Snufkin was taking down his tent. He felt restless and he wanted to go camp somewhere by himself in the middle of the woods. Somewhere no one could find him easily. He felt like he needed it.
As he was rolling up his tent, he saw the dark-skinned human walking towards him with a container in her grip. She was wearing a green flower print dress and was wearing a straw hat on her head; her long raven black hair is down and blowing in the wind.
"Your name is Snufkin, right?" she asked.
"Hmm," He nodded with a grunt.
"I'm Sam. I don't know if Moomintroll has told you my name or not, so yah," Sam said.
Snufkin gave her a, what do you want, look.
Sam cleared her throat then said, "Will you take me to The Witch's Cabin? Moomintroll told me he doesn't want to go back to her place in a while and well, I'm just assuming you know how to get there."
Snufkin finished rolling up his tent, then said, "I know how. I'll lead you."
"Thank you. Do you need help packing?" Sam asked.
"No. I don't have much," Snufkin said, "Just give me a couple of more minutes and I'll be ready to go."
Sam sat down on a log and waited, and like he said he didn't take long to get everything into his backpack. Soon he was leading her to The Witch's Cabin.
They were walking for a couple of miles in silence, and she was humming a song, it annoyed Snufkin a bit, because her breathing was atrocious, and it was obvious to him that she has no experience with music or walking up mountains.
She jogged up to Snufkin so that they were walking side by side instead of her trailing behind him, then she rummaged through her container that she was holding then pulled out a cookie.
She handed it to him and asked, "Snickerdoodle?"
Snufkin took it, and said, "Thank you."
Sam smiled and she didn't take one out for herself.
Snufkin took a bite out of his cookie and loved it.
"Moominmamma's cooking is always the best," Snufkin said through a mouth full of cookie.
"I agree," Sam said, "but I made these cookies."
"You did?" Snufkin said, surprised that anyone could make food as good as Moominmamma.
"You make it sound like cooking is hard," Sam said with a chuckle, "There are recipe books that tell you step by step what to do."
"Well, when you're on the road, you have to think light," Snufkin said, "And a recipe book isn't on the list of necessary items. Most of my cooking is from memory and a lot of that cooking has to be experimental too."
"If you write down your recipes, Mrs. Moomin and I can look through them and update your recipes to make them taste different or better," Sam offered, "Since you say they're from memory, you must not have a lot of ways to cook things then."
"No thank you," Snufkin said as he wiped his hands together to get rid of the crumbs on his hands, "I'm fine with the way my food tastes to me when I cook them."
Sam shrugged, then said, "Suit yourself. I just thought you'd like to have the sentimentality of having cooking that reminded you of the valley while you are gone during the winter."
"Hm," Snufkin huffed, then said, "You should learn to be more independent. You'll never truly be free if you depend on such nonsense."
Sam immediately stopped in her tracks and glared at Snufkin, prompting him to stop like he was hit by lightning. Sam then said, "That's a cruel thing to say to someone who'd lost her home, family, and lifestyle all in one day. Sir."
Sam then trudged up the mountain at a quicker pace, her long legs affording her the speed.
Snufkin felt a pang of guilt, but he knows he's right, and followed Sam, soon catching up to her, because she doesn't know how to walk up a mountain.
It was a little past noon when the two of them made it to The Witch's Cabin.
"Thank you for taking me here," Sam said, "You can go leave now and do your alone time."
Sam then charged forward towards The Witch's Cabin, not even walking backwards to show her respect. Snufkin watched her get to the door and knock on it. The Witch opened her door, then happily escorted Sam inside.
Snufkin felt a bit torn. Should he stay until she's done talking with The Witch? Walking down the mountain at night can be dangerous, especially if you don't have a lantern. Snufkin wished he'd asked her a few questions about what she planned on doing after this. He didn't stay long though. He decided to lay an extra lantern he had on himself on a rock and placed a note underneath it with some oil and a few matches. Then with one last look at the cabin over his shoulder, he walked back down the mountain path.
