Chapter Text
The snow had melted a lot by then, but there were still patches where the ground was covered in unknown amounts of snow.
It was the first day of spring. The kids had all gone outside to play in the snow, Mymble decided to walk with Too-Ticky back to the bathhouse, Little My bothering them by coming along.
So Snufkin and Moomin took a stroll in the forest “I need to take you home, Moomintroll…” Snufkin whispered.
Moomin looked at him, almost surprised “Why? Did I do something wrong?” He stopped.
“No… I did something wrong… You shouldn’t be forced to stay here, come on I’ll take you back.” He held his paw out but Moomin refused. “What was your plan with this?” Moomin backed away.
“My plan with what?” He stayed where he was.
“When you kidnapped me… Why did you even do it in the first place if you were just gonna bring me back?” He stared at him.
Moomin staring at him just made him think about dinner that night when everyone was staring at him for a response.
“Snufkin?”
Every time someone asks him something they stared like he needed to give the right response.
“Snufkin?”
His father did it, the rest of the bandit group did it, his mother and brothers and sisters did it… And he did it to himself.
“Snufkin!?”
Why can he never just give them the answer they wanted.
“Snufkin!”
He snapped out of whatever he had been thinking and looked at Moomin with wide eyes. “I… It’s in the past.” He looked away and his tail started waving around, the same way it waved around every time anyone asked him this question.
“Snufkin.”
“I’d rather not talk about it…” His voice had gotten tense and he started to pull on his bandana.
“Snufkin.” Moomin crossed his arms.
“Come on, let's go maybe your family has woken up by now.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“Snufkin!”
“WHAT!” He snapped, his pupils had thinned again and he looked annoyed, it was obvious with how he showed his teeth.
Moomin stepped back, but he didn’t give up, “Why can’t you just trust me enough to tell me? We probably aren’t going to see each other ever again, so what’s the point in not telling me!”
Snufkin’s face turned red, out of both anger and embarrassment “Because I liked you, but now I love you.” He turned and quickly walked off. Moomins ears flattened and he blushed. He felt bad, he shouldn’t have pushed him, he just… Had to make it up. Moomin began running after him.
“Snufkin! Snufkin wait, please! I’m sorry!” He looked around, it’s like the mumrik had vanished into thin air. “Snufkin?”
He was nowhere, Moomin sighed and began walking back, he must have gone back to the house.
Moomin pushed the door open and was immediately greeted by Little My “Where have you been?” She had her hands on her hips and her tail was swaying back and forth.
“Snufkin and I went out for a walk but… I may have pushed him too far… Did he come back here?” Moomin looked around, hoping to see him appear out at any moment. Little My shook her head “I haven’t seen him since this morning… why?” She for once sounded interested, and maybe even a little concerned.
Moomin sighed “I think he was mad and I was hoping he came back here but if he hasn’t… If he hasn’t he must still be in the forest…” Moomin turned and ran out, it didn’t take long for Little My to catch on and chase after him.
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Snufkin had run off into the forest, he made sure to be quick just so he could be alone, but he already knew it wouldn’t be long before one of them came looking. The snow was still deep in some spots, causing him to trip over unseen roots. Just roots all they are… Until one of them wasn’t. He had been lost in thought, Moomin actually shouted at him, it kind of hurt… But the troll had a point. He should be able to tell him things by now, even if they won’t see each other. It happened months ago why can’t he just let it go?
He hadn’t felt it at first, at first he just thought his foot was stuck. He turned to yank his foot and instead got met with several stabs of pain. His other leg gave out and he fell on his butt.
A bear trap… He had stepped into a bear trap… How did he not see this? The snow. The snow had covered it up, the more he moved the deeper the spikes would sink in.
He laid back, giving up, “maybe this is what I get for not opening up… And now I’m gonna die here in the middle of the forest…” he whispered. He tried to move his leg, all it did was cause more pain. He hissed lowly and laid back again.
He should call for help. He needs to call for help.
