Newcomer, A Moomin Story

Newcomer 1

Dedicated to GeminiAmethyst

The early summer day was seemless: misty white clouds drifted lazily across the endless baby blue sky, insects hummed quietly, birds called happily to each other, and the softest of warm winds played tentatively across the grass, carrying the sweet perfume of all the beautiful wild flowers that grew in Moomin Valley.

A lone figure sat on the river bank stoking a small fire while the gentle breeze made the feather in his hat dance.

Snufkin had caught an impressive batch of fish. He was sat happily preparing a fire to cook them on when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, Snufkin!"

Looking up he saw Moomin and Snorkmaiden running over the grass towards him. Snufkin smiled.

"Hello you too!" He called, standing up to greet them.

"What are you doing, Snufkin?" Snorkmaiden asked when she and Moomin reached him.

"I'm getting a fire ready to cook my fish. Look at how many I caught!" Snufkin said excitedly, showing them the bundle of long shining silver fishes wrapped carefully in large dry leaves.

"Wow Snufkin," exclaimed Moomin. "What an awful lot of fish! Do you think you can eat them all?"

"Oh, no Moomin," Snufkin laughed. "I was thinking of bringing them up to Moominhouse this evening. Moominmamma and I can prepare a meal for everyone with them. What do you think about that?"

"Oh, would you Snufkin? That would be really excellent!" Moomin cried, and Snufkin beamed at him.

"The fire won't be ready for a while though," he said. "I need the glowing embers or the fish will only burn. And then it has to cook for a long time too."

"Why don't you come and play with us, Snufkin?" Snorkmaiden asked. "We were thinking of going to practice skimming stones, want to come?"

"Ooh, yes please!" Snufkin said. He loved skimming stones, and had gotten really quite good at it over the years. "I'm sure the fire will be fine if I leave it for a little while."

"Of course it will," Moomin reassured him- glad that Snufkin would come with them and didn't just want to be alone as he sometimes did. "Come on, Snufkin!"

They set off and had a marvellous time. They were gone for about thirty minutes, and when they made their way back to Snufkin's tent, they saw someone sitting beside it with their legs dangling in the water, close to the fire and fish.

"Who's that, Snufkin?" Moomin asked.

"I've no idea," Snufkin frowned, and then set off running towards his tent, Moomin and Snorkmaiden close behind him.

They stopped a few feet away from the newcomer. It was someone who looked almost exactly like Stinky, except his fur was a little lighter and he was a bit bigger. He must be the same species of creature as Stinky. They realised as they approached that he was chewing on Snufkin's fish, uncooked. The fire looked like it had had water tossed over it.

"Hey!" Said Snufkin, indignant. "That's my tent and my fish! What's going on? Who are you?"

The person got to his feet and grinned like a rat.

"I'm Shonker," he said in a nasal voice. "I'm just visiting a family member of mine, Stinky, here in Moomin Valley. I was just passing by when I saw this delicious fish... Carelessly abandoned, and I simply... Couldn't help myself."

His smile widened and became, if possible, even more unpleasant.

"That was very selfish; stealing Snufkin's fish!" Snorkmaiden told him reproachfully. "He worked very hard to catch all those and he was looking forward to cooking them himself and sharing them."

"Well look at you," Shonker sneered, leering at Snorkmaiden. "I bet you'd have liked some of that fish, eh? You're a bit of a porker, aren't you?"

Snorkmaiden's eyes filled with tears and she took a step back.

"...what?" She whispered.

Moomin came to her aid, furious and pink in the face.

"Hey!" He said loudly, as Snorkmaiden burst into tears. "You leave her alone and stop being so unkind!"

Shonker laughed nastily.

"You're a pathetic, fat little boy," he snarled at Moomin, who looked hurt. "And you can't tell me what to do. No one can."

"Come on now, that's enough," Snufkin said crossly, stepping between Shonker and Moomin, the latter of which looked close to tears himself and was now bright red. Moomin fell back and put his arm around Snorkmaiden.

Shonker looked Snufkin up and down with a very ugly look on his face.

"And who do you think you are, fish boy?" He snapped.

"My name is Snufkin, and I'm going to have to ask you to leave. This is my home and you're being very rude to my friends," Snufkin said firmly.

"Ah, Snufkin," Shonker murmured. "I've heard all about you... Stinky has told me how much of a terrible nuisance you are. I think we should change that, don't you?"

Snufkin's brow furrowed.

"I really think you ought to leave now," he said, and there was an uncharacteristic edge to his voice.

Shonker laughed.

"Leave?" He repeated. "Why should I do that? It's not like you're going to make me leave."

"If I have to, I will," Snufkin said quietly, taking a step forward.

"Oh, yeah?" Shonker stepped forward too, his eyes narrowed, and he sounded angry. "You need to learn your place. You don't know who you're dealing with, Snufkin. I've got very powerful connections. You don't want me as your enemy, trust me."

"I'm terrified," Snufkin said in a bored voice.

"You aren't afraid?" Shonker sneered.

"Do I look it?" Snufkin snapped impatiently. "You don't scare me, Shonker."

"Oh, but I should," Shonker whispered.

They glared at each other for a few seconds.

"Leave us alone," Snufkin said in barely more than a whisper, but it sent shivers down Moomin's spine to hear his best friend's voice sound so dangerous.

Shonker glowered.

"Fine. But trust me... This isn't the end. You're going to regret this very much, fish boy."

And he stalked away.

"What an awful creature," said Snufkin calmly, turning back to the other two. "Now don't you listen to a word he said, either of you," he added sternly. "He doesn't know a thing."

Snorkmaiden nodded miserably and Moomin said,

"You were excellent Snufkin, standing up to him like that. Are you worried about what he said?"

"Hah!" Snufkin chuckled. "No, not at all."

But he should have been.