
It has to be somewhat creepy to be bonded. And fulfilling. And, yes, all of the other wonderful adjectives. But being bonded means your morals, scruples and values will always be on display. After bonding, you always have to actually look at yourself in the mirror. Treecats reflect your morals, scruples and values back at you. So it seems you would always have to "Mind your PS and Qs." You wouldn't ever want your mindglow to begin souring to a Cat.
The milk of human kindness. Cats like milk.
Hmmm... can a Cat "divorce" a human?
At any rate, if Ariel knew that Beth acted unlawfully - even worse, despicable - in a grave matter, would he report it? Should he?
For instance, if Beth were to suddenly become afflicted by temporary insanity and is overcome by the symptoms of her temper. Resulting in her arranging for a planet to be ... "eradanited."
Would that be a copper-plated decision for Ariel to make? What if he is the sole bearer of a truth, that like Beowulf, Beth was bad ... was really really bad.