At least there was nothing wrong with her sense of smell, then. Tsume felt for the threads of chakra trickling down her limited pathways, pulling on them steadily. "Clones work."

"I love clones," Kuromaru said, tail whipping the air as he crouched, chest to the ground and haunches up. He sprang to his feet with a happy bark, dancing a circle. He didn't pause before launching at Katsuko, using the momentum he'd just built. Muscle rippled under heavy fur, forepaws outstretched as he howled, "Juujin Bunshin!"

Tsume flew through seals, trying to gather chakra through limited means. It took beats longer than it should have before she could realise the power through their links to Kuromaru. She shoved like she didn't usually have to, propelling it along.

He changed, limbs lengthening, mass dissolving, claws retracting into nails and snout pushing back into his face. A different, less dangerous form--but one with the vitals where Katsuko wasn't expecting.