Chapter 22 - The Value of Friendship
 
Three months after their hillside conversation, Rin and Sango were sitting on the porch. Sango was teaching Rin how to knit. She had already attempted to make a pair of booties for her sister, but they had turned out to be more like spoon-warmers. Rin had giggled in delight when Miroku did just that with them. Sango had rolled her eyes and smiled when her mate placed them with a flourish onto the tops of two serving spoons.

There had been a flurry of activity in the town the last couple of days. Rin watched as the men gathered and quickly erected a small house on the outskirts of the Village. She asked whom it was for, but no one would tell her. They would just smile and wink at her. No matter whom or for how long she pestered, it seemed to be a well-kept secret. Rin felt it somehow involved her, since no one would give her any information. So, she just waited for whatever was to come.

Sango, watching the child sitting in front of her while keeping an eye on the road as well, knew the girl was about to get a very great surprise. When she finally saw the group in the distance she smiled to herself and nudged Rin with her toes. “Rin, there is someone coming up the road. Why don’t you go run and see who it is?”

Rin, surprised that her mother would want her to greet strangers, stepped slowly off the porch, looking back at her mother with a questioning look. When her mother only grinned widely at her, her confusion grew.

The girl walked calmly down the road towards the travelers with the wolf close on her heels. She may have been nervous if not for the way her mother looked at her. She knew something she was not telling. It only took her a few steps past the bridge for her eyes to finally make out who the visitors were. At least, one of them. “YUKINA!!!” With great joy Rin sprinted the few hundred feet still separating them. As she flung herself at the tiny woman it was all Yukina could do to remain on her feet. The child had grown so much since she had left them! The two hugged so tightly they both thought they would suffocate. The man that accompanied her stood patiently to the side, waiting for the greetings to be over.
 
Yukina and Rin continued into the town, completely forgetting about the patient man walking behind them. They laughed and chatted and giggled. So animated were they that when they came to Sango’s porch she gasped in surprise. She had never seen Rin’s cheeks so flushed with happiness! She smiled to herself, glad she had kept this secret. Rin had been asking to go visit her friend at the castle for a few weeks now. Sango and Miroku, however, had decided that with Sango’s time drawing closer a trip to the castle was out of the question. Kouga as well could not be spared to accompany her. Kagome was even closer to her due date. So it had been decided that since she was a healer, Yukina would be asked to come here. The tiny house the Village men had erected was there for her use. It was decided to keep it a secret as well. It would be more of a delight if Rin did not know about it before-hand. As it turned out, that had been the right decision.

Rin was ecstatic to see her friend once again. She spent her days and evenings at Yukina’s small house. They once again began their tea ritual. Rin told her everything that had happened since her arrival. She filled her in on the residents of her small town. Serafin was a wonderful cook and made lots of sweets for Hiten. She could always manage to finagle a cookie or two from her when she went to visit. She loved the wolves. She even had the constant company of one. He accompanied her whenever she wanted to wander off on her own to explore. If she wanted to be completely alone all she had to do was say so and he melted into the surroundings. She knew he was still there, but she could not see him. She felt much loved and very protected here.

Yukina was very glad her friend had found such happiness here. She listened to Rin talk about her parents and her soon-to-be sister. She laughed along as she talked about Shippo and her friendship with him. It was after their conversation about the small fox demon that they lapsed into silence. For once they were sitting on Yukina’s porch. It was warm out, but the ice maiden had made up her mind to visit with Rin outside as much as possible. She knew the child loved the outdoors more than being cooped up inside. On this night as they sat side by side in companionable silence, Yukina couldn’t help but think of Toya, the ice demon that had accompanied her on this trip. She had come to assist with the impending births. Toya had come, presumably, to protect her on her trip to and from Kaede’s Village. She had listened to Rin talk about the couples in the Village for days now. Everywhere there was happiness and contentment. She had never had a male friend. Now she was beginning to see that Toya would be a good choice for her. She could be happy with him. She quietly broached the subject with Rin. She had told Rin of her home in the Ice World. Rin knew that only women resided there and men were not necessary for bearing children and indeed, were not welcome there at all. When she began that conversation she was not surprised when the child’s mouth turned into a tiny ‘o’ of shock. “Rin, what would you think if I mated with Toya?”

Rin, stroking her wolf’s soft ears, turned to her after a moment of silence. Her expression almost made Yukina laugh once again. However, this was a serious moment. Rin stared at her, not sure what she was expected to say. “Well….ok. Well.” She cleared her throat and tried again. Before she knew it she was simply letting her thoughts lead the way. “I think you would make a great mate for anyone! You are the best friend I ever had. I know you are kind and generous. I think Toya would be a very happy man to have you!”

