"Nate and Alistair are counted as the senior ones. ...Nathaniel, I mean, Nathaniel Howe and Alistair." There's a mix of emotions in his words - love, amusement at the correction he has to make, and a little bitterness. He's fairly certain the Wardens will never really stand behind him and so he will never be a senior Warden. It stings. But he doesn't need to drop his issues on the new guy, so he moves forward.

"And this is Purrelden." She sniffs at the other man's hand, considering it until she stretches out her neck in invitation. "You can scratch her chin now, that's what it means. Her name's short for Hero of Purrelden, but I only use that when she's in trouble." He pauses, hesitating for a moment, and then goes for it. "And now that the cat is introduced, perhaps the other introduction should happen? I'm Anders."

He thinks the man already knows, but if he didn't, he would have known soon enough anyway.