This Spring we will definitely be needing to raise more living space. A record number of clanless ones showed up this Winter and with the birth of the twins to Abbgayle we are down right crowded again. At least this time I won't be the only adept around to move the stone. Last time took my entire reserve to set up that small row of rooms off of the original reconstruction. It's going to be a pleasure to meld power and together shape our home out of the ruins of the old.

I am their leader, James the Hidden. This is my home, and the people I surround myself with I consider my family, even though only one of them is actually related to me by blood line. We have take the Clan name of Willowstaff, and live up here apart from those who turned us out. We are the worst nightmare of the ignorant and power hungry clan lords living in the valleys below us. The Witchlings live and prosper here, "gentlemen", in spite of your continuing attempts to kill us off with each Winter.

We are a closely bound lot. Here is freedom to be what you were intended to be. Here is guidance, challenge, respect, and safety. There a few of us and we are very protective of our own. Each other is all that stands between us and extinction.

In the coming moons we will add to the greathouse and quietly go about our preparing for the coming of next Winter. All the while valiantly pretending not to worry about the inevitable discovery of our little clan, even more quietly hoping that we will have had enough time to allow some of the little ones to grow up a bit. We're really in a great race against time. We desperately need to be well established in our home here before being discovered. There's simply no way to tell if all of this will be in vain until they actually get here.

All this is still going to have to wait until the ground herself is thawed. That will not be for a fortnight or two. That leaves plenty of time to adopt those that will remain with us and to have a wedding. The wonderful young woman that I have come to love has agreed to wed me and the date is set for a fortnight from today.

Cynthyanna is her name. She came to me at a much older age than average. Her Healing Touch had come upon her just at the eve of womanhood, a very unusual occurrence in our limited experience. It allowed her to live with her mother clan a lot longer than most of us. She's a warm woman, fabulous with her hands. Her skills have made our winters much more pleasant since her arrival. We make an excellent team, managing a lot more that I expected, with a small army of small children to do most of the work. The little ones all adore her. I don't know how I managed without her. Not that Jeremy hasn't always done his very best to keep us running smoothly. It's just that she knows so many of the things about caring for a child that none of us had ever guessed. She is seventeen winters now. Tall and strong, with a quick smile and a large soft spot for my gray eyes. Come this next Winter, she will be the mother of my child. Already her belly is starting to swell with the new life.

She is a full ten Winters younger than I, but my age doesn't seem to have discouraged her. She tells me that she is delighted to be becoming my life's mate. Frankly I'm a bit nervous about the whole thing, even though it will not make any truly amazing changes in my current lifestyle. I guess this will be another of those mind expanding situations my life seems to have become full of.

She's sleeping beside me now. Her long blonde hair neatly braided into submission, and still reaching to her waist. The moonlight shows off the soft planes of her face beautifully. Her being nearly glows in the pale light. She is the right woman for me.

I'm so amazed that there is a woman for me. I hadn't really had any desire for one until Cynthyanna came into my life. I'd been quite content with Jeremy and a couple of the other older boys who shared my tastes. This wonderful woman seems to have changed my mind for me. I'm afraid Jeremy is a little disappointed with this development. At least he has found some solace in Kerren's arms.

Lying here looking at her I am overwhelmed with the desire to awaken her and hold her and say nothing of importance for hours just for the excuse to look into her eyes. If I did awaken her, she'd only tell me that I was being silly again, and smile that soft smile shaking her head. So, I content myself with watching her breathe.

She has been kept very busy this Winter. Finally just last Autumn the large weaving looms she had requested were completed and she was delighted with their outcome. There was a large supply of yarn available, because she had been teaching every one in sight how to make it for a Winter or two now. Her first creation was the new blanket on my bed. Since then she has taught three or four of the little ones to work together and run the looms quite well. These children will do almost anything for her, and any of them old enough to walk and carry something without spilling it, does do something for her.

I have really come to depend on her insight and healing touch. In the morn I will ask for her opinion on all I have wondered about tonight. For now I will lay here and hold her in my arms, happy to know that her being will be wed to mine.