SnufkinVerse

Chapter 1: The Fog

Chapter 1: The Fog
The sun was setting down in Moominvalley. Moomin was resting against the bridge banister, listening to the melodic tunes of Snufkin's harmonica. Notes to make his heart lift and his stress melt away. He had been very busy that day, dealing with Little My who kept trying to annoy Moomin; in which she succeeded, and Sniff asking Moomin over and over when he was going to eat. He looked up longingly at Snufkin. Thank goodness there was just ONE Snufkin, but if there were more, he wouldn't mind.
He admired Snufkin. He had been traveling and has probably seen more of the world than Moominpapa. Mysterious, wise, talented in music, such as the ways of Snufkin. Moomin could only dream to travel around like the mumrik.

"Another song?" Snufkin offered. Moomin beamed and answered with a nod of glee.
"Oh yes, please! Can you play the Bridge?" Snufkin tapped his harmonica, took a gentle breath in, and blew out into the holes, making tunes through the mouth organ. Moomin's ears lowered in relaxation. Such bliss, such tranquility. Just him, Snufkin, dragonflies, the sunset, and the orange river below them. After another tune, Moomin saw Snufkin hop off the banister, gathering his fishing pole. Perhaps it was time for Snufkin to head in. Maybe it was time for Moomin to do the same.
Snufkin tipped his hat, smiling.
"G'night Moomin."
"Night Snufkin!" Moomin waved. "I'll see you tomorrow!" Snufkin gave a tip of his head, addressing a nod, and then going into his tent. Moomin rushed into his house and had dinner with his family. What a perfect end to the day...

It wasn't until around 5 in the morning when Moomin woke up, looking around. Something... didn't feel right. He got out of bed, looking out the window. Snufkin was out of his tent, doing some late night fishing. Well, since he was awake, he might as well talk to Snufkin...! He opened his window and climbed down the ladder... but then heard something. A gunshot. Snufkin seemed to have heard it, as well. He turned his head to the sound, it being in the direction of the trees. Moomin tumbled down the ladder and ran to Snufkin, panting.
"Did you hear that...!?"
"... I did," Snufkin nodded. "It could be some hunters. Most likely nothing to worry about."
"... this late into the night?"
"Some hunters hunt at this time of the night," Snufkin assured him, also assuring himself.
"... still worth checking out, don't you think?"
Snufkin looked at Moomin, thinking he didn't want to move from his tent when he heard another gunshot. Then the curiosity was eating away at him. With little thought, he stood up and nodded.
"Right, let's go."
They both set forth towards the trees, Moomin not realizing how scary the woods seemed in the night, the moon hiding underneath the clouds. However, he kept a brave face. For himself and Snufkin. There was no way he was going to show any flaw around his best friend.

