don't, because they have shorter life spans.  Some will never learn, just as some of us will never learn.  But the possibility is there, Curi.  Answer me truthfully, daughter.  What have you learned from Dar?" Pelagia asked.

Curupira looked at the sleeping BeastMaster.  A thousand images passed through her mind . . . Dar laughing with Tao, Dar standing up to her to protect his scholar friend.  And Kyra, giving up her freedom to save Dar's life.  All of which came back to one factor, one cause.

But she couldn't say the words.  What did she know of love, other than what she learned from Dar?  Even as Curupira admitted to herself that she had learned from Dar, as much as he had learned from her, she still couldn't tell her mother, or Dar, that.  She especially couldn't tell Dar.

What if he turned against her?  What if he hated her, because she had treated him so badly?  There had been times when she had been terribly nasty to Dar, and she tried to tell herself that she had been trying to get his attention.  But was that the real reason?

Pelagia murmured, "You see, my little love . . . love is as powerful as any magic created by my brother or his pupils.  Ohh, he would disagree, but love can be even more powerful than my brother.  Just as nature and knowledge is Tao's magic, love is Dar's."

A wave of shame washed over Curupira.  So many times in the past, she had tried to make Dar do her bidding with her insults and contempt.  But now, she saw that it had been unnecessary.  Dar would have taken care of the animals, because that was who he was.  Because that was what he wanted to do.

Her mother seemed to sense this, for she said briskly, "But you've had enough of an education today, daughter.  Come.  Tao approaches with little Ari, and you know what would happen if either of them saw you here."  Curupira nodded.  Yes, she did know that.

Ari had come to see Curupira as a member of her family, as a beloved aunt.  But Tao . . . Tao had no reason to trust Curupira.  She had threatened his life in the past . . . not an out and out threat, but Tao was no fool.

And she could hear Ari chattering away tirelessly.  It was time to go . . . Curupira had much thinking to do.  But first . . . She closed her eyes and leaned forward, gently brushing Dar's lips with her own.  When she opened her eyes and sat back, Curupira smiled.

She had helped the process along a little.  Just enough to make sure Dar wouldn't die.  Just enough.  Her mother smiled at her tenderly and offered Curupira her hand.  The younger spirit took it, and the mother and daughter disappeared, as if they had never been there.

~*~*~*~

Dreams could take you to the past or the future.  They could allow you to live the most wonderful moment of your life over again, or remind you of what you had lost.  Among the Sula tribe, the Dreamers were as powerful as the Keepers and the BeastMasters, for they were the masters of dreams.

All people dream, but rarely were those dreams understood.  On the rare occasion when a Dreamer wasn't needed, it was because one of the spirits had intervened, for whatever reason.  As a boy in the years before the Sula tribe was destroyed by the Terrons, Dar had heard of such things happening, though he never thought it would happen to him.

He had heard of people seeing the past and the future.  Those dreams were relatively common, for dreams opened the windows of possibility, of what could happen.  They showed you another way, or a possible consequence of your actions.  And sometimes, if you were very lucky, dreams allowed you to cross over to the Other Side . . . and you would have the opportunity to see someone beloved who had passed on.

That was how Dar was reunited with his mother, as his body hovered between life and death.  Somewhere in his mind, he understood that he was dreaming, but the strongest part of his soul didn't care.  He had never seen his mother, had only the memories of his father and sister as a description.

But somehow, he still recognized the young woman sitting in front of a hut.  She had long, dark brown hair, and a little girl sat on the ground beside her.  Dar was shocked when he realized the little girl was his older sister.  Mira.  Their mother said, stroking her rounded belly, "Mira, please fetch a cloak for me.  I wish to see the stars tonight, and we mustn't have your little brother becoming cold!"

"Yes, Mama," Mira said obediently.  She rose to her feet and went into the hut.  Their mother remained sitting, staring up at the sky and humming a lullaby Dar remembered from his early childhood.  Mira had sung it to him, and Dar blinked back his tears.

The woman looked away from the sky, looking directly at Dar, and smiled.  She held out her hand to him, saying softly, "Hello, my son.  I have missed you."  Dar swallowed hard and took her hand, dropping to his knees.  His mother touched his face, smiling tenderly, and explained, "The veil has been lifted, thanks to Pelagia.  You were gravely wounded in the physical world, and your body needs time to heal.  Which is why you are here now."

"Mother," Dar whispered in wonderment.  She just smiled and Dar continued, "Father always told me that I had your eyes.  He told me that Mira had your coloring, and his height.  He always used to tease her that she would stay short forever, because he was her father."

His mother laughed and replied, "I know, I heard him.  I know everything, Dar.  And I know that you must stop blaming yourself for what happened to Mira.  It was not your fault, you were hardly more than a baby! Your father never blamed you, and neither did your sister."

"My sister died saving my life," Dar answered bitterly, "she died because Father convinced her to take me into the forest with her, when she might have been alone.  She had to carry me, because I walked too slow.  If she had been alone that day, she would still be alive!"

"Oh, no, my love . . . that is not true.  But we will speak of that later.  For now, just let me hold you," his mother said.  She drew Dar into her arms, placing his head against her bosom.  He closed his eyes, at last allowing himself to rest.  He was so very tired . . .

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