The Groke

She could remember the day as if it were yesterday. The Groke sat in her cave, looking at the pearly pink seashell-shaped into a heart. She could still feel the warmth from the shell as if it were her own heart. Oh, how she has longed for something like this. To feel love, even if it was artificial.

She remembered she once had the king's ruby. Oh, how it glowed in many colors, how it brought warmth and excitement to her. But as she slept in her cave, it was stolen. She felt despair and knew she would stop at nothing to find it and that's when she met the Moomins.

When she saw Moominpapa with the gun, hear struck her, but she met the soft eyes of Moominmama. Moominmama didn't want to hurt her, and the Groke knew. Moominpapa was just there to protect his family, but she knew he wouldn't shoot her. So the fear slowly went away as she tried to tell the family that she wanted the king's ruby. She longed for the warmth again, but it seems they had no idea what she was talking about.

But she could feel it. She could feel the warmth from inside. She could feel the ruby pulsating in the house. But when she saw the Moomins wouldn't budge from their front door, she let off a frown and went off her way.

As she walked, anger bubbled in her chest and she gave a shout to them. Perhaps it was supposed threatening, but she also wanted to give a warning to them. 

"I'LL BE BACK!!!!"

She did come back, as she had promised, but when she saw Moominpapa, she recoiled back, only to hear a gentle voice from him and him showing his arms. He had no gun. Perhaps he wanted peace? The Groke saw te female Moomin go up to her with a black bag and opened it, offering the contents inside and showing each one.

The Groke suspected they would trade, so she searched, but nothing gave the warm tingles in her heart as the ruby did. That is... until she saw the shell.

The pink shell radiated love, more than the ruby. Moominmama held it up and Groke assumed she was giving it to her, so she took it. She didn't hear Moominmama's yelps of frostbite as the ice-coated the shell. Now it could forever be hers. Her one, precious treasure.

She walked off a new fulfillment in her heart and happiness on her face. Love settled into her chest as she held the shell close. Perhaps the Moomin family wasn't too bad after all. Besides, if they needed anything, she rests assured they would be there. But until then... she rests next to the shell, a smile on her face.