"Nope," Moomintroll said stoutly, sniffing and scrubbing his face with his paws. "No. Sorry, I won't believe it. He's not gone until we at least try."

He positioned himself over Snufkin, paws on his chest.

"Moomintroll..." Moominpappa said gently, trying to put a hand on his sons arm. He sounded pained. "Son... he's gone."

"HE IS NOT GONE!" Moomin shouted, wrenching his arm out of Moominpappa's grip, and viscously starting chest compressions, desperation the only thing stopping the tears from falling.

"Moomin, you'll break his ribs!" Little My screamed as he pounded Snufkin's chest, harder and harder, his breath ragged.

The others watched his seemingly futile efforts, feeling helpless, until Moomin started mouth to mouth and Moominmamma stepped in.

"Let me help you, darling," she said gently.

She took Snufkin's jaw in her paws and breathed into his mouth, and then allowed Moomin to continue the compressions. He pounded the thin chest, panting, refusing to believe that Snufkin was...

"This is becoming something of a habit," Moominpappa muttered.

"Oh, I hope not," replied Little My.

"Come on Snufkin," Moomin muttered, as Moominmamma blew into Snufkin's mouth again. "Come on... just please... don't be dead..."

"Come on Snufkin," Little My whispered, she was squeezing Moominpappa's hand tightly and was white as a sheet.

Another few minutes of compressions and resuscitations. Another few minutes of stillness.

It wasn't working.

"Please..."

Moomintroll was knelt up and bending over Snufkin, his arms shaking, tears falling freely over his nose and onto Snufkin's face. "Y-you can't leave m- us..."

"One last try, darling," Moominmamma looked deeply into Moomintroll's eyes. "Okay?"

Moomin stared back at her through a web of tears, and nodded, once.

"We'll bring him back."

-

With the first breath of air Snufkin took, he felt like he had been reborn.

Tears of joy and exhaustion were shed all around. Hugs, too tight to be healthy for the malnourished boy, we're exchanged.

And everything seemed to be getting better once again. Personally, Moomintroll didn't think he could deal with yet another decrease in Snufkin's health after everything.

But that wasn't up to him.

Weeks passed.

The cold hasn't left.
Snufkin was very quiet. Moomin didn't know what to say.

"I don't want to die, Moomin," Snufkin whispered.

Oh.

"Don't be silly. Y-you're not... you're not going anywhere." Moomin's voice was thick. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. Snufkin needed him to be strong. "You'll get through this, like you've got through everything else. I know you will."

He took Snufkin's paw in both of his and squeezed it, smiling though his eyes were sparkling with tears.

There was nothing worse than the fear in Snufkin's voice.