The Witch was so happy to see Sam. She couldn't help but assume that Sam came here to tell her that she was ready to learn magic from her. Magic in this world permeates everything but controlling it and learning to understand it is rare and even rarer to find someone to teach you the ways of magic. The Witch assumed that Sam would immediately start living with her and she would start teaching her the oral history and stories, that she learned, so that she'd understand this universe on a microscopic and macroscopic level.
As The Witch was daydreaming, Sam handed her the container full of cookies, "You're not allergic to cinnamon, are you?"
The Witch took the container and opened it, "Oh. Snickerdoodles. How lovely. No. I'm not allergic. Thank you." She then closed the container and sat it on the kitchen table.
"I hope you like my apology cookies," Sam said.
The Witch drew a blank as she scratched her bright orange hair.
"I don't want to learn magic," Sam said, "I'm sorry."
"You. Don't want. To learn magic," The Witch repeated in disbelief.
"That's correct," she said.
"Why? Is magic so wildly used and common place that it's boring to be a Witch?" The Witch asked.
"No. In my world, magic is nonexistent. Magic only exists in books, movies, videogames, myths, and legends. No one can do magic," Sam said, "And sure, if I was anyone else from my world, I can assure you that they would jump at the chance to learn magic from you, but I don't want to learn magic."
"Why not," The Witch asked, as she waved around her cane.
When she brought her cane back down to balance herself, the cane slipped out of her hand and she almost fell to the floor, but Sam caught her. She pulled up a kitchen chair for her and sat her down then handed her, her cane.
"I'm not in the head space to want to learn magic. I want to do things that are familiar to me because it's comforting to me and magic is the farthest from familiar that there is to me," Sam said, "I'm sorry to disappoint you. Are you going to curse me?"
The Witch was thinking about it, but said, "No. I'm not going to curse you." But she decided to curse that Moomin family that she's living with instead.
"Well then. While I'm here, do you need any help around your house, like do you need me to rearrange your potted plants, or do you want me to cook you something? Or do you want to just chat," Sam asked.
"…Will you cook me something and we can talk," The Witch said as she was thinking about what spell to cast on that accursed family.
"Of course. Let me see what you have, and I'll make what I can," Sam said as she walked away from her to look in her kitchen.
The Witch couldn't put the Moomins to sleep again, they already know how to break that spell. So what's another thing that's something that they do naturally, but will make them ineffectual to life. Make it where they can do nothing but eat nonstop… No, that's too obvious. Someone would know something's up soon enough. Make them eternally thirsty? Again, too obvious. It has to be something that no one would question too soon.
Sam said something to her.
"Oh, uh, I'm sorry. Could you repeat that," The Witch asked.
"Do you want to hear the latest gossip about what's happening in the valley," Sam asked again as she was pulling out ingredients and started the process of cooking.
"Uh, sure. Yes. That sounds nice," The Witch said.
As Sam made an early dinner for them to eat together, she told The Witch all kinds of stories that she's heard from Moominmamma, Moominpappa, Moomintroll, and Little My. The Witch enjoyed spending time with Sam. She wanted to ask Sam more about what her life was like in her home universe, but by the time she was done telling her about the gossip in the valley, Sam had cooked their meal, finished eating with her, and finished doing the dishes.
"Welp. I better get going. It'll probably be dark by the time I get back and I don't want to miss story time with Mr. Moomin," Sam said as she was heading for the door, "It's a big event too cause it's a recently finished novel that Mr. Moomin wrote, and the family just loves his stories, so it'll be a first for me. I'll see you around Mrs. Witch. Have a good evening."
As Sam was leaving, The Witch got her idea for what her curse on the Moomin family will be. She told her goodbye to Sam, then immediately got to work on casting her spell.
After two days, Snufkin was setting his camp by the Moomin household once again after having a good time being by himself. As he was pitching his tent, he heard the front door slam open and he was expecting to see Moomintroll, but when he looked up, he saw Sam running towards him.
"Snufkin! Thank goodness your back. I need your help. Immediately," Sam said as she got closer.
Snufkin was going to ask what was wrong, but she grabbed him by the wrist and started dragging him to the Moomin household.
