Honeyed Pasture take off all the thoughts of what we've been

As the stranger's words washed over him, time seemed to slow for a moment. "Ladies, and some men, too," — the words floated through his mind in that split second, Phocion's voice almost clearer to him than the red male's now. It clicked. This— this was not a game to be played. He was frozen in place, so shocked he was unable to even tense as the male drew nearer to touch him.
He was so old. Cortland allowed none of these emotions to show on his face— that would have been rude, after all, and the red-furred stranger had been so nice. He nodded and tried to smile again, a soft, nervous laugh escaping him as he felt the warmth of the unfamiliar contact. Oh no, gross. Quite suddenly he recalled Ava, and yet another click resounded through his mind; less shocking, perhaps, than it might have been another time. All he could think now was that the past experience had been preferable, honestly— at least Ava had been a friend, had not been so— old.
How was he going to get out of this? He knew at once that he would— somehow. But... Cortland had no experience with rejecting others. Certainly not without a voice. For the moment he was still, pondering, his tail still swishing; he gave no sign of his discomfort for now. The moment would come, he was sure of it.