Snufkin began to scream at the top of his lungs, for help and because he hated how this felt. He looked around his surroundings, bright golden Marigolds had begun to bloom.
Ironic for the situation he’s in… He let out another loud scream, hoping he wouldn’t lose his voice before at best, a creep came by.
There was no one, so he just kept waiting.
His scream, in fact, did alert someone, Moomin and Little My immediately followed the sound of the screaming. “Are you sure it’s him!?” Moomin did his best to keep up, Little My just nodded “I’ve heard him scream before.”
The two ran into a patch of marigolds. “Why did he stop screaming!?”
Little My pulled Moomins tail to get his attention “Calm down. If you start freaking out it’ll make finding him harder.
Moomin looked over the field “It’s gonna be harder to find him if we can’t hear him!” Moomin covered his face.
Little My grabbed his arm and yanked it. “Over there!” She began running. Moomin followed after him.
“Snufkin!” The two ran over “What are you doing laying here?” Little My looked him over, but stopped once she saw the trap.
Moomin dropped next to Snufkin and wrapped his arms around him while going on about how sorry he was. Snufkin just patted his back while trying to hide the fact he was in pain.
“It’s okay it’s okay…” He tried moving his foot again, the pain from the spikes and all the noise and movement around him was frustrating, he pushed Moomin off and sat up “Please get this thing off my foot…”
Moomin looked down to his feet and his eyes widened, he hadn’t noticed that. He crawled down to the bear trap and began to pull on it, Snufkin let out a shriek causing him to stop.
“How long have you been here?” He looked to Snufkin with a worried look.
“I don’t know” Snufkin was talking through his teeth to keep from screaming again. Little My grabbed one side of the trap “On the count of three pull.” She gripped it
“WAIT WAIT NO-” Snufkin sat up quickly
Moomin took the other side of the trap and got ready to pull.
“Guys can’t you just try something else-” Snufkin pleaded.
“One”
“Guys please-”
“Two”
“WAIT PLEASE DON-”
The two pulled as hard as they could, the trap opened just wide enough for Snufkin to at least get his foot out of his boot.
Snufkin hissed in pain and held his foot, blood was staining his paws while he tried to stop the bleeding, he couldn’t even get himself to talk straight.
Moomin picked him up and began running and Little My followed after him.
“Mothers house is back the other way!” She ran ahead of him. Moomin didn’t stop running “I know! I’m taking him to Mama, she’ll know what to do!” He could see the path in the distance, he was going the right way.
The two got to the path and Little My stopped “Won’t they just refuse to help him for taking you?” She crossed her arms.
Moomin hugged Snufkin closer “They’re forgiving… I’m sure of it…”
The two began down the path as fast as they could.
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Moominmama had opened the window to let the dust out she was trying to get over it though even after all winter it was hard. She looked up out the window to see the first spring sun but instead was greeted with something that made her have to rub her eyes and look again.
It was Moomin and Little My, running up the path, Moomin still having Snufkin wrapped in his arms.
Moominmama moved as quick as she could out the door, down the stairs, and on the path to meet them. Only when she was close enough to see the worried look on their faces - and Snufkin - did she also begin to worry.
Moomin stopped in front of his mother “He needs help! He… he stepped into one of the bear traps and… and…”
She put her paw up before carefully moving to take Snufkin, who at this point had fallen asleep or passed out. Moomin stepped back, refusing to let her take him at first.
“Dear, I need to take him inside so I can disinfect his foot” She held her arms out again.
Moomin handed Snufkin over, once securely in her arms she quickly made her way into the house.
Moomin had a warm feeling still on his fur, Little My had run off, to probably go tell her mother, leaving Moomin standing there alone.
Once he could pull himself out of his feeling of deep regret he moved to go inside but was stopped by a sudden force on him, Snorkmaiden and Sniff.
The two were going on about how much they missed him and several talks of “Are you okay?” and “did they hurt you?” but Moomin couldn’t keep himself listening for long, only responding with a mumbled yes.
