My other story "Temptations of an uninterested tom" would have to be put on hold for now until I figure out how to open the document. Until then, I figured supplying this story I had at the top of my head. It illustrates Mousefur and her reasons for retiring as an elder. Enjoy

Mousefur sighed as she settled herself quietly in the Elder's Den. Her leg still ached a bit every now and then, and it was bound to heal very quickly, that she knew. She could still have been a Warrior if she wanted to. But not anymore She made a choice and thought carefully about it. Now that she made it, she could not go back on her decision. It was now or never.

It had only been a few hours since she was made an elder and already she felt as if her whole life had changed. Not anymore would she be able to go on hunt for her clan or patrol the borders, fighting with tooth and claw against any trespassers and defending her clan with her very life, heart and blood.

She felt a big bad to retire early on such a desperate state Thunderclan was currently undergoing, trying to ensure their place within their new territory. But she had faith in her clan that they would pull through.

"Like Thunderclan ever had it easy," she grumbled, remembering the problems they had in the forest that almost tore their clan apart many times.

Mousefur shifted her eyes beside her sleeping clan mate. It would have been impossible to tell that he was blinded by how peacefully he slept, as if the incident with the rabbit was merely a dream.

A dream turned nightmare...

Longtail shifted in his sleep and Mousefur froze. The tabby tom yawned and stretched. His ears pricked and he sniffed the air a couple of times.

"Hello Mousefur."

Mousefur purred She didn't have to ask Longtail how he knew she was there; his smelling had increased by a long shot ever since he lost his sight. "Morning Longtail."

"That time already?" he mewed in surprise. He began grooming himself, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Well, you have been asleep for some time you lazy fur-ball," Mousefur poined out.

Longtail's ears flicked. "As an elder there's not much else to do except eat and sleep," he mumbled irritably.

Guilt seared Mousefur's heart. Yet despite what she felt the she-cat replied, "And here I thought you'd be happy being fed and given the luxury you'd like at such a young age."

Longtail snorted. "That sounds too much like the life of a Kittypet to me," he retorted. "Take my word for it: you'll begin to feel as if you are going insane from boredom in after a while of doing nothing, Mousefur."

I don't think so, the dusky brown she-cat thought as she gazed at Longtail full in the face, guiltily glad that he couldn't see her watching him.

"You seem silent now," the brown tabby remarked. "Too old to come up with a come-back?"

"No, just thinking how peaceful the silence was until you opened your jaw," Mousefur spat.

"Oh I'm so sorry that--"

"Hello?"

Both elders turned at the same moment to stare (or in Longtail's case hear) at the apprentice that just arrived. Whitepaw looked unsure as she gazed into the Elders Den, a piece of prey in her jaws.

"Yes?" Mousefur mewed curtly.

"I just came to bring you something to eat," Whitepaw mewed quietly, setting the prey down between Mousefur and Longtail.

The brown tabby flicked his ears. "Thanks Whitepaw," he mewed politely

The white apprentice dipped her head. "Anytime."

"Would you like to join us?" Longtail asked.

Mousefur felt her heart drop. So much for sharing prey alone together. "Yes, why don't you?" she continued as the apprentice looked unsure.

"Erm, thanks," the apprentice dipped her head before leaving the Elders Den. She returned quickly with a small piece of mouse in her jaws.

The elders and apprentice ate contently together, Whitepaw gossiping to the Elders about her training with Brackenfur and how she hoped to one day to become a warrior like Spiderleg and Squirrelflight. And she spoke her thoughts about how the other clans were doing and hoped they were coping well within their own territories to leave Thunderclan alone.

As Mousefur listened to Whitepaw, she found it odd that the young apprentice was not made a Warrior sooner like all the others. The young apprentice worked just as hard and had to deal with just as many problems as any other apprentice, especially when she had to cope with the idea that her parents had left her.

And I wasn't exactly helpful that time, Mousefur reflected sadly, remembering how she had insisted Cloudtail had gone back to being a Kittypet. And how Whitepaw had to defend her own father against Mousefur's accusations.

Of course, Firestar was too busy praising his own daughter and Brambleclaw from returning to the journey to have noticed Whitepaw here, Mousefur thought darkly. In fact, Whitepaw should have been made a Warrior a long time ago, before the whole mess with the old forest even began. But did Firestar or Graystripe notice? Of course not! She's practically the oldest apprentice Mousefur's seen, next to Swiftpaw.

"Mousefur? Hey, you awake?"

The dusky brown she-cat felt someone tap her shoulder and she jumped.

"What?" she snapped.

Longtail retreated his tail. "Whitepaw wanted to know if you needed her to check your fur for ticks," he mewed formally.

"I guess I do," the she-cat agreed. To Whitepaw she mewed, "Well, get to it. I haven't got all day you know."

Haven't got all day? I've got time for the rest of my life until I pass on to Starclan.

Part one done. Last part coming soon. Review and Enjoy if you like Mousefur and Longtail as being a might couple.