He might argue it's not telepathy, though functionally there's not much difference. Maybe that the word implies that it goes two ways.

Tippy gets closely watched through one stalk eye, partly out of curiosity and partly so he has warning if she launches at him. It seems tremendously unlikely that this is an Animorph, but 'a transformed person' is his go to for animals behaving oddly.

Very neutral, he says, <My apologies. I've only spent a few years on Earth and have only been acquainted with so many of it animals.> Quite a few really, but no rodents. <I am... my name is Alloran.>