"Where is the Siren's power?" One Fae asked, grasping Snufkin's jaw.
Snufkin hissed and yowled, clawing at the creature. He didn't know what they were talking about nor why they'd be interrogating him.
"Very well." The Fae tossed him back to his "room" and left, leaving him to himself until the albino Mumrik came.
Snufkin blinked from his initial shock and looked to Moomintroll, who wasn't being friendly, but he wasn't being rude to the unwanted guest either. The Moomin crossed his arms.
"What do you want? I already told you and The Fae I don't have it." He couldn't budge. Maybe Faeden had calmed as well so they could be civil?
"The Fae have reasons to believe you're lying. On another note, you're growing up so handsome, Snufkin! I knew you weren't a Mymble." Faeden smiled, and Snufkin felt a disgusted shudder. Nope. Apparently the albino was still nuts.
"Um, Snufkin doesn't lie, or at least not often, so I'm sure he would've given you all what you wanted if it wasn't important." Moomintroll but in, probably trying to placate the Mumrik.
Faeden looked bored over at the troll. "Who are you? I don't believe I've met you. I'm Faeden. I used to look after our little Snufkin."
Before Moomintroll could say his name, Snufkin smacked his hand across his mouth to stop him, looking at the Mumrik. He gulped when he saw the eye twitch. "That's no concern of your's if you're leaving now that you got my answer. Come on, Dove, let's get back to the party." He wrapped a hand into the crook of one of Moomintroll's elbows and tried leading him back and surprisingly, Faeden let them.
He knew the bastard had to be lurking somewhere now that he found him. Snufkin quietly helped with putting everything away, the more his mind wandered, the more angry he became. He wasn't an angry Murmrik, but that albino and The Fae were annoying. Now that he was grown, he knew he did have the Siren's power, but there was no way he knew how to give it over. As far as he knew, once he died, the marble was going to stay in his corpse or in the belly of whatever ate him.
His tail twitched. All this made him want to go off on a walk for a few days. But if he did that…that darned albino would find a way to get him. Maybe he could set up a trap?
"Snufkin?"
Snufkin jumped, having been lost in thought. In front of him was Moomin, looking at him worriedly. "I'm fine, Moomin. Just…" he looked back towards the woods.
"I never asked if you were alright, Snufkin." He laughed, before looking towards the woods himself. "I can ask Papa if you could borrow his boat. If something wasn't bothering you, you would've been off into the forest and up the mountains with nothing but a tilt of your hat as a see you later."
Snufkin's eyes widened only for a moment before he smiled fondly, not thinking when he reached up to brush his hand up the side of Moomin's face. "Thank you, Dove. I should get back to my tent, though, it's late." He sighed, for some reason impulsive and gently raked his claws down Moomin's jaw and throat, feeling his throat bob, to the end of his chin, his tail raised in interest at the blush Moomin had, trying to avert bright eyes as his ears went back.
Moomin nodded, though he didn't budge, seeming to like Snufkin's caress.
Snufkin was too nervous to risk anything, so swallowing down words he'd wanted to say for a couple years, he turned on his heel and went to his tent, feeling Moomin's eyes watch him go.
Inside his tent he began to think and pack. He realized he never outright said he'd take Moomin up on the boat offer, but he supposed he could ask the next day.
Snufkin got changed, feeling happy as he forgot the whole reason he wanted to escape earlier to begin with. A sharp pain went through his abdomen again and he grunted. The thing wouldn't rest.
When he heard footsteps outside his tent, a few hours later, he suspected it to be Moomintroll, unable to sleep. He smiled, slipping his night shirt on. "Yes, Moo-"
He stopped, immediately shutting up and backing away to the back of his tent quickly.
It wasn't Moomintroll who crawled in. Faeden wasn't smiling. Snufkin usually knew he was safe…if he was smiling.
"Snufkin…do I have to tell you the rules again?" He asked, obviously mad about something as he crawled more in, his size easily blocking the tent entrance.
"Go away! I don't have the power core! I'm living my own life, how I want." Snufkin wasn't sure what else he could get away with saying while in one piece.
"Hmm…I'm not here for that thing. For all I care, the seas can slowly rot and wilt. It's YOU I've been trying to find." The albino gripped onto Snufkin's leg.
Terror flowed like electricity from hattifatners in his veins. "S-stop."
He used one hand to swipe at the albino, actually getting him on his cheek, but then the albino pulled out a hammer from the satchel he had with him. A heavy one.
"Now…say you belong to me. Only me. Your heart doesn't yearn for a Moomintroll. Say it." The albino's pink eyes glowed dangerously again, lifting it above Snufkin's shin. "Ah. No screaming. No one would get to you in time." He scolded as Snufkin took a deep breath.
