As the Moomin family slept on, Snufkin made his way through the southern mountains.

The going was slow, and Snufkin's feet dragged along the winding path between thickets and braken, stumbling every now and then. His ragged breath tore at his throat and he couldn't stop the shivering. At night he barely managed to put up his tent when his fingers were shaking so badly. He began to lose track of time- he often woke during the night and didn't know if he had slept for a couple of hours, or through the whole day and into the next night. When he slept, he hugged himself for warmth, and he could feel his hip bone poking through the taught skin. Even though he was exhausted all the time, his sleep was fitful and sporadic. This illness- whatever it was that the Groke had done to him- was really taking its toll. 

He was stubbornly ignoring the white veins on his arm. He couldn't bring himself to look at them. He just forced himself not to think about it- it scared him too much. 

Snufkin started to lose weight again. This was not from lack of trying; but every piece of food he tried to consume turned to a sharp shard of ice in his mouth that he just couldn't swallow. Any liquid crystallised in his throat, even hot tea. So he got weaker.

His ribs began to push through the skin, and the fat from his face vanished. His calves thinned, and his complexion turned the colour of weak tea. White dots leaped before his eyes whenever he got up. Moominmamma's success in making him gain weight last Summer after his invisible spell was wasted. All stomach fat he had had was lost, in the first few weeks since he had seen the white veins on his arm(or it could have been days. Or a whole month.). Instead his tummy just hollowed out again. Became concave.

And so, his travels continued.

Snufkin was immensely relieved when he began to reach ground he recognised again. It was a particular clearing and light-dappled forest path that caught his weary eye, and suddenly he was convinced he knew where he was. Sure enough, looking around, he realised he was on the mountain path that was home to several hot springs.

"Perfect!" He thought. "Finally, I'll be able to warm up."

He sat down against the mountain wall that rose up beside him, took off his bag and hat and started unlacing his shoes. It took him a long time because fingers were numb. Then he lifted his dress over his head and pulled it over his arms.

And he stopped.

This was bad.

-

Moomintroll woke on the first day of spring bright and early as always. He sat up, stretched and pulled back the covers to see a beautiful warm light watering through the window. He could hear birdsong. Moomin went over to the window and pushed it open, and a fresh spring breeze hit him in the face. He smiled, taking a deep breath in through his nose and smelling the new flowers and the dew on grasses. A yellow butterfly fluttered past him, and his smile turned to a grin: yellow butterflies on the first day of spring were a sure sign that it would be a good season.

Moomin didn't notice the black butterfly flying a little way away... signifying much sorrow to come...

The first day of spring came and went with no sign of Snufkin, and Moomin went to bed sick with worry.

"Oh Moomintroll," the Snorkmaiden said a double of days later as Moomin pushed his food around his plate. "Snufkin has been late before. I'm sure it's fine."

Moomin didn't reply. Moominmamma patted his paw and asked quietly,

"Moomin dear, are you so worried because of what happened last winter?"

Everybody at the table winced. (Snufkin's invisibility was somewhat of a taboo in Moominhouse. If they were all honest with themselves, it was scary for them to think of probably the most stable person- except from Moominmamma- among them had been so... well, unstable.)

Moomin swallowed and nodded.

"He's never been this late," Moominpappa said, sounding worried.

"Do you think I should go and look for him?" Moomin asked, staring around at them all.

There was silence, and then Little My stood up on her chair and said loudly,

"Yes! And I'll come too."

-

I've got to get back to Moominvalley now, Snufkin thought desperately. If I don't set off immediately I might not make it.

The thought was terrifying, but Snufkin had to face facts:

Laying bare his arms and chest, Snufkin saw that the veins had spread. A lot.
They spiralled around his chest, emanating from the spot where the Groke had hit him last year. They had started pushing up towards his next, constricting his breathing, and they crept over his shoulders, all down his arms, right to his fingertips. They had spread down over his stomach and towards his groin.

The veins were pulsating like worms under his taught blue-white skin, sending waves of agony throughout his body. He felt brittle and frozen solid.
He could barely breath and his vision was blurring. He had to set off for Moominvalley now.

A/N- ya boi got a new phone biatches!! Finally I can type again, so expect some more regular updates! Hope you like this part and thanks for reading as always. (The art isn't mine) love you!!