Poppy never thought she would ever become aggressive one day in her life.

Even after years of growing up, she never felt that angry before. Trolls were sweet creatures, normally taught at the youngest age that violence was never a solution, that you could solve everything with sparkles and magic hugs. Even when things went wrong in her life, she never let herself choose to get mad, that was against her own values... But in this situation, seeing her companion, Branch, getting attack by those growling and howling wild vicious predators, she felt her blood boil; anger this time was the solution, no matter how wrong it felt, it seemed to be right thing to do in that moment; protect Branch was more important.

So ignoring the pain she felt in this leg of hers, the adrenaline itself block out the struggles, and Poppy let the anger give her enough strengths to fight. She gripped the tree branch below her, and pushed herself up on her two feet, before she jumped down from the tree. The pain was took by a cloud, floating away from of her body as if the wound she had was never there.

She ran, ran as fast as she ever ran in her whole existence.

Down the cliff, the pink troll could see the grossums fighting over who would finish the task and bite deeply, burried their fangs in Branch's throat to take away his breathe itself, his life that was so fragile, weaken by the fall he had just experienced. This debate was enough time for the soon to be queen of pop trolls to get down the hill and hit a group of grossums away with her pink hair as she got in front of the gray dying troll. The parfume of her blood excited the hungry creatures, and they fought back, thinking two snacks would be way much better than only one.

Unfortunately for them, Poppy was angry. No, screw that- she was in rage. They did dared to use their claws on Branch's body, try torn it apart, try take her friend from her... She wouldn't, and couldn't let this kind of actions happen. Never would she allow, as his only friend, anyone to hurt Branch, neither physically or mentally.

Her hair seemed to come like a hammer on a first pack of hungry grossums, sending them like rocks against the trunk of a tree. They squealed in pain, some others let out whimpers, in fear, they ran away, their tail between their back paws; even hurt this pink troll was a threat for them. Grossums liked easy tasks, eat already what was weaken by their friend nature, and Poppy was not the kind to let a friend alone. They wouldn't take Branch away!

She let out a scream when a last grossum jumped on her back, pulling on her hair. She struggled around for few minutes, and finally punched it in the face, sending it on the ground. The creature hissed and ran away.

The clearing was calm again, some birds returning to land in the trees and bushes around it. Poppy caught her breath, once the shock passed she turned around to see the gray troll with his side stretched out on the rock.

- BRANCH!

She threw herself on her knees at his side, her hands trembling hesitant to touch the gray troll covered in his own blood. She saw his blue pearls shining under the line of blood flowing along his eyelid before he closed his eyes, his breathe messy and difficult. He fell uncouncious.

- Branch, stay with me!! BRANCH!!

She finally forced herself to shook him but it was too late; He was already unaware of those around him, uncousious. Poppy began to sob silently, panicked; he wasn't going to die, was he? No no, this couldn't happend... What would she do without him by her side? She could never forgive herself for the death of one of her friends if she did nothing to help him... She had to take care of Branch, bandage his wounds, just as he had done for her yesterday. She let herself fall against his toned and hurt chest, hugging him tightly, trying calm down as she listened to his heart; it was beating. He was still alive.

She had to protect Branch.

Branch was safe with Poppy.

He was going to be.

What would Branch do in this situation?

The question was hard to proceed, it was the first time in her life that she believed that the only way out of a situation was to think and act like Branch would... The other trolls would probably have shouted at the top of their lungs this song they had created 'Don't listen to Branch' that she had used to persuade them that there was no monster in the techno lagoon.. She regretted, Branch pouted in his bunker for weeks and she had to help him do tasks in the bunker for him to forgive her, and agree that 9+10 = 21... Somehow, she didnt know why this was so important to him.

The more she thought of this question, the more her head felt heavy with informations, and she leaned her head on his chest, taking in his scent; horrible choice, she hated the blood covering it. How make the right decisions ? She wasn't a survivalist like he was! She would probably kill him with anything she would do.

- P-Please wake up Branch... She whimpered, trying shook him, we need to get home - - snif--remember? Y-You will be able get to hospital w-with me and-- snif-- we gonna get better... And you will go back to hating me, right? Please just wake up....

No respounse... But there it was she knew what was the answer she was looking for; Fine! She had to do the job; she would take care of his grumpy ass and carry him to a shelter... Yeah! Feel angry all the time like Branch! Be serious and dorky like Branch! Act like Branch and you will find the solutions! She wouldn't let him go.