Yukina smiled at her friend. She knew the child’s words had come from her heart and were not said just to appease her. She began, that night, to start making friends with Toya in earnest.
It was on one of the nights when Rin and Yukina were visiting inside her small cold house that a fierce pounding interrupted them. When Yukina called out to enter, Hiten burst into the room. “It is time! Serafin is in labor!”

Rin walked home happily. She knew that it wouldn’t be long until she was able to hold her own sister. However, as she sauntered past Hiten and Serafin’s home she couldn’t help but hear the pained cries coming from inside. She paused for a moment, listening to the sounds. It was awful! “Rin! Come on home, dear.” Her mother was calling her from their porch. Rin scampered on to her house, concern written all over her face.

“Mother, will you be in that much pain when you deliver Mirago?” Her parents had already decided on a name for their new daughter.

“Well, Rin, I am not sure. This will be my first time delivering a child. But according to other women, it is somewhat painful. Yukina and Kaede are there with Serafin though. Don’t worry; they will keep her pain to a minimum. I know they will do the same for me when my time comes as well.” She smiled to put the child at ease.

 
In truth, however, her own birthing time was making her more and more unsure with each passing day. The cries coming from Hiten and Serafin’s house lasted long into the evening. When a tiny cry was heard at last it seemed the entire Village cheered in response. Souten, the first child born into the Village, had come at last!

Three nights later was Kagome and Kouga’s turn. After only a few short hours her delivery was over, Kome born in record time. Yukina came to see Rin before heading home that night. She talked in animated tones about the birth, leaving out the painful parts of Kagome’s labor. She went on and on about the small half demon boy she had placed in his parents’ loving arms only a few short minutes before. She had decided she wanted to have a child of her own. When she told Rin this, she just smiled and squeezed her hand. “You will be the best mother ever made!”

It was yet another week before Kaoru and Kenshin gave birth to the first-born daughter in the Village. They named her Kenru. When Rin saw her for the first time she thought there had never been a prettier thing born.

Rin was excited about Sango’s impending birth, but she was also a bit disappointed that they were last. She was also very aware that there would be pain involved. She didn’t know if she could stand to hear her mother’s cries of pain from her bedroom. Sango and Miroku had anticipated as much. One night at dinner they began talking to her about it. “Rin, we know you would like to be here for your mother’s labor, but we think it would be better if you did not witness it. It will be hard on her and you may not be able to handle it.”

Rin was actually quite relieved. “Oh, thank you! I was so afraid I would have to listen to Mother screaming! I was not looking forward to it at all! So, where will I go while she is delivering? Yukina will be here, and the other parents are still trying to get accustomed to having their own babies around.”

Sango and Miroku looked at each other. They had not thought of this! Where would she go? The answer was simple enough.

“Toya wouldn’t mind if I visited with him.” Rin said this calmly around a mouthful of dinner. After correcting her about speaking with her mouth full, Sango and Miroku discussed it.

The very next day Miroku asked Toya if he would keep an eye on Rin when Sango’s time came. He said he would be more than happy to. In truth, he had been trying to get used to having Rin around. He knew Yukina would eventually want children if they mated, and he wanted to be used to children before it occurred.

Ten days after Kenru came into the world it was finally time! Rin was finally going to be a big sister! Miroku escorted Rin, carried her really, as quickly as he could to Yukina and Toya’s small house. Yukina was already ready to go, as she knew Sango’s time was to be very soon. She waved goodbye to Rin and Toya and hurried after the monk, who was already running for Kaede’s house.

It seemed an incredibly long night to Rin, who sat by a window and chatted nervously with Toya all during the wait. When she finally saw Yukina walking home she leapt up and ran out to greet her friend.

Yukina smiled at the joy on Rin’s face. “Your baby sister is finally here Rin! Your father and mother want you to come home now.”

Ginta, one of the Protector Wolf Demons, was asleep on their porch when Rin and her wolf came flying down the road. When he saw them he lazily stretched and yawned, then stood up. His job standing watch was over for this day. He would leave it to the girl’s wolf now. He had been asked to bring Rin home when the time came. When he saw them he figured she had just not been able to wait. With a grunt he loped off to Kouga’s house. He did not glance back as he curled into a ball on his leader’s porch. He smiled to himself as he heard the cooing coming from within.

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