Snufkin froze, heart stopping, even as moments before it had been beating like hummingbird wings in fear. It would be easy. To just lie and say it. Then his nature, to walk and wander, wouldn't be in danger. So why couldn't he say the words? He couldn't bear saying the words with Moomin's face in his eyes. His heart ached with the thought. Just as it did when the albino broke his leg the first time. Snufkin clenched his eyes shut to fight the tears he knew would build.
Not saying certain words was one thing. But to say a lie, out in the open, even when the subject wasn't the wiser, was worse. Words held power and this albino knew it.
Moomin had learned to change, as Snufkin learned that some routine (returning each Spring) was nice. Moomin grew from his clingy ways and now knew how to read Snufkin, read what he needed. Snufkin wasn't as good at it, but he did try returning as soon as he could when Spring was there and leave as late into the Fall. He tried humoring Moomin by taking adventures for just them. At least…at first it was to humor the sweet troll.
Then his feelings grew. He sought Moomin out. Purposefully thinking of him when he saw something lovely or wanted to show off a new spot he had found. Even the recent unwanted…domestic…thoughts, he couldn't bring himself to hate as much as he thought. He still did, he didn't think he could torture Moomin or himself by the Winter separation. He needed his alone time to explore and Moomin would probably want a love like his parents'. Snufkin couldn't give him that.
He somehow allowed someone to get roots in his heart. He hadn't even realized how badly his affection for the snowy troll was.
"It's not that hard to say, Snufkin. Don't cry." The albino scolded, gripping Snufkin's jaw for a moment.
Snufkin blinked out of his thoughts, feeling hot tears roll down his cheeks. "I can't. I can't say it." He glared, knowing full well his leg was going to be broken. His only saving grace, was it was still Spring. He had time to heal. "I won't say that because it's a lie. You never had me in any way, shape, or form and you still won't. I belong to no one. Just myself and as nature has had me." He swallowed thickly, a cocky smirk on his lips. "What happened to you never hurting me?"
The albino sighed, raising the sludge hammer. "I would bite my arm if I were you."
Snufkin barely had time to do just that, when the hammer landed it's first of many blows, his bones making a sickening crack.
Drip
Drip
Drip
Everything was black. Every step sounded, felt, like walking on wet road. Snufkin didn't like how eerily quiet it was. Scarily so. He could hear his breath quiver in the silence. He didn't dare call out.
It felt like it'd been hours, unsure how far the road was leading, until he froze at the sound of voices. He couldn't understand them at first. They were garbled.
"Help…" multiple voices sounded at once, creating a distorted single voice.
Snufkin looked around, unable to see anyone, just the beginnings of aquamarine colored roots spread everywhere. He knew the energy. "How?" He replied.
"Return…home…" it replied.
"Where?" He didn't care for the vague answers but he allowed it to try and speak.
"Ocean…need…safe…"
Snufkin but his lip. "How do I do that?"
"Need…civilization…Ocean…host…"
The whole thing was confusing Snufkin more than he needed to be.
"-in medicine should help-"
"-when…Snufkin…wake up?"
Snufkin perked. That sounded like the valley Hemulan and Moominmama. He looked round and around, unable to see them.
"I'm dreaming. Of course."
Taking a deep breath, he decided to walk, knowing he would wake up when his body was ready.
"Oh, Snufkin…please wake up…" the voice of a sad Moomintroll rang through his ears.
When Snufkin opened his eyes, his body was throbbing and the lighting was dim. He could immediately tell he was on a bed. 'How did I make it out?'
He groaned, trying to move. When he could move his upper part of himself and his hips, he guessed he had been right that the albino aimed for his shin.
He looked around, knowing the scent. It was Moomin's room.
Sighing, he groaned in pain and stiff limbs, not looking before he moved his legs out and went to gingerly stand, using the head post as a stabilizer.
Only for the moment his foot touched the ground, pain shot through his whole body and he collapsed with a loud pained yowl.
Breathing heavily as he heard feet running up the wooden steps, he sat on the edge of the bed, even then though, pain shot up through his right side hip.
"What happened?! Snufkin! You're awake!" Moomin came in in a panic, relief on his face as he calmly got closer, seeing how freaked Snufkin was.
Snufkin leaned on the opposite side, looking down to his leg, panting as he saw how badly it was bruised and bent oddly against the long splint.
He remembered being hit a few times, but he must've passed out at some point. He looked to his arm to see it was bandaged as well. He felt frustrated but let it pass, knowing it was mostly because of the pain he was in. He looked to Moomin, worry all over his face and there was that strong urge to nuzzle the troll. To seek comfort that he would secretly get (though Moomin was never aware it was a comfort to Snufkin) when a nightmare would've snared him the night previous.