She got up, no hugs... Branch wouldn't hug. He hated hugs and she would hurt him more his side if she did. She looked around her, forgetting her leg, at least protected very well by her bandage, she decided the best thing to do was to take him on her back and walk by herself. She couldn't pull him on the ground; the zone was covered with little rocks here and she would avoid torn his shorts more than they already were.

So she went to him and pulled on his arm; he whimpered in pain slightly.

- No, you stay strong! She told him firmly, serious, I'm taking you to a shelter... What shelter though ? She thought to herself out loud.

She had no idea where this morning's one was and had no desire to go back on their steps, the progress they had made together towards their sweet home, Trollstopia ! This would just be a longer time to spend in this forest and its dangers, which wasn't needed ! They had to go foward and not go back, Branch would think this, she was certain of this.

The most logical and effective option would therefore be to continue to move forward, and hope to find shelter in this huge, scary and unknown forest...

... She had to carry Branch.

She realized it with a certain grimace of pain at this thought; Branch was not light, his body was, in addition to being unconscious and covered in blood, larger, bigger, stronger caused by the exercises he did every day of his miserable life... He was a big boy in short words, a full grown up man ! For her more tiny body, mostly build to use logic than streghts, it would a challenge.

Though she was strong, she had muscles too, she wasn't build like the male troll but she could take even more on her shoulders if she had to!

She squatted in front of him, her back facing him. She pulled him on her back with her pink strong hair wrapped around his waist and bleeding toned chest. His gray cheek pressed on her shoulder this time, he looked a bit like a puppy, hurt and at the mercy of cruel nature. She lifted him, taking grip of his thighs to hold him on her body and try stand up. His weight carried her to the ground like the weight of his own agony... She cried out in pain and passed close to fail, crash on the ground with the suffering that went through her open leg... but she hold on. She would take his pain, they would go through this together, as a team.

With a cry of effort she managed to stand up; now that she had a good posture, Branch was feeling less heavy, even if his weight was still a challenge for her to carry. She felt the blood flowing, soaking the back of her blue dress, from his larger form without any signs of life except a messy breath and whimpers of pain.

- I-I got you, I got you! The pink troll cried out, Don't worry, Branch, I will get us to a safe place...

She was surprised how fast she began to walk, carrying her friend on her back. Thanks to several years talking about exercises with Smidge, a little yellow troll passionate about sports and work out, she knew that she had to pay close attention to her posture; injuring her back would serve her nothing but more problems. One feet in front of the other, she moved foward; her injured leg hurted like if a grossum was biting into it at every step... She started to cry, tears on the corner of her eyes; the pink troll was feeling her companion weight crush her to the ground more of more. They couldn't stop now!! She had to find a shelter! But she felt so exhausted, so weak. What kind of friend was she?? She couldn't even carry him due to how tired, and injured she was!

She fell to her scratched knees in a clear area of the forest, some bushes around her were hiding the few trees bases. She panted hard, sweat running down her forehead. Branch whimpered in pain at the uncomfortable position he was in now, she tried to help him stand in a better pose;

- I-I'm so sorry Branch I... I want to help but I-I can't...

She sniffed and used the back of her hand to chase her tears, trying to have a clear vision of her surrondings. Still bushes and trees, when would it end? When would she see a made of soft hair pod?

And it's when she got her idea.

She could MAKE a shelter! Build it with the materials nature had give her! Positive was indeed a solution here; nature wasn't only bad right now! She laughed in relief, she could help Branch !

The princess of pop troll then pulled Branch against a fuzzy felt rock, and started to grab sticks and leaves around the zone, looking at the gray silence troll every time she could in worry. She spotted two little trees, managing to place a long, solid branch between the two; placing long branches against the one supporting them, she soon had the base of a shelter she covered with dirt and leaves to block the cold rain or strong wind. It had fell many times but after many tries she managed to pull Branch under it.

- Fire... I need a fire... she murmured to herself, she let him hopefully get enough streghts to open his eyes.

<< ~ × ~ >>

The fog was comforting, but not his bed.

Why was it wet ? He hadn't pee himself for god sake, the last time it happened was when he was freaking three years old !! No no... It smelled like metal, a smell similar to the scent coming from the mouth of a predator who had just eaten a snack. Branch could feel not only the disgust of this uncomfortable position, but also the pain that ran through his chest as if he was being eaten alive... Was it claws he could feel there ?

