Wild Cohort+Awaken

[Darklord Xavez]

You would then have an intelligent magical beast as a friend. Also, would Wild Cohort animals gain XP and thus advance in HD?
-Xavez

[Ranos]

An awakened animal would no longer qualify for wild cohort and would become a full-blown NPC. So yeah, it'd gain XP as normal.

[Fax Celestis]

Animal Companion (Ex)

A druid may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the following creatures are also available: porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.

A 1st-level druid’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a druid advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table. If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.

A druid of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals. Should she select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s druid level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s druid level and compare the result with the druid level entry on the table to determine the animal companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the druid’s effective level to 0 or lower, she can’t have that animal as a companion.)

An awakened animal is not "completely typical."

[Morph Bark]

An awakened animal is not "completely typical."

So, if you'd kill off or awaken all other animals of its kind, it'd be all good!

[Fax Celestis]

So, if you'd kill off or awaken all other animals of its kind, it'd be all good!

Specicide: the path of the true druid!

[Snake-Aes]

So, if you'd kill off or awaken all other animals of its kind, it'd be all good!

A druid slowly goes insane over the course of his long life. He always feels lonely and wants to talk, but trusts no one that comes near his grove.
He knows that if he does anything to his animal companion, he loses its bond.
There's your plot hook for a druid that wants to kill every panther in the world so he can have his own intelligent panther friend.

[Lord Vampyre]

If you want to play a Druid with an Intelligent Animal Companion, you should play an Arcane Heirophant PrC. You can find it in the Races of the Wild. It combines the Wizard's familiar with the Druid's Animal Companion.

Unfortunately, like the Mystic Theurge you lose caster levels from both the Wizard and Druid, since you need to be a 3rd level Wizard and a 4th level Druid to get into the class. Requires a Base Attack +4.

I think I used 1 lvl of wizard, 3 lvls of Elf Paragon, and 3 lvls of Druid for that particular prestige class. Not particularly efficient, but it was a fun concept to play.

[Il_Vec]

The SRD Awaken entry says:
An awakened animal can’t serve as an animal companion, familiar, or special mount.

And also something I wanted to point out on the TWF thread but it got locked before I could, there is this Philipines martial art called Arnis Kali, it is all about dual-wielding, usuali 2 short swords, 2 butterfly knives (Balisong) or 2 wooden sticks.

[Ormur]

I also think that awaken changes the animal's type to a magical beast so it no longer qualifies for animal companion or wild cohort. There are rules for such normal cohorts though.

[Johanas]

If it becomes a magical beast, then gains the celestial template...all you need is a certain feat called Exalted Companion from the Book of Exalted Deeds, and BAM! You have an Awakened Celestial animal companion. Technically the celestial template makes it sentient anyway.