Family Reunion

Storm

     "I don't think I've ever met a traveler who can cook as well as you, my boy. That was delicious." Joxter picked at his teeth with a fish bone, smiling. Snufkin smiled, the compliment genuinely made him blush.

     "Thanks for catching the fish. That was...really fun." Snufkin added another branch to the fire they were sitting at. "I've never seen somebody catch fish like that."

     "I'll have to teach you sometime, then." Joxter winked, tossing the fishbone to the side. "The only downside is getting all wet. My clothes are still damp!" He had taken his shirt off to dry by the fire, but he kept his other wet garments on. His coat, hat, scarf and boots were set aside by Snufkin's tent. "Only way to avoid dealing with that is to do it naked."

     "You say that like you've done it before." Snufkin joked.

    "You say that like you're surprised I would do something like that." Joxter replied. Snufkin was silent, but brought a paw to his face and shook his head. Joxter laughed aloud. "Well on a different note, I haven't had a dinner that large in a while, I'm so full that I feel drowsy. I think it's time for your old man to hit the hay." Joxter stood up and stretched.

     "Are you sure you won't catch cold in those clothes? Maybe you should sit by the fire a bit longer." Snufkin looked up at the trees. "Not to mention you're going to be sleeping all the way up there. I have a blanket you can use. And I'm telling you, it's most likely going to rain."

     "Thank you for the offer, but I will be perfectly fine." Joxter unsheathed his claws, and began making his way up the tree. Once he found a branch he could lay on, he sat down and swung his feet over the side. He called out to Snufkin. "Goodnight, son."

     Snufkin shook his head, but with a smile on his face. "Night, papa." The mumrik crawled into his tent. He unbuttoned his coat and balled it up on the ground. He laid his head down on it as a pillow, and got comfortable under his blanket. But he didn't fall asleep. Instead, he began to worry.

What if dad loses his balance and falls from the tree?

What if those trolls from the marketplace find us?

What if the branch his dad is sleeping on snaps?

What if—

     His thoughts were cut off suddenly by the rumble of thunder outside. Not even five seconds later, he heard the pitter-patter of raindrops on surface of the tent.
Well, I was right. It's raining. Dad will probably—

     "Hey Snufkin...?" He heard a voice outside right on cue. It was Joxter. "So um...yeah. It's raining. Just like you said it would. So um..." He sounded so defeated, and almost embarrassed to ask for help.

     Snufkin sat up and opened up the flap of his tent. Joxter crawled in, bringing inside his clothes and well so they wouldn't get wet.

     "Thanks..." Joxter sat down, his tail tucked away almost shamefully. "It wouldn't be my first time sleeping in the rain, but I'd like to avoid it." He sighed. "So...where do you plan on going tomorrow?"

"Well...spring is right around the corner. I always go back to Moominvalley for the first day of spring. But before that...I want to see mother again."

"...ah, I see. I...was thinking about seeing her again too. I owe it to her after disappearing for all those years..." Joxter laid down on his stomach on the opposite side of the tent from Snufkin, his paws tucked under his chin like a cat. "I know you prefer to travel alone...but do you think I could travel back to Moominvalley with you, Snufkin? I really want to spend more time with you, and now that I finally reunited with you... I don't think I'll be able to part ways so soon. I've finally met my son again, and I don't want to say goodbye anytime soon." His big blue eyes shot over to Snufkin, a small melancholic smile on his face. Snufkin thought for a moment, before smiling.

"Like you said, I often travel alone...but I would like having you come along, papa." Snufkin hummed, pulling his harmonica from his bag nearby. "We can make up for lost time." They both shared a tender smile, and Snufkin began to play a soft tune on his harmonica. Joxter shifted comfortably in his positioned and listened. The rain outside seemed to come down heavier and heavier with every minute that passed. Snufkin pulled the harmonica from his mouth to listen.

"It's really coming down, huh?" Joxter asked. "I used to hate thunderstorms, but I've grown to like them."

"...dad?"

"Yes?"

"...what did you do to those trolls in the marketplace to make them so angry?"

Joxter was taken aback for a moment (the question caught him off guard). "W-well...I was running low on supplies and I was very low on money. So I stole a couple of things...more than once. But that's it really."

"They certainly seemed upset with you though, you must have done something to make them so mad besides steal from them a few times."

"Well... I kinda...sorta... accidentallyburnedoneoftheirmarketstandsdown." Joxter coughed.

"You what?!" Snufkin gasped.

"It was an accident, honest!" Joxter rolled over on his back. "One of those trolls was selling water canisters, and they were more than pricey. I tried to swipe one and he caught me. We got into a little...scuffle, and I knocked into a lantern on the counter. What I didn't know was that they were cleaning up a spill of lantern fuel. So the lantern hit the ground, made contact with the fuel on the ground and...you can guess what happened next. And in the end, I didn't even get the canister."

"...wow." Snufkin rolled his eyes. "Let's just hope they don't find us here." Joxter chuckled.

"We'll be fine, Snuf. Sleep tight, okay?"

"You too. Goodnight papa...
I love you."

Joxter was stunned to silence for a moment.
"I- I love you too, kiddo."

Joxter may or may not have fallen asleep that night with tears in his eyes.