SnufkinVerse

Chapter Two: The Dream

Moomin woke up with a startled scream, sweat soaking into his fur. Morning... and how did he get in his bed? Was it... all a dream? He rushed downstairs, ignoring Little My's teases about how he looked and ran to Moominmama.

"Mama!" he shouted.

"Indoor voice, dear," she told him.

"R-right... Mama, did I go anywhere yesterday?"

Moominmama tapped her wooden spoon on the side of the pot of porridge and looked at him. 

"Why would you ask, dear?"

"I-I... I was just wondering..."

"Well you went out with Snufkin, if I remember," she tapped her chin. "But you came home so tired, you went straight to bed."

"Did Snufkin say anything strange? Maybe about... more Snufkins?"

"Ha!" a voice teased from behind. It was Little My. "Now he's hallucinating more Snufkins. You are beyond help, Moomin."

"Now now, don't be mean, Little My," Mama sighed. She turned her direction to Moomin. "No, dear, Snufkin said nothing except you both went tree climbing and he remembers you fell down."

"... no fog?"

"It was quite wonderful last night, no fog," she assured him. Moomin looked down, looking more confused than relieved. What... was that then? A dream? It couldn't be, it felt too real!!

"... is Snufkin still here?"

"No dear, he's on the bridge."

That's it...! He could get answers from Snufkin if Moominmama was hiding things! He ran out, Moominmama reminding him to come back at breakfast. Moomin skidded on the wet grass and got to the bridge, panting and wheezing.

"Slow down, Moomin...!" Snufkin put a hand on his shoulder. "You would've slipped into the la-"

"Snufkin!!!" Moomin yelled with urgency. It caught Snufkin off guard, but he gave Moomin his attention. "Did we meet other Snufkins last night!?" 

"... what?" he tipped his head. 

"Other Snufkins!" Moomin repeated. "One that was tall and had a flower crown and pipe! One with long orange hair and a trenchcoat and another who looked very much like you but he had red hair and blush, and-"

"Moomin, slow down, breathe...!"

Moomin didn't realize he hadn't taken in a breath yet. He did so, coughing out. "Moomin, I have no idea what you are talking about. We went tree climbing. I think you bumped your head too hard..."

"... n... no... Snufkins?"

"Only me."

Moomin looked at his friend and sighed out in relief, falling flat on the bridge, panting. "You must've had one wild dream."

"It was..." Moomin groaned. "There were all these Snufkins and I lost you in this fog and-"

"Fog?" Snufkin perked up. "You remember the fog?"

"So there was a fog!?!?" Moomin gasped. 

"No no, I'm only teasing," Snufkin giggled, offering a hand. Moomin looked at him with disbelief, but then he couldn't help but laugh. Snufkin pulled out his fishing rod and tossed the line into the water, the fishing bait bobbing on the surface. The morning doves cooed as the warm sun began to peak it's welcoming face over lonely mountains. 

This is how mornings should be. Moomin scooted next to Snufkin and let out a sigh, smiling. Snufkin sighed along, happily watching his bob go down. He grabbed the line and tugged it gently, then forcefully, revealing a large, shimmering trout. He put it in his bucket and put the bob back in.

"... well... thank you for helping," Moomin smiled. Snufkin gave a nod, Moomin hearing Moominmama call him. He said bye to his friend and ran off.

As Moomin downed his berry porridge, Little My sneered at him the entire time.

"More Snufkins, eh? You just can't stop pining one, so you think of more...!"

"I-I did not think of them on purpose!" Moomin defended himself. "It was a dream and nothing more."

"Hmm, if it were real, imagine there would be other versions of us," Moominpapa looked up, a creative idea spinning in his brain.

"No matter what, I'd still be the toughest!" My stood on the chair and stack of books. "I'd bite my way through!"

"Inside voices," Moominmama reminded again. My huffed and sat down, eating her bowl of porridge that was much too big for her. 

In the late afternoon, Moomin was in his room, drawing. But not of ships or adventure... but those strange Snufkins he saw in his dream. He swore, it felt like it was real. He stared at the tall Snufkin he drew, thinking. 

"... he looks so mysterious," he pointed out to himself. He then drew the softer looking one, adding the small blushes on his cheeks. "... this one looks kind and sweet," he smiled, putting him aside. He doodled the last one, looking at it. He remembered he was silent and didn't talk much. "... why don't you talk?" he asked the paper. He didn't expect it to answer, but neither would this Snufkin. "Although, you look very wise." He sighed and laid back in his chair, a knock being heard at the door.

He quickly shoved the papers into his desk drawers and looked at the door. "C-come in!" he told the guest on the other side. He expected Little My, but saw Snufkin. "Oh, Snufkin! I want to show you something!"

He trusted Snufkin to know. Besides, this was Snufkin. Showing him versions of his friend he saw in a dream wasn't weird... right?

He pulled out the papers and showed the mumrik, him looking them over. 

"Quite odd characters," Snufkin pointed out.

"Indeed!" Moomin agreed. "What do you make of it?"

"Of the dream or these people?"

"I... suppose both," Moomin offered a shrug. Snufkin saw on the bed and tapped his chin. 

"It could be one of two things," he spoke up, sitting on the bed with his signature leg cross. "Perhaps a foreboding of the future or your dream got me mixed with other people in the valley." Moomin studied the drawings and let out a small groan.

"But I don't know anyone who looks like them," he sighed, ears lowering. 

"... perhaps it's spring and you've missed me, still thinking I'm gone? You've told me a lot you dream about me."

This brought upon a blush to Moomin's cheeks, him looking away. 

"I-in a way like friends...!" he stammered out. "But... yes, perhaps..."

Snufkin smiled and stood up from the bed.

"I wouldn't focus too much on it, Moomin," he smiled warmly. "Besides, it's best to forget and move on, to not let it dwell on you while you focus on things in the present and future."

More wise words from Snufkin. Moomin nodded with a smile, putting them in his drawer.

"Want to join us for lunch?" Moomin asked, standing up. "We're having Spring Salad!"

"Sounds delicious," Snufkin gave a little smile, nodding. They both went downstairs, Moomin closing the door behind him. Yes, he shouldn't let this dwell on him. It was only a dream and nothing else.

... right?