Becoming More _ Snufkin X OC Tilly

Chapter 2 - Moominvalley

When the tall, blue house came into view, Tilly thought she might cry. She cried a lot since she had strong emotions and a heart too big to fit onto just a sleeve, but she couldn't help but have her vision blur from tears as she saw her journey end. She reached the porch and stooped down to unbuckle one snow shoe and cut off the other. She had tied it back on three times today after the strap broke, but she could hardly care about that now at the thought of a warm bath in a real tub. A little to excited, she pounded on the door much harder than she felt was polite. I really hope these people don't hibernate, she thought, bouncing from one foot to the other to get warm blood back into her chilled toes. She dared knock again, "Hello! Is anyone awake? My name is Tilly and I am a travelling doctor. I would like to rest as I am very cold. Hello?" No one responded to her shouting. Tilly tapped her foot. I shouldn't be rude, but even if they are hibernating they shouldn't mind letting me at least spend the night. She knocked once more. "Please let me in! I just need to sleep out of the cold for a night."

"Hello? Who is there?" The voice came from above. Tilly ran off the porch, sinking past her knees with each step, too excited to bother with the snow shoes. 

"Hello! I'm Tilly, I hope you're not hibernating. I don't want to bother you." There was a plump Moomintroll looking out of a window with a ladder attached. He did look like he had been sleeping. I am bothering you because I am not spending another night with iced over eyelashes. 

"Oh hi, I'm Moomin and this is Moomin house. We are hibernating, but if you need a place to stay I'm sure it would be okay with Mama if we made you a bed." 

"Really!" She couldn't believe her luck, "Thank you Moomin, I'm so tired from travelling in this weather."

"One moment, I'll come to the door!"

Tilly rushed back to the porch and beat the snow from her dress. She was colder than ever now, but she couldn't wait to be within the warmth of walls again. The door clicked and Moomin welcomed her in. 

"I hope you're hungry, I'll grab some jelly from the cellar and boil some tea. Mama makes the best tea, but we shouldn't be waking up for at least a couple weeks so I'll do it. How soon till spring anyways?" he chattered. 

"Hm? Oh," she said, snapping back to attention. Her eyes had been wandering the room, it looked so funny with white sheets covering all the furniture. "Oh it's the end of February now, spring comes end of March here, right?"

"Yes, and I'm so excited," the troll said rather cheerily. He seemed to be wide awake now. "I get to see my friend again, he doesn't hibernate. Here, try this." She had followed him to the kitchen by now and he had returned from a trap door with a jar and spoon. "Mama's jelly is the best, we have a guest who comes here just to have some." He smiled warmly at her and she returned it, happy to be greeted by such a kind host.

Tilly leaned against the counter and ate as she watched Moomin start the fire under the stove to boil her tea. "You're so sweet, Moomin, thank you for waking up to help me." He smiled again, his hands busy arranging the tinder. "Your friend, the one that doesn't hibernate, is he the only one?"

"Snufkin? Yeah he's usually the only one who doesn't sleep through winter. The Snork doesn't some years, but he goes for long trips or stays in his study working on his inventions."

"I see, and do you have doctors in Moominvalley, someone that can help those who stay awake if they get sick or hurt?"

Moomin shook his head, "Snufkin travels south all winter so no one needs to help him, and the Snork would just wake Mama if he was ill. She has a book from her grandma with great remedies!"

"Oh," Tilly said, looking down. 

"What's the matter?" Moomin asked. He looked so genuine, she couldn't help but feel glad she met him, even if she was finding out she was useless in Moominvalley. 

"Well, the thing is that I'm a traveling doctor of sorts. I'm a studied herbalist and I spend the winters travelling and helping people who need me." She put down the jar and paused,  "But I see that Moominvalley is quite alright without me. Too bad maps don't lend that sort of information." She stood up straight and put on a determined face, trying to hide her disappointment from her new friend. "After I rest for the night I'll need you to point me in the direction of the next village." She paused, "Preferably one that won't be a waste to travel to in these conditions."

"Oh but you must stay here," begged Moomin. "I'm sure that you're very tired and need more than one night to rest. When we all wake up I bet that Mama would find you very useful to help teach her more about herbs and medicine!"

Tilly relaxed a bit, stay here for the rest of winter? She wouldn't be much help to anyone if she stopped to rest, but the more she thought about it the more she liked the idea. She was tired, very tired. The snows had been heavier this year and she was much further North than usual. She even heard that the sea was close by, and she had never come this close to seeing it. Mountains usually provided the most remote villages, and the demands of living in those more rugged conditions meant more people had to stay awake to protect their homes from the huge drifts of snow. Neglecting that for more than a few days could collapse a cabin. "Alright, I'll stay here."

"You will? Yippie!" Moomin did a little dance for joy and grabbed Tilly by the hand. They laughed together and she smiled. She had a good feeling about this place. Moomin house would be her home for the next few months, so long as she could keep from boredom once Moomin went back to sleep.