Functionality somewhere between a PM and a page (like
this one), this would be in-thread whispering of some kind. Again my vision is a little vague but I see potential benefit for allowing members to whisper with one another within a thread for the purposes of discussing that specific thread with another member in a place where the context is right there in front of them. Optional bonus would be to manage this as actual PM's but provide a simple interface of some kind within the thread that only shows up when the member has initiated dialogue about the thread with someone and has opted to show it. Another admin-configurable bonus option would be a choice between in-thread or in-forum usage.