Inside, in the living room, Moominpappa was reading a book to his wife and kids, but all four of them looked grimy and dirty. The living room smelled of sweat, and bodily filth. Moominpappa's voice was horse and raspy. All of them had bloodshot eyes like they haven't slept in three days and they weren't responsive, not even Moomintroll when Snufkin tried to get his attention, which usually isn't a hard thing for him to get when it comes to Moomintroll.
"They're cursed," Snufkin said plainly.
"By what and how?" Sam asked. "I've been so busy just trying to keep them from dying from personal neglect that I don't have any idea who would do this."
"Well, obviously it's The Witch," Snufkin said, "It's not the first time she's cursed this family."
"Why would she curse them," Sam asked, "She's so nice."
"No. At best she's neutral," Snufkin said, "We need to go speak with her."
"But she lives so far away, and we can't leave them like this by themselves," Sam said.
"Don't worry. I think I know someone who will be willing to help keep an eye on them," Snufkin said, "I'll be right back."
And hour and a half later, Snufkin came back with Mrs. Fillyjonk and her three kids Etta, Votta, and Tretta.
"You're going to help us," Sam asked, surprised.
"Please don't act so surprised," Mrs. Fillyjonk said, "We may have our differences, but helping each other out when we are all so isolated, is integral to keeping our small society thriving."
"Thank you so much," Sam said.
"Now don't you worry about the Moomin Family," Mrs. Fillyjonk said, "We'll keep them clean and as well fed and watered as we can until you can get this curse off them."
Before the two of them ran out the door, Snufkin said, "Again, thank you." Then they were off.
Halfway to The Witch's Cabin, Sam collapsed from not getting enough oxygen in her system despite how much she's breathing. They're trying to get to the Witch's Cabin as quickly as possible, but Snufkin thought they could take a moment to have a break, for her sake.
Between gasps of breath, Sam said, "Go. Just go. I know the way. I'll catch. Up."
"No. I need a second to catch my breath too," he said, "Besides, I doubt she'll want to talk to me."
Gasping, she asked, "Why. Do you. Say that?"
"I watched you disrespect The Witch, to her face, and she still welcomes you into her home," Snufkin said, "I think she likes you more than the average person around here."
"Oh no. How. Am I. Disrespecting her?" Sam asked.
"The Witch doesn't like to be looked at, because it makes her magic ineffectual," Snufkin said, "It's the main reason she lives so far away and in isolation. She can't do her magic when people see her."
"But she lives in a home," Sam said, "She doesn't. She doesn't just. Live in the. In the open. How is that not privacy enough for spells?"
"Anyway, to show your respect, you have to walk backwards toward her home," Snufkin said.
Sam sighed.
The two of them were silent for a few minutes as Sam was catching her breath.
"In all honestly, I wish she lived on an island or something else surrounded by water," Sam said, "I can swim for miles at a time without getting tired, but walking/running up a constant incline is just killing me."
"You'll get use to it," Snufkin said, "Ready?"
"Yah."
Snufkin tried to help get Sam back on her feet, but he was ineffectual and was little help in getting her back on her feet.
As they started climbing up the path, they went at a much steadier pace that was closer to a walk/jog than full out running.
"So," Sam said, "This is a lot of trouble that you're going through for such sentimental nonsense. What about your freedom?"
"This is absolutely the worst time for this conversation," Snufkin said.
"We have literally a two hour walk before we make it to her house," Sam said, "This is the perfect time you tiny little green racoon."
He groaned.
"What do you have against sentimental value," Sam asked.
"It ties you down. It makes you heavy and incapable of moving on or adapting," Snufkin said.
"So, what? You think Moomintroll, the guy who thinks the world of you, as a burden," Sam asked.
"No!"
"You think less of him because he lives in a house and you live in a tent?"
"No!"
"Then what do you have against such ideas," Sam asked, "What's wrong with sentimental values?"
"There's nothing wrong with them," Snufkin shouted.
They were silent, but they kept their pace as they walked/jogged.