He opened his eyes with a gasp for air, feeling his chest tighten painfully on his own body. He was forced to slow down his breathing as he observed his surroundings by himself. No predators, on the other hand there were branches and leaves above his head, forming a roof. If he looked in the other direction, a fire burned with vivid joy on a pile of twigs consumed by its crazy desire for destruction, under a dark blue sky dotted with sparkling stars.

His short breath calmed down, he remained silent, he remembered pains and the cries of agony as the fangs of the grossums pierced his flesh; but he was alive, how was it even possible ? Did a troll happen to find them ?

Maybe he came back to save them ?

No no... He was completely crazy... he was gone there was no chance H-

- Branch ? Branch you're up !

'Up' was a big word for so few letters; he was lying down in a bed of leaves covered with his own fresh blood. To his surprise, the one who had spoken, Poppy, approached him. He then noticed that she had brought clay, a poultice ... and even honey !

Well the pink troll had remembered how to make a natural bandage... Guess Branch was a good teacher, was he?

- Where did you find... his voice sounded like a thunder in his eardrums, he grumbled: ow.

- Shh shhh, let me take care of your wounds, Poppy forced him to sit down.

Wound? Was he hurt? Oh yeah, it explained the blood, the smell of metal and the pain that had taken up residence throughout his weakened self; the slightest movement was like being stabbed in the ribs.

... Was there really an object sinking into his right lung though ?

... but no, she must not know that he was hurt !

Hurt meant weak, hurt meant unable to protect her, hurt meant less hope of seeing Trollstopia again. Hurting meant that he had been touched, that he was vulnerable. That he was a failure.

So the silence troll protested, refusing to let the pink troll break his stone shell around his hurted heart, she had already seen enough !

- N-No I am n-

But he stopped; she pulled on his leaf jacket to take it off, stroking his shoulder in the process. He made a slight whimper, confused; What? Right now? He would like to but he was rather tired for this kind of activi-

- Branch ?? Branch answer me !

He came out of the fog again, meeting the gaze of this angel in front of him. The light of the fire reflected in her strong fighter eyes... wow, she's hot.

- H-huh ? His tongue felt heavy and dry.

- I said... If you're not hurt, explain that to me!

That ? He looked at the place she was pointing to him; Indeed claw marks covered his chest, blood flowed from the wounds, black and red reflections under the lights of the campfire flames, it looked like a horrible Trolloween makeup, but it was all real. One of the largest had opened his left hip in not so deep slices of a few millimeters. The other big wound started at the level of his right shoulder, and went down to his stomach.

But the most serious injury was not his cuts.

Poppy hadn't noticed.

It was necessary to hide it, not to show that he was weak, that he was a failure.

- Oh, he was beginning to regain consciousness with the reality that was coming back to him in the face, it's nothing...

- Nothing ?? Poppy raised her voice a little, Branch, you were unconscious for four hours !! She threw both her arms over her head, exasperated by his stubborn attitude.

Under Poppy's gaze, Branch tried to get up on his own;

- I will clean them, he frowned, whimpering in pain

- Oh no, no way, you rest, I'll take care of it!

With fear, he pushed her away, refusing to let her clean up and bandage his wounds. Under no circumstances should she have noticed the most serious thing. He had to take her back to Trollstopia, who needed him anyway? She could do it, but if she noticed it she would want to stay with him and she would never be able get home ! He knew it well, he was sure of it and he was not going to let this happen! He could walk. Yeah, he would walk.

Of course his injury would get worse.

No big deal, he would stay longer in the hospital.

His breathing would not be an advantage.

No big deal, the path will be a little longer.

Yeah, no big deal.

He would do everything to save her, if hiding his pain was the only solution, yeah, he would walk.

-... I-I'll do it ! He insisted, leaning on his intact arm to lift himself up.

His chest made him gag, she approached with the honey, trying to open the wound slightly to pour the honey into it, which hurted like damn hell;

- No ! You relax !

She tried to apply the honey in the fresh wound but Branch cleverly blocked her, with a controlled rolling elbow gesture, she didn't know how but she fell back on her buttocks with a complaint;

- I'LL DO IT ! Branch screamed out at the pink troll, in rage, not realizing he had hurt her leg a bit.

She hissed;

- Branch you can't ! You are hurt ! She frowned too, getting back up.

She pressed pressure on his intact shoulder, using her legs to block his between her knees. In this way he was unable to move, but he continued to struggle fiercely with determination. The two trolls continued to fight until the moment when shouting loudly was no longer refused in this dangerous and open zone of the forest;

- I CAN DO IT !! JUST GIVE ME THE FUCKING HON-

- YOU CANNOT DO IT, BRANCH, GOD DAMMIT, LISTEN TO ME AND STOP BEING SO FUCKING STUBBORN !

