The patting helps a bit but now that the floodgates have opened, Ichigo isn't able to stop sobbing, not just yet. He falls to his knees and leans against Naki as he continues to weep into his hands. He wants to believe what the fox says. He really wants to.

‘I... I... I'm sorry... I... I'll be alright in a... little while...’

He just really needs to get this all out. The fear and despair he’d felt on the corpse pile, as he stared at those familiar faces.