Goodbye, Sweet Kokiri

I did all I could, it still wasn't enough. He was fine earlier that day, then after dinner my boyfriend saw Kokiri dragging himself, he didn't have the strength to lift his body. I picked him up and held him close for about an hour. His breath was shallow, he couldn't hold himself upright. He gave little pained squeaks, and his body convulsed. He sounded like he was almost gasping. Finally he let go, as I held him close to me and stroked his fur. I felt a wave of relief when he passed, I was glad he didn't have to suffer anymore but I'm so terribly heartbroken that he's gone.

I guess the infection was too widespread, too much for him to handle. I wished he'd let me know about it earlier, we would have stood a better chance.

In a weird way I feel like he's still here with me. I love him so much. Kokiri was my funny little guy. I remember the first time I saw him. I went to the pet store, only to get some more piggy supplies and not another piggy, mind you. There he was, behind the glass, eating pellets with his little feet propped up on the bowl. There was such personality in his face as he stared back at me, munching away, one ear folded down while the other stuck up into the air. I had to leave him at the store that day, I already had enough piggies to deal with.

The next time I went back to the store, that cute little munching piggy was still there. Something about him made me take him home that day. I felt like since he was still there he was meant to come home with me, as if he'd already claimed me as his owner. I named him Kokiri. The Nintendo Wii was coming out that year, and I was rather excited for Twilight Princess... He was a boy so Zelda wasn't an option, and he didn't look like a Link. The name Kokiri seemed to suit him well. He was a skinny little guy! They had taken him out of the large cage he was previously in at the store and put him in a smaller one. Surely, those other pet store piggies must have bullied him and not let him eat! I bought some alfalfa hay and proceeded to fatten him up to a proper guinea pig shape.

...Or so I thought. Kokiri was a skinny, oddly-proportioned guinea pig. He didn't have the typical oval/egg shape that guinea pigs have. Even after he grew to full size, he was kind of long and thin, with one ear that stuck up.

He also had this odd way of looking right at you, while at the same time his eyes were looking behind him. That was the usual look on his little piggy face.

Kokiri also had this way of getting comfortable in very odd positions, in which he curled up or almost folded himself in half.

This right here earned him the nickname "maple bar peeg". He was a great cuddler.

Kokiri's most notable tribute was his adorable pink nose.

He was such a friendly little guy. He never showed any fear, and would walk right up to you so you could pet him. Kokiri wasn't much of a squeaker, but he was notorious for chewing his choroplast.

I had to make a custom plushie of my Kokiri. I took some pics of him with his favorite treats, carrots and oranges. I just had to give him that silly look on his face when he looks like he's not looking at you.

I'll miss you so much Kokiri, you and your pink nose and white feet and your wonderful personality. Rest in peace, my beloved little friend.