Clan Story Chapter 16

The hunt had been the most bountiful that either clan had ever participated in. The tactics that the Winchester chief used to lure and flush the deer out of their dwelling was astounding. No one even got hurt in the process, which was something that happened often…sometimes people died. But the blonde chieftain had the most skilled men at the frontlines ready to strike, the fastest at the rear chasing the animal out. The result brought them so much meat to smoke and store, leather to pass the winter months by busy making clothes and accessories. Plenty of sinew for sewing, bladders and even the antlers were used as medicine and made into tools…no part went unused.

Hikaru ran the tip of his thumb over the velvet on antlers of the biggest rack of their catch…the yellowhair had given it to him. It was becoming harder and harder to loath the man, perhaps he wasn't a malevolent demon after all. The Nakano chief sighed in thought as the wind outside began to moan as if blew past the cave entrance, snow drifting down from the grey skies.

A winter storm was approaching.

Months later that hunt was still fresh in his mind and it had Hikaru thinking about a lot of things lately. Humph, not like there was anything else to do when he had to sit and wait out this storm. He thought of his son Hiroshi and felt a twist of guilt in his gut. He'd been so hard on the boy and he seemed to have learned his lesson and was willing to partake in the ceremony. Nothing bad had happened to them as he feared; actually, everything was more prosperous. People were happy.

"My mate, you look as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. Why don't we forget the storm and pass the time…the way we used to," Cho insisted with a devious hint.

Smiling suddenly, Hikaru touched his mates hand as she patted his shoulder. "I'm just thinking that maybe I've been to hard on Hiroshi. He's done nothing but good since he returned...and he seems eager to have his rites with Ayaka."

Cho saw an opening for something she'd been thinking about.

"My darling, have you, have you ever thought that maybe our people need to find their own mates? You know…so they could be as lucky as we are, and find someone that they can love," she said in a rush.

Hikaru spun on her, "But, we were paired and we love each other. I thought it was Gaia's grant, giving us the power to pair the most worthy mates together?"

"And do you mean to tell me that you thought that even before we met?" Cho asked, "You weren't even a bit doubtful?"

Hikaru stayed silent.

"Have you seen how unhappy that Eiri boy looks? He and Sakura have barely talked, and…well," she stammered.

"What is it?"

"Haven't you noticed your other son…Yuuji?"

Hikaru cast his eyes away guilty.

"I know you haven't. But I thought I should tell you that he and Sakura are practically inseparable."

The chief thought about that for a moment. But it was too hard to just defy a custom they'd practiced since they were born, as their fathers and grandparents had done in the past. "Cho, please don't make this any harder. Yuuji will just have to understand…Sakura is Eiri's future mate. Please, let's not talk of this anymore my head is starting to hurt."

Cho nodded quietly, "Alright, but there is one more thing I wish to tell you. Hiroshi made me promise not to tell you, but the story is so wonderful I think you should hear it. Come sit with me and have some tea."

Looking wondrously at his mate, Hikaru obeyed her wish.

K was stuck indoors, in his earthen lodge while the wind howled outside. He felt antsy for some reason, on the edge…perhaps it was all this nothing to do. There was less visits from Hiroshi now days, the weather not permitting it or perhaps his father. K missed the man terribly, but there was nothing he could do. So, he watched his mate Judy sitting by the fire sewing baby clothes. It was strange but he was finding it harder and harder to keep a conversation going with his woman—as if there was some kind of wall between them. Although, it wasn't as if she was doing much talking either, but he did catch her watching him quietly a few times. K wondered what was on her mind.

He'd asked her once, but she wouldn't tell him anything sufficient. Well, at least he'd gotten to catch up on sleep at least, he felt like a lazy bear in the midst of hibernation. But it wasn't sane to tread outside today…he sighed and poked a stick into the fire, gazing off to nowhere.

"Claude?" Judy suddenly said out of the blue.

K looked over at his mate who was clutching her stomach. Whoa! He did a double take. "What's wrong? Is it the baby?!"

She nodded, "I think it's time."

"Now!" K cried. Now while it was a blizzard outside? K felt light headed suddenly.

"Yes, now," she huffed and screwed up her face in ache.

"Eeeyah! Does it hurt?" K asked stupidly.

Judy seethed and rolled her eyes at him, "Yeshhh…get my mother Claude."

Not even donning on any gear, except his pants and a tunic, K dashed out of the lodge and ran to Judy's mother's home. It was quite nice how they'd managed to build so many homes. Still many people shared lodges, but he was chief, he got his own. Scrambling through the snow, he barged into Keith's and Ana's home he panted, "Baby…Judy…coming…hurry!"