“Moomintroll! Are you sure you’re okay?” Snorkmaiden tapped his shoulder
“I need to go see him” He began walking towards the house, the two trailed after him
“See who?” Snorkmaiden tried to grab his paw to stop him but he just pulled his paw away and continued walking. “Snufkin.” His reply was blank.
“Who is Snufkin?” She crossed her arms.
He stopped at the door, gripping the knob. He took a deep breath before turning slightly and looking at Snorkmaiden and Sniff “Someone I care deeply about… and he’s hurt because of me…” He pushed the door open and walked in.
Snorkmaiden huffed and walked away, Sniff followed her.
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Moomin stepped into the room and that's where he stayed for days. Snufkin spent a lot of time sleeping, half due to pain and half due to the medicine Moominmama was giving him.
Moomin had been laying on the floor organizing cards when Snufkin sat up. He gurgled lowly and rubbed his eyes “Moomintroll?” His voice cracked.
Moomin sat up in an instant and made his way over to the bed “Snufkin! Are you feeling better?” He took his friend's paw.
Snufkin sat back “I’m hungry… and nauseous…” He yawned.
Moomin stood “I’ll go see if Mama has anything to help with those” and he ran off.
Moomin came back, Moominmama was with him, she had a tray that had a small cup filled with a clear syrup and some pancakes and jam. She set the tray on the nightstand and handed him the cup.
Snufkin refused to drink it at first but after much bribing, he downed the cup. Once she was sure he had swallowed it she gave him the pancakes.
Snufkin and Moomin had been chatting, then The Mymble and Joxter burst into the room, along with an equally confused Too-Ticky and Mymble, and an angry Little My.
The two nearly knocked Moomin over when they rushed over.
“Are you okay? What happened? Why didn’t you come back?” They were looking over him to see if he was okay.
Snufkin nodded before shovelling another fork full of pancakes into his mouth. Joxter sighed and The Mymble turned to Moomin “What exactly happened?”
“I uh… We had been walking and I may have said something I shouldn’t have… And he ran off… When we found him he was laying on the ground and his foot was stuck in a trap….” Moomin twirled with his tail. The Mymble placed her paw on his shoulder and smiled “Don’t feel bad dear, I’m just happy you got him back here before it got too bad” She winked before standing and turning back to The Joxter “I assume he’ll be okay here until he can walk?” Joxter poked at his son, who scowled at him.
“Mama said he should be okay to leave now if he feels like it…” Moomins comment caused everyone to turn their eyes to Snufkin.
Snufkin noticed the eyes right as he was about to eat another fork full of pancakes. “What?”
“Well? Can you walk?” Little My shouted from behind everyone.
Snufkin sighed and set the tray aside carefully, he didn’t feel like figuring out, but it would be the only thing to get their eyes off of him. He pulled the cover back. His foot was lightly wrapped and the bandages obviously fresh.
He swung his feet out of the bed and placed them on the floor, the boards were cold. He looked up at everyone again, who all were eagerly waiting, before pulling himself up. At first, he stumbled forward into The Mymble, but after holding on to her for a little while he stood straight and walked around the room “Does this answer the question?” Snufkin crossed his arms, he obviously would have rathered to stay in bed with his pancakes.
Everyone clapped and Snufkin just shook his head and walked back over to the bed. When he got himself back into bed he continued eating.
“So what are you gonna do?” Joxter leaned on the wall with his arms crossed.
Snufkin stared at the plate “Mother, as much as I love you and would love to stay and get to know you. I don’t think I could stay sane around all those children…” He sat back.
Moomin thought for a moment, before moving over to Snufkin “What if you stayed here? If you don’t wanna be around people you could stay in the cellar or.. Or…” he trailed off
“I could use that tent of mine…” He looked over at Moomin “but I’ll try staying inside for a bit.” He smiled.
Moomin beamed “Really!? You’re gonna stay?” His eyes lit up.
Snufkin blushed and looked away.
“Yeah… I suppose.”