Newcomer 2
That evening when Moomin and Snorkmaiden were each at home and Snufkin was tucked happily in his tent for the night, there was a rustling from near the riverbank. Snufkin grunted in his sleep and turned over on his thin mattress.
The rustling became louder and louder until about a dozen of Stinky-shaped beings, including Shonker, hopped out of the bushes and crept towards Snufkin's tent. They paused and looked back at Shonker, who nodded and said,
"That's the one- get him!"
___________________________________
Moomin had an undisturbed night, until he woke early with a horrible feeling in his stomach that something awful had happened.
He went downstairs and found Moominmamma preparing breakfast.
"Good morning Moomin," she said. "You're up early. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes Mamma," said Moomin as he sat down. "But... I can't shake this odd feeling that something's wrong."
"Oh, dear," said Moominmamma, setting mug of tea down in front of him. "You know Moomin, it probably has something to do with that relative of Stinky that you met yesterday. I always find that when I face confrontation I get a horrid feeling in my stomach."
"Yes..." said Moomin thoughtfully. "He was really awful to Snufkin. He threatened him."
"Threatened Snufkin?" Moominmamma frowned. "What do you mean?"
"He said we didn't know who we were dealing with, that we didn't want him as our enemy. He said that Snufkin ought to be afraid of him, and that he needed to learn his place. Snufkin was very brave."
"Oh, dear!" Moominmamma said anxiously. "Moomin, I think you'd better go and see if he's alright... That sounds like it may not have been an empty threat. Go on now, see if he wants to come for breakfast. I'm making pancakes."
"Okay," said Moomin, and he went to the front door. He opened it and walked across the veranda, then stopped dead in his tracks, staring at something at the foot of the steps leading up to Moominhouse.
Moomin screamed.
There, lying in the grass, was Snufkin. Only something was terribly wrong:
He wasn't moving. He lay as though he had passed out there and fallen at the foot of the steps. He didn't have his hat or his boots on, and from what Moomin could see there was blood on his face.
"Moominmamma!" Moomin cried as he dashed down the steps to Snufkin's side. "Come quick!"
Moominmamma came hurrying out from the scream.
"What's wrong, Moomin?"
"Its Snufkin!" Moomin sobbed, crouching down beside his best friend and staring at him as tears poured down his cheeks. Snufkin was very pale and his face looked like it was twisted up in pain.
Moominmamma raced down the steps and gasped as she saw Snufkin lying unconscious there.
"Oh my..." She whispered. "Oh, dear Snufkin..."
She reached down and placed a hand on Snufkin's shoulder.
"Snufkin," Moominmamma said quietly. "Snufkin, sweetie, can you hear me?" She gave him a very gentle shake. Snufkin remained silent and limp.
"Is he dead, Mamma?" Moomin choked, his voice breaking.
Moominmamma didn't reply at first, then she said urgently,
"Go and get Moominpappa."
Moomin gasped and sprinted back into the house, up the stairs and into his parents' room.
"Pappa!" He shouted, bursting in and rushing over to his father's bed and shaking roughly him awake. "Pappa, come quick!"
"What is it, Moomin?" Moominpappa grunted, opening his eyes and rubbing them.
"It's Snufkin," Moomin said, and when Moominpappa saw that Moomin had tears pouring from his eyes, he sat up in bed quickly and pulled the covers back.
"Is he okay?"
"He's hurt."
"Snufkin? Hurt?" He repeated, as though he never thought it possible, and he leaped out of bed and grabbed his hat.
Moomin nodded desperately.
"Badly?" Moominpappa inquired as he and Moomin ran down the stairs.
"I think so," Moomin said, his voice shaking.
"Oh dear," Moominpappa said worriedly. "Well, show me to him, my boy."
"Mamma's with him," Moomin said. "He's outside."
They joined Moominmamma and the motionless Snufkin outside. Moominpappa dropped to his knees beside the boy.
"Oh dear dear dear..." He said. "What happened to you, Snufkin?"
"We can worry about that later," said Moominmamma. "First we need to get him inside."
"But how?" Moomin asked.
"Well, I don't think carrying him is a very good idea," said Moominpappa. "We might hurt him even more, because we don't know exactly what's happened to him."
"We need a stretcher," Moominmamma said suddenly. "Moomin- run and get a blanket." Moomin nodded and raced off, returning a few moments later with the blanket from his bed.
He laid it down beside Snufkin on the ground.
"Now, everyone must be very gentle as we roll him onto the blanket," Moominmamma said clearly. "We could accidentally do more damage."
They all agreed and as softly as they could they rolled Snufkin onto the blanket. They turned him over so that he was lying on his back, and they could all see his face. Moomin gasped and started crying again, and Moominmamma put her arms around him, tears in her eyes too.
"Oh, our poor dear Snufkin..."
Snufkin's nose had been broken. He had two magnificent black eyes and there was blood running from his nose and mouth. His arm also looked oddly out of place, as though it was also broken or dislocated. His brown hair was untidy and his skin was exceptionally pale, his extremities tinged with whitish blue.
"He must have been out here all night," Moomin murmured.
"Okay," Moominpappa said bracingly, after a loud sniff. "Let's get him inside and warm him up."
They each took a corner of the blanket (Moominpappa took two) and the carefully carried Snufkin into the house.
"Where should we put him, Mamma?" Moomin asked.
"Here, on the sofa."
They gently laid Snufkin down on the sofa. This short journey had drained the unconscious boy of colour even further, and he was now stark white.
"I'll get the first aid kit," said Moomin. He darted from the room to fetch it and ran straight into Little My, who had apparently just got up.
"Watch where you're going you big clumsy thing!" She yelled.
"Little My!" Moomin bit his lip. How was he supposed to tell her about Snufkin?
"Where is everyone?" Asked Little My. "Am I really up so late?"
"No... Little My, something's happened," said Moomin, his eyes full of tears again.
"What is it?" Little My demanded.
"It's... Um..." Moomin choked on the words. Why was it so difficult to tell her?
Little My swelled like a bull frog, and shouted indignantly,
"You'd better tell me right now Moomin, or I swear-!"
"It's Snufkin."
They turned around to see Moominmamma coming in, looking strained and wan.
"What about him?" Asked Little My, but then she noticed the pained look on Moominmamma's face and saw the blood on her fingers, and she gasped. "What's happened? Is he okay?"
"No," said Moominmamma shortly. "But I think he will be. I need Granny's remedy book. Moomin, could you fetch it for me please? And some clean warm water, and a cloth."
"Yes Mamma," said Moomin, and he set off to collect the items she needed.
"Little My, you'd better come and see him," Moominmamma said gently.
Little My was speechless for probably the first time in her life as she followed Moominmamma into the living room. Moominpappa was sat before the boy, trying to prop him up carefully so as to remove his clothes and see the damage.
"Ah, My," he said, looking up. "Would you help me please?"
Little My walked towards Snufkin like she was in a trance.
"What's happened to him?" She asked quietly, looking scared, also probably for the first time in her life.
"We don't know," said Moominmamma.
Moomin came back in with his arms full of the things Moominmamma had asked for.
"Do you know what happened to Snufkin?" Little My demanded of him.
"I've got a good idea," said Moomin, grimly.
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