Moonsong Glacier prashna

The panther's head dipped in glum agreement; he had never felt confliction quite like this before. He had never before wanted things quite like he did right then.

Aditya's words made his ears ping to the top of his head, and his gaze snapped back to the man, startled. He turned their last conversation on the topic over in his mind, embarrassed, somehow, by the implication of Aditya's words. An implication he couldn't quite place, but one he was quick to squash all the same.

"They are his, of course," he said with gentle insistence. "But he is mine." A pause. "My friend." The word sat uneasily on his tongue. A beat later, he was compelled to clarify: "My very good friend."

Nah. Still not quite right.