Instead, as he would to do, he smiled. "Hello, Moomin. I'm quite alright now. Wasn't aware it was that bad. Heh heh." He tried acting nonchalant about it.
What he didn't expect was for Moomin's ears to go back and his brows furrowed. "So what happened?"
Snufkin wasn't sure if he wanted to say. He hated lying, but he knew how protective the Moomin Clan was. A chill ran up his spine. It was cold, nauseating. The albino's voice fuzzed in his mind.
"That's a good Snufkin. For doing so well and being a good child, I won't go after your other leg. I'll be around."
Snufkin shook his head, already feeling confined. "Moomin…can you help me downstairs? You know I don't care for enclosed spaces, not that I don't enjoy the scent of-" he stopped, his face turning red as he realized his almost slip. "Ah. Please."
Moomin looked him over warily, but nodded. "If it makes you feel better. Papa has a guest over though. Just an old friend of his." He suddenly picked Snufkin up as if the Murmrik weighed nothing.
"Ah! M-M-Moomin! What-this-this is unnecessary!" Snufkin was probably a bit too loud, his face red and his hands instinctively clinging to the thick fur around Moomin's neck, part of his brain short circuiting from noticing how SOFT the under coat was. He fought the instinct to bread into it, causing himself more embarrassment.
"It's either this or we both risk falling down the stairs and you hurting yourself even more. You…I just noticed how light you are." Moomin said surprised, ears perking and a smile on his lips. If Snufkin didn't know better, he'd say it was cocky.
Snufkin made a noise in his throat, so unlike him, but he could blame it on hormones and pain.
Snufkin almost fell back asleep (even with the throbbing pain), as Moomin's scent and warmth, his touch, was so relaxing to the stressed Mumrik.
Once down the stairs, Snufkin allowed himself to be reluctantly set down, being led to his spot by the window, though Moomin insisted on helping set the pillows differently to help.
"Thank you, Dove." He smiled, grateful.
Moomin nodded, blushing a bit from the nickname. "Want me to get you coffee? Though you should be resting…" he placed his paws on his hip, his tail swishing. Now that Snufkin got a better look, Moomin did look tired himself, no doubt worried out of his wits about Snufkin.
Snufkin pulled his hat over his eyes so he didn't have to look at Moomin. "Please."
Moomin sighed. "You're lucky you're best friends with a patient Moomin." He huffed and walked into the kitchen, leaving Snufkin to laugh loudly, his pain and worry in the back of his mind, the Moomin being one of the few who could utterly distract him as of late.
He stared conflicted out the window, not sure how to proceed. He couldn't keep running and ignoring the issue. Well…he COULD, but no doubt Faeden would track him again and he'd be far from Moominvalley. He shuddered to think what the crazy nut would do then.
"I swear, did you just come by to steal food?" Moominpapa scolded someone as he, Moomin (with Snufkin's coffee) and someone oddly familiar came out of the kitchen.
"Hey, Snufkin. Mama made it just how you like it and even added something to help with the pain." Moomin came up, tail swishing satisfied.
Snufkin smiled at Moomin, grasping it. "Thank you-"
"Is that who I think it is? Nah, the kitten I met was a Mymble." A familiar lazy toned voice interrupted him.
Snufkin glanced over, almost spilling his coffee. It was THIS Murmrik's fault. "The Joxter." He said, tail swishing in agitation at least.
The Joxter seemed to think on it while smoking his pipe and the shine from it caught Snufkin's eye. It looked to be made of glass and teal…teal scales? "Have I met you?"
Sure enough. The Joxter had used the Siren's scales (at least some) to make a pipe.
Now, there were few things that made Snufkin truly angry. Rules, claiming land as property, polluting, signs put up by zookeepers. Those who knew him got the idea. He had a few reasons to be angry at The Joxter.
He tried to set the coffee down nicely, though he felt himself shake and he knew he couldn't stand. He glared at The Joxter, a snarl on his small fangs, brown eyes dark. "You used her scales as a PIPE?! You would desecrate her even more by doing that?!"
The Joxter snapped his fingers. "Oh, you are the kitten from back then! Huh. You said you were a Mymble."
Snufkin fought to not roll his eyes. Instead he tried letting it go, tail twitching like crazy since he couldn't even go off for a walk.
"What do you mean, "scales as a pipe"?" Moomin asked, chancing his luck with grabbing Snufkin's hand and trying to comfort him.
"Oh, that. Anyway, yeah, I took her scales and sold most of them." The Joxter shrugged, taking a puff.
Snufkin was tired. He wasn't a creature who made a habit of being angry. At lease when it wasn't park keepers.
So while The Joxter and Moominpapa spoke on about something of a different topic, Snufkin squeezed Moomin's paw, curling into it and possibly due to medicine, he felt exhausted again, hoping he'd woken to a nightmare than to a reality.