"There's absolutely nothing wrong with them," Snufkin repeated, sounding sadder, "I just can't help but feel trapped sometimes."
He said no more, and he planned on saying nothing else. If she tried to talk anymore about the subject, he was just going to ignore her. Their differences weren't as important as saving his best friend and his family.
"I'm sorry," Sam said, "What you said to me the other day, just got under my skin. Ever since I was seven, I sacrificed a lot of myself to my family to help them. They mean the world to me and there's nothing I wouldn't give just to have a photo of them or an item of theirs for me to keep."
Snufkin looked over his shoulder at her and she was wiping away silent tears. Snufkin quickly looked forward and said, "I'm sorry too. I keep forgetting that there are different kinds of freedoms."
After a long walk, they made it to The Witch's Cabin and Sam followed Snufkin's lead as they walked backwards towards her house. The Witch opened her door.
"Sam," she happily greeted, "Welcome back."
Sam immediately whipped around and said, "Don't you "Welcome back" me, Madam. You cursed the family that I'm living with."
"I did no such thing," She lied.
"I can recognize your magic," Snufkin said, "there's no point in lying about it."
She huffed then said, "Yah. Okay. Fine. But I only did it because they're keeping her away from me."
"They weren't doing anything of the sort," Sam said, "I had plans of visiting you once a week but now I don't want to visit with you at all."
Snufkin elbowed her in the ribs.
"Please, Ma'am, tell us how we can lift the curse off the Moomin family," Snufkin pleaded.
The Witch was silent for a moment, then she asked Sam, "Were you really going to come visit?"
"I was, yes," Sam said, "but I'll still visit with you after you lift the curse off the Moomins, but I'm only going to come back after I'm done being angry with you, because what the heck woman!"
Snufkin elbowed her in the ribs again.
"How long will that take," The Witch asked.
"I don't know. I pretty angry about your actions," Sam said as she glared at The Witch.
The Witch sighed under Sam's glare, then she said, "I suppose I should have just asked you if you were coming back instead of assuming anything."
"Yah," Sam agreed, angrily.
"Then I will accept your conditions. I give you the means to break the curse and I will wait for you to stop being angry with me," The Witch said.
"That's wonderful. Thank you," Snufkin said as The Witch walked back into her house.
"You think you know people," Sam muttered to herself.
"This is still a pretty good deal," Snufkin said, "When she put the Moomin family to sleep I gave up something I don't remember anymore."
"I bet that was easy for you then," Sam remarked, not in a mean way in Snufkin's opinion.
"I don't know," He said honestly, "I remember her telling me it had to be something precious to me and that I'll instantly forget what it was once I gave it up. Not knowing what was so precious to me kind of eats at me. I don't know if I would have rather remember what I gave up or if it's better that I don't remember."
"Hmm."
The Witch came out of her home holding a container and Sam walked up to her and The Witch handed the container over to Sam.
"What's this," Sam asked.
"Magic butter," The Witch said, "You'll need it to help you to get the book out of Moominpappa's grasp. The book itself is the vocal point of the curse. Keep it out of their grasp for twenty-four hours and the curse will be broken indefinitely. If any of them manages to get a hold of the book again, then I don't know if you'll ever be able to break the curse."
Sam glared hard at The Witch, then said, "Thank you. I'll see you, but not soon."
Sam then spun around on her heel and marched away from The Witch's Cabin. Snufkin following close beside her.
It was nighttime by the time they made it back to the Moomin household. The lights were on and they could see the shadow of Mrs. Fillyjonk running back and forth.
Sam bust open the front door and shouted, "We're back!"
The Moomins still looked awful and tired and unmoving, but the entire living room was spotless and there wasn't any kind of smell of bodily waste in the air.
"Finally," Mr. Fillyjonk said, "So how are we going to fix this."
"Help us pull the book out of Moominpappa's grasp," Snufkin said as Sam was already going up to the Arial Hippos.
Sam applied the butter to Moominpappa's hands then with Snufkin and Mrs. Fillyjonk's kids help, the five of them pulled the book out of his grip. The Moomin family immediately became hostile.
