Re: occasional telepathic soul communion with your dolphin friend, I like this idea! Sort of the little-sea-girl-and-Lucy-Pevensie relationship: you meet each other only rarely (... very rarely, in Lucy and the sea girl's case), but you greet each other with open arms and delighted sharing.

Supermarket, seeing Aster Glenn Gray, proud snow leopard companion, approaching: OMG, have the meat department get ready. SHE'S COMING IN.