Chapter 1: Little Bert
A yawn filled the silent air, a stretch creeks his strawman body, and finally he stood up. "New day! Pumi wake, Pumi go!" eager as the morning light shone, Pumi ran as fast as he could, as short as his legs may allow his step by step. He ran through a forest he knew little about. Questions often came by him: Where did he come from? What should he do? How does he know the things he do? And why doesn't he remember anything else? Many questions unanswered and unheard, but one thing Pumi did know was his love for adventure. Exploring the forest, meeting new friends. He ran on and on, until he finally found something. "A house? A home? it is there where I should roam!" Pumi paced forward onto that lonesome building. Broken windows and cobwebbed corners was all that he saw, a soft gust of wind flew through the room. Pumi wiggled his straw fingers and blinked twice at what he saw. "A doll!" he shouted, he picked up a doll of what looked like a boy, a rope around his head. "Little Bert.. a friend.. I remember!" he happily tied the rope through a hole in his tattered orange robes and bound him to his neckline. Dangling in front of him. Pumi smiled and poked it, then blinked and thought "Oh I now remember, yes I do! I hid my friends in secret glooms!

Chapter 2: The Bat Prince
"I remember, oh yes I do! He's in a cave not far from home!" Pumi quickly ran outside, his strawman body magically moving forward, not getting tired even for a moment. He ran and ran, some birds he passed, they flew along and for a while. But then he stumbled upon the ground, by a flute stuck and sturdy bound. He stood right up and grabbed the handle, he pulled and loose it came. "A flute, my flute! I could say, A walking tune is what I'll play!" and so he did. Birds were chirping with his tune, he did not stop, it was only noon! The ground was wet, but the sky was bright, not a cloud to be seen. Finally he reached the place he searched today, the cave. He remembered all of a sudden. "I used to play here! As a boy.. but.. I am not the same, a pumpkin head now is what I am. Oh well, I go inside! My friend the bat awaits." and so he did, deep inside he walked for a while, until he found him exactly where he knew he'd left him. He grabbed the vampire doll and bound him right next to Little Bert, he smiled happily and cheered. "Hooray!" He shouted. But only then did he found out, that there was a body against the wall. Pumi wasn't scared, it's dark blood dried and stale. A stake through his heart it was obvious to tell, that a real vampire was slain where he fell. "Fell... the well! My friend who has the bells!"

Chapter 3: The Jingleman
"The well in the forest! Back I must go, to the place where he dwells!" and so he ran once more back to his home. On his way he was met by some bones, wandering dead who's flesh had begone. He spoke as he was taught "Good day sirs and well met!" the skeletons looked at each other, then at the pumpkin boy. They were clad in armor and one spoke for them all. "Eh, well met little.... thing.." Pumi laughed in his childish way. "I am a Pumpkin boy 'tis what I am. You seem like fun friends, may I play you a tune?" Once more the skeletons looked each other over before another one answered "Eh, sure kid... why not." and so he did. He played a nice tune, a soothing sound of peace and harmony. The skeletons looked at him and couldn't help but sit back, the souls that stirred them delighted with his play. He played for long, half an hour at least, but then he realized the journey that led him to this deed. "I must go, farewell my friends! Your bones are bright and strong for days!" the skeletons waved and Pumi ran, once more for a while he paced his legs. And there he came where he knew he'd found, the jester that he wanted bound. But then he glanced down into the well, and remembered a thing in his mind that dwelled "My mother fell... a deadly fall... her grave is near, I should recall..."

Chapter 4: My Mother dearest
Along the way, the sun hung low, the afternoon was starting to show. A tune he played, he did once more, but sad in tone the sound would fade. Pumi's mood was down and depressed, a tale he knew kept him unrest. "If only rain had fallen that night, it would have kept her from falling down high." He crossed a road along his journey and found the place where stones were buried, names of many, tales of old, these graves were many, deep and old. But on one grave a flower remained, a token of love, of memory, of pain. He knew it was hers, his straws shivered, and he fell silent. He noticed another doll, one he remembered made. Of flesh and bone his hands were then shaped. Yet not a tear could drop from his pumpkin head, but to his mouth his flute still went. He played a tune, 'twas sad indeed, a beautiful reminder of his heart filled sweet. A ghost emerged, a weeping mom, she cried and held her son in arms. Finally his pumpkin head was allowed to shed, a stream of droplets fell down his head. His voice cracked. "I love you mom.." "I know... I know.." she said. "I'm glad for you, my little man, though your body is different your soul is the same. Now take my doll, and keep it with, and remember me always wherever you sit. My love is with you always.. my sweet boy." and with that, she handed him the doll and slowly faded. "My mother dearest.." he bound his mother's doll to his neckline, four dolls now hung from his neck. His flute he kept for a moment in his hand. "It's getting late, the night is soon, may you rest in peace, so I shall too."

Chapter 5: The Man who is a Beast
On his way home Pumi kept silent, there were many images that flooded his mind. A life he lived, a life that passed, a life that sparked and wakened his eyes. "There is one man that's still alive, my father the beast! He left me behind!" he quickly jumped and started running, the darkness spread and night was blooming. He knew where his father must now be, it was a new home, a fresh new place. His father had built them a lovely ceiling! And there it was, the light is on.. but the door was broken, bodies all around. There were claw marks deep and bodies torn. And when he entered he cried in alarm. "Father!" he ran inside, his father was down, a blade in his chest. Made of silver it was deep in the flesh. When Pumi touched it his hand went numb. In panicked voice he clambered on. "Father, no! Please don't go!" to which the father boldly spoke. "Pumi, my son... you're alive! ehg-:" he winched and coughed. "The magic had worked, your soul was reborn!" he coughed some more, his hand on the silver blade. "This sword is all that keeps me from going... my son.." he coughed even more, blood dripping down his chin. "You must survive, and be who you've always been.. my kind gentle boy.." Pumi's Pumpkin head once more gave way to tears, he hugged his dad and kept him dear. "I love you dad... but please don't leave me.. become a pumpkin dad for me.." his father smirked and patted his son's Pumpkin head. "it's too late, without magic I will leave.. my soul will depart. But worry not my child, I will be with mother, and we will always be with you. In your dreams, your memories... and most importantly with the lessons we've taught you. Now.. play for me that tune one more time... send me off with your love.. then flee this house and find good friends..." Pumi was saddened, he did not want to let him go, but in the end there was nothing else but to grant his final wish. He grabbed his flute and played, to which his father sang. "Oh merry men and women sweet" he coughed for a moment. "My mother told me she had a dream... a world where people saw a friend... in beings that had different heads..." He winched once more, his voice faded slowly. "of Orcs and Kobolds, of Goblin gents, to Dwarves and Halflings and even Ants.. and my mother oh yes, she went ahead.. she was... she.. was... a..." his final words uttered out, Pumi's tears streamed down and down as he finished the song. "An Elven friend." Pumi cried for a long while and looked around for a moment. And then he found it, an unfinished doll. He grabbed the tools and materials too, he was determined to finish it. And when finally he was done, the doll was made a Beastman of joy. He then tied it to his neckline, told his father one last goodbye, and then walked out... into that dark night.