"Give us the book," Little My, screeched as she dived for the book that was in Sam's grasp.
Sam reflex kicked Little My away from her and as more of the family tried to grab the book away from her, Sam ran away from the household and into the woods.
"Quick! Close the door," Snufkin shouted as Moominmamma tried to follow Sam.
Tretta, the smallest of Mrs. Fillyjonk's children, did as they were told and closed the door before Moominmamma got out. Moominmamma slammed against the door and fell back onto her back.
"I thought that was supposed to break the curse," Mrs. Fillyjonk said as she wrestled with Moominpappa to keep him seated in the lounge chair.
"We have twenty-four hours until it's completely broken," Snufkin said as he wrestled to keep Moomintroll from leaving the house.
"Does that mean they're going to be like this for twenty-four hours," Mrs. Fillyjonk asked.
"I don't know," Snufkin said, "We just have to keep them from touching that book again until the time is up."
The hours were long as the Fillyjonk family and Snufkin kept the Moomin family in their home. As each hour ticked off, the family became less aggressive and more like drunks with massive headaches. By their third hour in, other people that live in the valley came to the household to help the Moomin family. Too-Ticky, Snork Maiden and her brother Snork, Sniff, The Muskrat, The Muddler and his wife The Fuzzy, Ninny, The Hemul, and The Police Inspector. All of them were sent to the Moomin household by Sam.
With the extra help, Snufkin and the Fillyjonk family were able to rest, and everyone took turns keeping an eye on the family to make sure that they didn't run off into the woods to try and find Sam and the book. It became much like a large slumber party.
By the time the twenty-four hours were up, the family had stopped fomenting at the mouth for Moominpappa to keep reading the book, and the curse was broken, but they still needed time to recover.
"Ugh," Moominpappa groaned, "I don't think I want to talk for a while."
"That's fine, Dear," Moominmamma said, "Silence may do you some good."
"Thank you, everyone for your help," Moomintroll told the crowd in their home.
"We're just glad that you're all okay," said Ninny, a little ginger haired girl-looking troll wearing a pink dress and a yellow ribbon in her hair.
"What happened to Sam," Little My asked.
"She's still hiding," Mrs. Fillyjonk said.
"Oh, Dear," Moominmamma said, "We should go find her. I hope she's alright."
"No, you guys stay here," Snufkin said, "I'll go look for her."
"Yes. We all will," said Too-Ticky a rotund, blond boy-looking troll with bear feet and a little bear tail sticking out of is blue pants and wearing a red and white striped shirt, "You Moomins should stay and take care of yourselves for the time being."
"Fine by me," Little My said, as she started heading up stairs, "I'm going to take a bath first."
Everyone left the Moomin household, half of them left to go home and get some rest while the other half walked into the woods and shouted for Sam. After an hour of searching, Snufkin found Sam near the coast, still in the forest, and sleeping in some bushes.
"Hey. Wake up," Snufkin said as he shook her awake with his little racoon-like hands.
"Are they okay," Sam asked as she clutched the book to her chest.
"They're tired, as we all are, but the curse is broken," Snufkin said, then as Sam was getting up, he asked, "Why didn't you just hide the book somewhere and then come back to the house?"
"I don't know this valley like you and everyone else," Sam said as she followed him back to the Moomin household, "I would lose it and I didn't want to lose all of Mr. Moomin's hard work on his book."
"I'm sure Moominpappa will appreciate that," Snufkin said.
Whenever they passed someone that was in the search party, they told them that Sam was found and that they should pass on the message.
As Sam and Snufkin got closer to the Moomin's property, Sam said, "By the way, thank you for leaving that lantern for me. It helped me get home safely."
"You're welcome," Snufkin said.
"Do you want it back," Sam asked.
"No. You can keep it," he said, "I already have one. I just happened to have a second one on hand. I'm not really sure why I had it though."
"Alright then," Sam said, "Thanks again."
Then the two of them walked into the Moomin household and recovered from the ordeal with the Moomin family, together.