Euphorious wailed, and flopped onto the ground. Taking this as a good sign, I picked him up and carried the limp cat onto the table. There on the cool glass, Euphorious began to squirm. I shook my head, squirted soap on my hands, and started lathering his tail. He stiffened as the soap touched his usually-White-but-stained-black-by-soot fur, but as I started to work on his stomach and legs, he relaxed.
When I finished with the soap, I picked him up, and dropped him into the warm water. He hissed and bolted out the door, trailing soap suds and water.
Later, I would find him caked in mud from rolling in a puddle.