Men were utterly useless when it came to birthing women.

Keith smiled but if faded quickly, "Oh dear in this weather she's having the baby? Ana, please be careful."

"I'm not that much of a healer…that used to be your mother's job Claude. Oh heavens, I wish she was here for us today," Ana ran around pulling on layers of furs. She brought all the blankets she could gather and a few large pots which she placed in K's hands. "Oh dear boy you aren't wearing much. Don't get so worked up, she'll be fine. Maybe you should stay here?" Ana advised K.

He couldn't do that.

Together they ran back to his lodge and slipped back in to see Judy in the middle of a contraction.

K felt faint.

"Oh, Judy it really is time. Couldn't the baby wait just a few more days?" she said smiling in a teasing motherly way, wishing her words were true. "Babies always have a way of showing up at times like these."

But Judy cried out in pain and hollered, "Something doesn't feel right. I don't feel so good."

"Of course you don't darling, that's what having a baby is all about—"

"No! I mean…Ahh! There's so much pain!" Judy cried a sheen of perspiration building over her brow.

Ana tossed K a worried look.

"What's wrong?!" K demanded. "Is she going to be alright?"

"I'm sure she will Claude…"

That wasn't good enough for K! "I'm going to get Hiro's mother! She's a great healer! We need her help…I'm going." He pulled on most of his outdoor clothes, lashed his boots on, pulled up a fur hood and ran out the door again, out into the storm.

Babies could take a long time to come; he only hoped he had enough time.

Hiro and Shuichi were messing with some instrument that Suguru had crafted. It was a hollow tube with little holes drilled into one side and a reed stuck in the top end. When they blew into it, sounds came out. And when they put their fingers over the holes, the pitch of the sound changed.

It was very entertaining!

Suguru was nearby working on another one, when Sakano clasped his hands to his ears and told them to shut up.

In unison they all gave him a noisy raspberry.

"Actually it's an interesting sound," Tohma came over to see the instrument. "It'd be fun if we could make music together. I'm so bored with this storm…I hate the winter."

All heads looked past Tohma to see his mate Mika, who'd recently announced she was pregnant. "Doesn't seem you're that bored cousin," Suguru said coyly.

Tohma smirked at him. "Let's play that game with the coloured stones…I bet I can beat the pants off you this time," Tohma taunted them.

"You're on!"

But as they got up to play a game similar to marbles, K stumbled into the cave in a flourish, bringing in a dusting of snow. His face was so pink from the cold; snow covered him from head to toe.

He sort of resembled an abominable snowman.

"H-Hiro…" he chattered past cold lips, "I need your mother. Please…it's Judy…the baby is coming!"

Everyone turned their heads at the tall man in their cave.

Cho heard the ruckus and called from the back, "Claude? What's the matter?"

He explained again as he caught his breath.

Quickly Cho began to get dressed to go outside, much to her mate's surprise.

"You can't go out in that! Its dangerous woman," Hikaru voiced with concern. "Doesn't your clan have their own healer?" he then asked K.

"Judy is our clan healer but she's not as good as your mate Hikaru," K pleaded.

Hiroshi stood up quickly. "I'll take mother over there…I'll watch out for her," he promised.

The chief didn't know what else to say. A baby was important and he knew the insanity that Claude was feeling over it. Especially if his mate might not be well, "Fine…but Hiro don't let your mother out of your sight!"

"I won't father," Hiro said with a nod.

K bowed to the man in great thanks.

Cho and Hiro quickly put on thick layers of leather and fur much like K's, and strapped very thick boots on. They wrapped their faces in some scratchy woven cloth that Mika made them and stepped out into the blinding wind and snow. It landed in their eyes making them blink quickly.

Hiro was glad that K didn't live so far away, and he held his mothers hand to help her along. His father put him in charge and he wouldn't let anything bad happen to his mother. They followed K who was stepping through the snow drift like a man on a mission. But he cast a look back every now and then to make sure his healers still followed. The gruelling trek ended when they'd finally returned to the lodge where outside, they could hear Judy's screams.

"I think…I'm going to be sick," K moaned at the sound of his mate in pain.

"Hiro I think you should take Claude somewhere else. He's only going to get in the way," Cho insisted of her son.

"But mother…I want to help, even if I'm not a woman…I am a healer," Hiro explained seriously. He wanted to know how babies were born, since the women always took care of that stuff and left him out.

