Purdy was just waking up from the elders' den when he saw his close friend, Mousefur frowning while Molepaw and Cherrypaw were helping to remove her ticks. Opening his eyes up more, he approached Mousefur, and felt an unknown warmth next to her. "Mousefur... what's wrong?"

When the old she-cat refused to reply, Purdy spoke again. "It's Longtail, isn't it?"

"I miss him," Mousefur mumbled. "I loved him like a brother."

Purdy touched his muzzle to Mousefur's ear to reassure her. "I'm sure he's happy hunting in your StarClan, lookin' down on you from Silverpelt." he purred. "Come, Molepaw, Cherrypaw, you've deserved a reward."

"But it's just not the same without him." Mousefur sighed, getting up after the apprentices were finished.

"Just take a walk then eat something, and maybe you'll feel a bit better." Purdy gave Mousefur a reassuring lick on her shoulder. He beckoned her, Molepaw, and Cherrypaw to come with to the fresh-kill pile to pick out a prey to share. "Why not have a vole?" Purdy grabbed a vole for him and Mousefur, and a thrush for Molepaw and Cherrypaw.

"It's such an honour to eat with the elders!" Cherrypaw mewed, hopping up and down.

Molepaw looked at the thrush in Purdy's jaws "Thrush... my favourite!"

After eating, the apprentices had been sent off. Purdy took a walk with Mousefur around the forest. He looked into Mousefur's amber eyes and saw warmth. Youth, even! Am I starting to think... oh, nevermind. Purdy murmured in his head. Every time he looked at Mousefur, he actually saw a pretty, brown she-cat with a gray muzzle- and that was her. Purdy felt unease rise in his belly as he kept walking with Mousefur, occasionally sparking up one of his stories, including his story about defending his own territory from a badger with nothing but his claws!

By night, Purdy and Mousefur were back in the elders' den. When Purdy thought Mousefur was asleep, he suddenly saw her head rise. "Purdy...?" she grumbled.

Purdy felt as if he was responsible for waking Mousefur up. He began saying, "Did I wake you up? I'm sorry, I-"

But he was interrupted. Mousefur's voice was calm and welcoming, as she murmured "Come closer, please."

Sleepy but happy, Purdy padded over to Mousefur and let out a rusty purr. "Needed my company?" he said, curling up next to her.

Mousefur let out a quiet mrrrow of amusement and touched noses with him. "Yes, please."

Purdy purred back at Mousefur, and before he knew it, she was asleep again. This old she-cat wasn't so grouchy ever since he joined ThunderClan! Purdy moved closer to Mousefur and then buried his nose into her fur, breathing in her scent one last time before falling into a deep sleep.