Warning: This story features mild bondage peril.

Context: This is a short story written for Day 17 of Kinktober 2024 using the prompt words Risk and Slime.

I inched closer to the edge of the pool. The green liquid bubbled and undulated below. I looked across it, past the stepping stones dotted throughout the pool, all the way to the far end where it ended with solid stone ground again.

Along the right edge of the pool was a low jagged barrier with a steep drop behind it. To the left was a vertical stone wall that curved in above the pool. Green droplets plopped down from this ‘ceiling’, no doubt the source of this pool as it dripped down and accumulated over years.

The only way to get past it was to jump across the stepping stones. That or backtrack down the mountain looking for an alternate path. Who knows how long that might take.

“Ugh! I really hate slime. Are you sure this is a good idea Yolana? It looks thick enough to be a problem.”

“Well then let’s give it a little test.”

The statuesque satyr stepped closer and dipped the end of her staff into the liquid. She tugged it back up, finding there was a lot resistance. Despite only dipping it a few inches deep, she had to exert considerable force to tug it free.

“Ok… just don’t fall in then. Easy enough. Besides Ninala, I thought elves are supposed to be light on their feet~”

I grumbled. “Not all of us! Look I’m just not sure it’s worth taking the chance. This probably isn't the only way to reach the Tidal Tomb. I vote we find another way.”

Yolana scoffed. “Well I vote we cross here. So it’s one to one. Moxi? You have the deciding vote.”

The tabaxi thoughtfully scratched her cat-like ears. “It’s only one more day until the lunar solstice and the tomb is right beyond this mountain. We need to reach it before then. I don’t think we can gamble on finding another way that'll get us there in time. Besides, green slime isn’t actually harmful. Just really really sticky.”

“It’s decided then! No time like the present.”

Yolana immediately jumped across to the nearest stepping stone. Then the next. The strength in her legs allowed her to clear the spaces between them easily. Moxi followed, crouching low before each jump and landing more steadily than Yolana did.

Feeling quickly left behind, I breathed in and leapt. I landed accurately, but the surface was a little more slimy and slippery than I expected. I had to adjust quickly to avoid sliding to the edge.

Our adventuring trio continued, jump by careful jump. The stones were plentiful enough that we didn’t have any trouble finding an achievable target each time, until we reached the back half of the pool.

We all stood on one large stone, looking across the biggest gap so far. Yolana took a single-step run up and cleared the jump. Moxi made a standing jump and succeeded, a little closer to the edge. I took a step back and yelling to pump myself up, bounded forwards.

My feet landed right on the lip of the target stone. I felt myself slowly tilting backwards. “Aaaah!!!”

Moxi’s hand shot forward and grabbed mine. Tilted back, I was entirely in her hands in this moment. She pulled in and I tilted forwards, settling safely on the stone beside her.

“Phewww. Thanks Moxi. That was too close.”

plap

A cold, wet object hit my nose from above, splashing out across my face.

“Gyaahh!”

I recoiled from the slime droplet that had fallen on me, taking a step backwards. The ground slipped out from under me.

Moxi reached out again. I watched our hands reach out towards each other and grab empty air, an inch apart. The world tipped and I fell backwards.

PLOP!

My back landed flat on a gelatinous floor. It was a surprisingly soft landing. The slime was so thick that I didn’t immediately go under, but stayed laid out on the surface. Unfortunately the impact was still enough for me to sink a few inches in.

“Gghhh. I can’t move. I’m stuck! Help!”

“Ummm…”

Moxi leaned down and grabbed my ankle, her hand partially dipped into the slime. She pulled hard but I wasn’t budging at all. Her own hand even became slightly stuck, and she needed Yolana carefully tugging her by the waist to safely pull her back out.

“I’m sorry Ninala. I’m not sure there’s anything we can do right now. It’s not as bad as it seems though. Green slime is porous. And nutritious. You’ll actually be perfectly ok. We can come back with help.” Moxi tried her best to sound reassuring.

“After we’ve spent the next few days dealing with the tomb.” Yolana interjected. “We’ve come so close. We can’t just abandon it now. And we’ll have to return to the city and back again with that help of course. So in like… a week?”

“What?! You can’t be serious. Find help now! R… right Moxi?”

She stared back silently. “Err we should go.”

The two girls turned away and completed the final few easy jumps to the far side of the pool.

“No. Waiiit! Ahh? I… I’m sinking!”

They vanished out of sight as I slowly sank lower. I tried to pull my arms and legs upwards as hard as I could, but any movement just made me sink faster. It was creeping up along my face now, cold and moist against my cheeks.

I took in a deep breath as it flowed in over my nose and eyes. My entire body became submerged, sinking deeper below the surface. After less than half a minute, I stopped sinking, having reached a thicker density. The seconds passed and my lungs grew tight.

Eventually I couldn’t hold my breath anymore. My mouth and eyes flew open. There was just enough light filtering through the pool that I could see solid bright green.

The thick goop slid into my open mouth. I gagged, expecting I was about to drown, but then it stopped short of seeping down my throat. The viscous liquid was so thick at this depth that the large round blob in my mouth stayed attached to the slime outside it, without extending any further. And against all expectation, it was porous just as Moxi promised. I could breathe freely.

I wish I hadn’t opened my mouth so wide though, since now I couldn’t close it again or push the slime ball back out. As I gnashed against it, I felt droplets squeeze free and drip down my tongue. It was a nasty creamy flavour, but this would provide the nourishment Moxi mentioned. If only I’d kept my mouth closed, I could just lick at it instead.

I struggled to test my freedom of movement. Zero movement. Just the tight surrounding pressure of my horrible thick slimy encasing. This was going to be a terrible week. I really hate slime.