What was the big secret anyways?

Yelling over the wind, Cho said, "Ok, but quickly take him somewhere else now!"

Grabbing K's hand, Hiro guided him to the lodge nearest to him. They ducked into Ark's home. "K needs to stay away from his place," Hiro announced hastily, feeling an urgency to help his mother. "I'm going back, don't let him leave alright." Hiro never saw K so spazzed out before, he helped him out of his coat and hat. "K, just relax, things will be fine…my mother is great with babies trust me!" he told him positively.

K seemed to find himself again, now that he was away from all the screaming. "Alright Hiro, thanks I'm sorry I'm freaking out I just didn't' know what else to do. Please just help Judy."

Ark jerked up surprised at just finding out that Judy was in labour.

"Of course," Hiro uttered and dashed back outside assist his mother.

"He's going to help Judy have her baby? Isn't that a women's job? And you trust them enough for that?" Ark questioned his friend accusingly and went to sit down on a fur next to the fire. Feeling twitchy now he began to tap his finger on his knee.

Sitting down as well and letting his head hang, K thrust his hands into his hair from stress. He couldn't believe Ark's question though. "Of course friend, I'd trust them with my life and the life of Judy's and our soon to born child. There isn't anyone I trust more than them."

Ark nodded quietly.

Not many words passed between friends as they waited anxiously. Both sat there, or often got up to pace off nervous energy or sit and tap at stuff.

Hours went by and still no one returned to report what was going on. By now, Judy's father had come to join them. All three sat in silence, tapping, sighing…gazing at each other nervously.

What was happening over there?!

There was nothing but the sound of the howling wind to entertain them. Not that it help ease their stress at all. It made everything seem more intense, chaotic and K stood up and began to pace again. Finally he bellowed, "What's taking so long?!"

Ark knew Claude was getting scared and he assured, "Babies take a long, long time sometimes. I'm sure it'll be alright."

Inside K's home, Hiro decided he didn't like all the screaming Judy was making. It was awful and scary, and he felt kind of in the way a little. But he'd dutifully helped his mother and Judy's mother Ana. He boiled lots of water, made decoctions of yakumosou for clotting and teas for pain. He made salves for after the child was born and even placed cold cloths to Judy's forehead. Even though he felt out of place, and the moaning was hurt his ears, he was fascinated. He felt as if he were granted a pass to enter a realm that belonged only to females. But why should they be the only ones that assisted in delivering a child? Hiro felt confident enough that he could learn.

When Judy first saw him she barked, "Get out!" He was about to leave, he'd respect her wishes totally. But she changed her mind and cried, "No! Hiro please stay…my baby needs the guidance of your spirit."

His mother had given him a funny look, wondering what the woman was telling him in a language she didn't understand. He didn't mention, but he smiled about the totem thing and decided he stay. Hiro could not get over the importance of his spirit to the Winchester's…and he was glad Judy trusts him that way.

Now the woman was in serious pain again. His stomach knotted with tension. "Mother is she alright?" he asked in his language.

"I don't know son…she's ready to give birth but the baby is not coming out…" She explained how that worked to her son…since he wanted to know. "Quickly, if you want to be good at this at all, what's the problem?" Cho knew but she wanted Hiro to tell her.

Hiro wondered how that could be. His mother explained to him once that babies came out head first, sometimes feet first, or even possibly breech. It gave him an idea. Maybe the baby couldn't fit somehow? Maybe… Hiro went to feel Judy's tummy, it was hard as a rock, the contracting muscles made it really hard to sense anything. But he pressed, closing his eyes to really feel. As his hand came around the softer side of her stomach he felt movement…like a baby's foot.

"It's the wrong way!" he cried. The baby's foot shouldn't be in that position.

Cho grinned broadly at her son and went to work re-positioning the baby, much to Judy's wails of discomfort.

Hiro gave her folded piece of rawhide to dig her teeth into and watched his mother work with enthralment. This was the type of healing he'd never gotten to experience. To witness the birth of a child—even though exhausting—was thrilling. After his mother was done the real screaming started and truly in a matter of minutes, Hiro watched a child being born…

It made his eyes bulge out.

Well…geez…what do you know? So that's how it worked.

"Don't just stand there Hiro, go bring me that blanket!" Cho cried at her son as the first wails of a newborn child's cry rang clear.

Clear and angry!

His mother put the baby into the blankets he held out on his arms and wrapped the infant up. Hiro stood amazed to his core at the living little being in his arms. But realizing what he was doing, he quickly brought the baby next to Judy and placed the bundle in her arms.

