Not looking your best

Kotori wanted to tell her to stop and rest when it was clear she didn’t have the strength but the words were swallowed down as there was no time for either one of them to be weak.  She’d have to do this and so she would.  

At her command, Kotori walked over to her a hidden smile at her commanding him.  If she could do that she clearly had strength in spirit even if her body was weak.  Kotori did his best to act as a brace, well aware of her body against his and care taken with each stride.  He watched directly in front of Ikigai where he would have her move so that she didn’t stumble over any spot in the ground.  He made sure her weight stayed even on him to help her stay up straight.  

The water wasn’t all that far but it seemed like it.  Kotori’s mind wasn’t as focused as it should be yet here he was trying to focus for both himself and Ikigai.  They got to the water without any theatric accidents thankfully and the princess lay down.  Well, splashed down but lay down sounded better.

For a few seconds Kotori just watched her try to clean herself before giving up.  He lowered his muzzle into the water, jerking it up to splash bits of the water on her.  Changing his mind he’d kick small sprays onto her back.  It was getting some of the ooze off but plenty clung to her normally perfect fur.  He’d already gone this far past his caution so what did it matter if he kept dealing with the ooze on her?  Stepping in he splashed a little water where a bit of sticky ooze was then carefully started nibbling against her fur, just enough to try and pull the stickiness from her coat.

Kotori did his best to be gentle but unless stopped in any spot he’d keep to the pattern.  Kick some water where goo was stuck then gently nibble at her fur, or down to the skin for any that was stuck there.  He started checking towards the rump, moved to the tail, went back, and licked at her recent injury more slowly.  He kept working his way up till her neck, nibbling on all the contaminated fur there.

When she seemed suitably clean Kotori gave another gentle lick and nibble behind her ear, there hadn’t been any ooze there.  “You look a lot cleaner, how do you feel?”  He could help her out of the water but if she wasn’t going to grow crystals attached to the ground here she could also enjoy the water for a while longer also.

"Kotori Fatalis"