Snufkin took out a pocket knife, arming himself. He had no intention to hurt someone but to protect himself and his friend. The forest seemed to have a heavy fog, denser than steam.
"I-I can't see..." Moomin stammered.
"Hold my hand," Snufkin offered. "We don't need to get separated."
Moomin did so, gulping. Snufkin did his best to try to see through this thick cloud, but he couldn't see the trees before it was almost too late. He found himself bumping into the trunks often, getting a worried 'Are you okay?' from Moomin. It long wasn't before they heard another gunshot. Moomin gasped, letting go of Snufkin's hand to immediately arm himself with a nearby branch on the dirt.
"Snufkin!" he squeaked out. However, there was no response. He glanced back and forth, only seeing fog. He didn't even know which way they came from...! How was he supposed to get out of this...!? He felt his eyes began to heat up, tears welling up. "Snufkin!!!" he screamed out. He was panicking... this was bad. It was really really REALLY bad... how was he supposed to get home now? Would he ever see Moominmama? Moominpapa? He would do anything to hear Little My pester him right now. Or Sniff asking when dinner was. He coughed a sob, hearing a gentle voice.
"Are you alright?"
He looked over, seeing a silhouette of Snufkin!
"Snufkin!!!" he rushed over, hugging him. "Please don't leave me alone...! It's so dense out here! We could've lost each other...!"
"D-Don't worry, my friend, I'm here now..."
It was strange. This felt like Snufkin... but didn't sound like him. This man's voice was lighter, almost British sounding. But he had the hat... except for... the feather.
"Snufkin...? Where's... your feather?"
"My feather?" the figure wondered.
"In your hat, there was supposed to be a feather, right?"
"... no, I've never had a feather," he told Moomin. "Moomin, are you alright?"
The figure took out a stick and lit it up, Moomin gasping. This... who was this...!? It looked like Snufkin, but his cheeks were a little rosy, he had short ginger hair and his hat and cloak were light green.
"... who are you?"
"I'm Snufkin, but... you don't look like... my Moomin..."
"Your Moomin?" he wondered. "I-I... wait that's impossible...! You can't be Snufkin! There's only one Snufkin I know...! He's around here somewhere...!"
"There's another... me?" the Snufkin looking figure's eyes widened. "... well well... this is quite confusing..."
"N-no no... I can't lose him!" he teared up. But this action brought upon the other Snufkin holding his hand.
"Don't worry, let's find him together, okay?" Moomin looked at him. How could he trust him...? And what was going on? But he was desperate. With a nod, the other Snufkin led him around the forest, them both silent. Moomin didn't know what to think, his mind was racing back and forth and back again. If this was Snufkin, then where was his Snufkin? And his Moomin? What did he mean by that? The other Snufkin looked over and offered a little smile. "I'm equally confused, worry not... we'll get this figured out."
"Who are you...? I-I really mean it, who are you?"
"I told you, I'm Snufkin."
"But that's not... it can't be..."
Silence again. Moomin didn't know what to think of anything right now. The other Snufkin gasped and pointed.
"Is that him?"

Moomin raised his head eagerly, seeing another Snufkin figure. He gasped and ran over.
"Snufkin!!"
The figure turned... but said nothing. Moomin got to the person, as did the other Snufkin... but this person wasn't the Snufkin he was looking for... he looked very different.
Blue eyes and long, raggedy ginger hair. A hat with a large pink feather, a gold-yellow scarf tucked into his tattered and patched dark green coat. He seemed just as confused and scared as Moomin.
"... who are you...?" The figure didn't speak. The light green Snufkin studied him for a moment, then spoke up.
"Is your name Snufkin?"
The figure nodded, Moomin's heart getting heavier and headache more intense. He could feel the pulsations of his heartbeat through his head.
"M-... my head..." he mumbled out. The silent Snufkin looked awfully terrified, sitting Moomin down quickly on a rock.
"... so we have three Snufkins..."

The hushed one looked shocked at the soft one. "Yes, three. Do you not speak?" He breathed in... then shook his head quickly, looking down at his worn hiking boots. "A mute perhaps..."
"W-we need to find MY Snufkin...! H-he must be around here somewhere...!"
"I'm not saying we're not going to. But please settle down before you make any rash decisions..."
"No! I need to find him!!!"
With that, Moomin stumbled to his feet and ran, but bumped into something. He assumed it was a tree since it looked tall... but this tree seemed soft. He looked up, two brown, cat-like eyes staring down, holding a shotgun. Moomin screamed, scooting back. A wide-brimmed hat, like Snufkin, and a cloak. The light of the torch was brought close, this tall man having a brown hat with a white flower crown, long pipe in his mouth. A red scarf hung limply around his neck, over his yellow cloak. Under the cloak, you could clearly see brown pants and long black boots.
He stared down at Moomin, every ounce of his being telling him to run. Just run...!
"... Moomin." the person said. His voice was deep... deep and mysterious...
"... y... yes...?" he shook.
"... mm. Not my Moomin..." he sighed. He bent down and offered a hand. Moomin was hesitant, but took it, not wanting to anger... whoever this is...
"Who... who are..."
"Snufkin," he told him. "Name's Snufkin."
Moomin's heartbeat quickly... then his eyes began to feel heavy. With a breath, he shuddered out a deep shiver then everything went black, his head meeting the dirt.