Now he HAD to tell K!

Hiro dove out of the lodge and back to where K and Ark were. He waded through the snow and pulled the leather away from the doorway. Peaking inside he said in a rush, "The baby's here! Come K and everyone!"

They all rushed to see.

Filing back into the lodge, Cho had just finished with Judy and was covering her up when all three males walked in bringing in the cold air. She scowled at them. "Mind the mother and child; they've had an exhausting journey."

Smiling at his mother, Hiro looked back over as Judy cooed to her baby. Amazing after all that madness it was all peaceful and wonderful again. And he watched K move tentatively towards his new child, almost as if he was scared to touch either of them. He chuckled at the man's awkwardness.

But Judy seemed reluctant about handing the child over to K, she looked so tired but suddenly tears leaked from her eyes. Tentatively she handed the baby over, and K took it puzzled with his mate's emotions. He un-wrapped the blanket to get a look at the tiny person, whose face was so pink with a strong cry. He peaked under the blanket to find that it was a baby girl, "Oh, Aurora has definitely blessed us…" he began to say when the blanket covering the babies head fell away, revealing a wild bush of black hair.

K blinked and swallowed, feeling every muscle constrict, and his throat felt as if it were closing up. The most antagonizing feeling erupted in his heart as the baby opened her lids—deep brown eyes stared back at him. "I…I…" K stammered. He clenched his teeth together staring from Judy to baby, he could feel the prickle of hot tears threatening his eyes…he could feel his heart breaking. He knew right away. It was so obvious that the beautiful baby looking at him…wasn't his at all. Unexpectedly he handed the child to Ark just then and without a word he ran out of the lodge.

Hiro dashed to the entrance. "K!" he cried but he couldn't see him anywhere over the blinding snow.

Sobbing now, Judy cried into her hands. "I never meant to hurt him this way," she mumbled over her tears. "I-I thought I was going to die on the glacier…I didn't want to die without knowing what being a mother felt like! I love you Ark and I love Claude too, just as I always have." She looked over at Ark, "I knew the night we shared pleasures that I'd been blessed with a child…your child…"

The room stood silent, except the cry of the baby.

Ark held onto the baby and looked at it wondrously, "But…y-you had your rites with Claude. How could it be mine?"

"I know it in here, that's how," Judy whispered and placed her hand to her heart. "Trust me, I know. I've disgraced the clan mother…Claude. He hates me now!"

Judy's mother went to her child and told her to hush and that it'd be ok.

Hiro gaped at all this drama. Did this mean that their god didn't bless K with a child after all? It was Ark's child instead? Hiro recalled the story K told him about his Judy being with his best friend…and all their discussion about if the gods really blessing them with children. About if a man is a part of that too? He was speechless and his mother looked at him worriedly.

"Son…I think we should leave here now. This is a very personal matter and we're just getting in the way," Cho told her son.

Keith, Judy's father, realized the Nakano people were feeling uncomfortable and kindly he told them they could go to his home. That they could stay there tonight until the storm passed. Grateful, Hiro and his mother did exactly that. Outside, before they ducked under the roof of Judy's parent's lodge, Hiro glanced back looking for K.

But he was nowhere to be seen…

A/N: Everyone is beginning to have doubts or questions about everything. Human minds are so philosophical sometimes lol. Strange chapter...it was different writing Hiro in this position XD But I don't imagine him to be that squeamish in this world, since he's a healer in this fic. I feel bad for K though, he's crushed. But LOL I totally saw K being a crazy expectant father haha! Running around like mad. I'm almost done this fic, only 3 chappies left me thinks. Sorry it took so long to post this..I've been sick and lost my voice XD Makes my brain turn to mush lol Sorry if my reviews are bleh.. I'm still quite bleh too and over worked by cooking labs..school is killer XD

Reviewers:

Thanks guys so much for your replies!! the2evils and chocho. Yeah sometimes women do get a bad rep. Although I dunno if Judy is all wrong. Your outlook of her may change a little after this or not XD In the end everyone finds what is right for them. In this fic, it's obvious that K and Judy are not meant to be together...I mean of course right or then there'd be no story. Honestly it's the only thing I hate about being a Kiro fan. The fact that half the time you have to explain or work around Hiro's Ayaka or K's Judy to be truly fair. It's hard for me to just write a fic that pretends that neither of them exist. XD me rambling... :P Better things are soon to come! Since this story is almost done. Thanks guys!