It was a dark and very stormy day at the troll tree. The sky was dark with thundering storm clouds, the thunder boomed loudly, lightning flashed and the rain came pouring down hard.   In grandma rosiepuff's pod, Grandma Rosiepuff, and her grandsons Spruce, John dory, clay, Floyd and Branch were in the bathroom, the brothers were huddled close together branch's small body shivered in fear. Floyd was holding Branch close to him. "It's ok Branch we are safe in here." He turned to his grandma, "We are safe in here right grandma?"  

Rosiepuff nodded. "Of course we are, I assure you we are perfectly safe from the storm."

Spruce gulped trying not to look scared, clay clung to spruce quietly counting each sound of thunder, John dory however didn't appear to be afraid.   Branch gasped in fear. "I feel the pod swaying in the wind. What if the pod falls from the tree and..."

"It's not going to fall Branch." John dory said interrupting branch. "Trust me .  This pod can withstand anything mother nature throws, I bet it could even survive a tornado."

Clay sighed "please don't tempt mother nature."  Suddenly there was a loud clap of thunder and clay, spruce, , Floyd and Branch yelped clinging to each other Branch began to cry loudly in terror. 

John dory looked a bit pale, but he held Branch rubbing his baby brother comfortingly.  "Shhhh, easy bitty b we are safe here and even if the storm could hurt any of you, I wouldn't let it."   Spruce shivered ,"that was loud."

Floyd was covering his ears as clay rubbed his back. "How can you be so brave John Dory?" he asked

"It comes with being the oldest brother." John dory said . Clay looked annoyed he wished the storm would just go away or that he was the eldest brother.  The lights suddenly flickered and in the flickering light there was a loud noise. John dory, and his brothers cried in terror. 

"We're falling!"Floyd screeched in terror John dory shook his head, biting his lip "No, it..it uh... I don't think we're falling if we were we'd bee feeling it, I can feel the pod swaying, Maybe it was a different branch that broke off from the wind."

Clay now wished he had a book with him right now.  

Branch sniffled "I wish I was brave like you John dory, afraid of nothing."

John dory looked at his brothers and sighed. "Guys I need to confess something. I am scared and I do get afraid, I just, I just try not to show it, I feel I need to be strong for you guys, if i'm scared it won't help you guys, as the oldest brother I need to look after you guys."

Clay and his brothers looked surprised. "How do you even hide your fear?" clay asks.

"It's not easy, but I manage. i'd rather not talk about it." John dory said looking away. "I'd rather you guys see me as a fearless leader."

Clay hugged his brother.  He looked at his brother in pure respect.  John dory climbed into the tub next to his brothers and held them close to him, he closed his eyes his hair wrapping around them protectively.  And despite the storm, clay, spruce, floyd and Branch felt their fear vanish , replaced with the feeling of having an oldest brother put their fears before his own.

It felt like an eternity  before John dory's hair retracted. "Hey I think the storm ended." he said.

Floyd listened and gasped  there was silence, the rain wasn't falling, the thunder wasn't booming "the storm is gone!" he cried he grabbed Branch carrying his baby brother outside. grandma rosiepuff watched as her grandsons left the bathroom she smiled at John dory. "I'm very proud of you John dory."

John dory smiled. "I'll always be there for my brothers." he said. "No matter how scary the storm or how tough life gets." He smiled looking as his brothers went outside. "I promise." he said although it was mostly to himself