Poppy covered her mouth with both of her hands, also surprised by what she had just said. Branch stared at her with round, wide eyes. Poppy just cursed, it was a surprise that had managed to silence her as much as him.

It took a while, but Poppy finally spoke first, ashamed. Branch continued to look at her with a stupid fish face;

- Excuse me, I didn't meant to- oh my gosh, what kind of princess am I- She muttered, ashamed.

Branch stayed silent a bit more.

- I-... I want to help you Branch... But you keep refuse to let me in...

He realized he had really hurted her, badly, by trying to protect himself from his own shame... Yeah, he was really the worst, fearful asshole. He was a jerk, she had big, shiny and teary eyes now cause of him.

- Just- be careful, Poppy's ears straightened slightly.

He painfully lifted his left arm, showing his injured chest. Poppy's ears straightened slightly;

- Really ? She whispered with hope.

- You do the left side, I d-do the right side.

Fair.

These were the last words that were spoken before Poppy silently set to task. Except for some complaints from the silence troll, the night was calm, a slight breeze blew between the leaves of the shelter that kept them warm near the fire.

Branch's blue eyes were fixed on the dancing flames as his companion tore off part of her dress to apply it like a bandage on the big wound of his hip, wrapping it around his waist and blocking it all with his brown shorts. She would have cleaned more but did not dare to lower his shorts to reach the rest of the wound which, she had noticed, had reached the top of his buttock. The grossums did really throw themselves on him like a crazy hungry pack.

As she took care of a cut close to his pecs, just below them, she noticed something strange; Was he holding his breath?

A muffling noise justified another theory; a song. The fuzz-odils were doing their cursed magic once again.

- Branch....

But she hesitated when she saw what she thought was a tear on his cheek. Of course, again, he didn't want to sing.

Yet, this time if she chooses that she would help him accept the song.

- Branch... Let it out.

- I-I can't-

- Trust me, you can't keep it in... It needs to get out, you hear me?

She gently touched his chin, eyes met eyes.

- It's okay to let it rain... You are safe, trust me... Just trust me.

He looked away, unsure, but he was already betraying himself; broken melody came to his throat, tearing his soul apart without caring about his heart trying to fight back, to stay hidden from his own feelings and emotions;

Little do you know
How I'm breakin' while you fall asleep
Little do you know
I'm still haunted by the memories
Little do you know
I'm tryin' to pick myself up piece by piece
Little do you know
I need a little more time

Underneath it all I'm held captive by the hole inside
I've been holding back for the fear that you might change your mind
I'm ready to forgive me, but forgettin' is a harder fight
Little do you know
I need a little more time...

He did needed more time, taking step by step into accepting to let someone in after all theses years... What happened to him before she met him?... What broke him so much, what memories haunted him so much? She wouldn't know now, and it was fine.

She would wait.

I'll wait, I'll wait!
I love you like you've never felt the pain
I'll wait
I promise you don't have to be afraid
I'll wait
Love is here and here to stay
So lay your head on me

She slowly pushed his head down on her shoulder, hesitating before start to gently caress his hair. He got tense, so she decided to let him in...

Little do you know
I know you're hurt while I'm sound asleep
Little do you know
All my mistakes too are slowly drownin' me
Little do you know
I'm tryin' to make it better piece by piece
Little do you know I...
I love you 'til the sun dies...

With Poppy singing, Branch relaxed, and he felt his chest hurt when he heard his voice join hers. Not cause he didn't want to sing with her...

Oh wait, just wait
I love you like I've never felt the pain
Just wait
I love you like I've never been afraid
Just wait
Our love is here, and here to stay
So lay your head on me

... But because it hurted so bad to hear his own emotions, his own voice. Poppy noticed, as if she had read him mind, and he got shocked by what she did.

She placed her hand on his ear, covering it and next was a challenge of who could sing louder, she was covering not only his ears, but his voice so he wouldnt hear himself.

I'll wait (I'll wait! ), I'll wait!! (I'll wait!!!)
I love you like you've never felt the pain! ~
I'll wait (I'll wait!)
I promise you don't have to be afraid...
I'll wait!
Love is here, and here to stay..
So lay your head on me~

Lay your head on me~
So lay your head on me~

'Cause little do you know I...
I love you 'til the sun dies...

Poppy whispered the last lyrics, hearing Branch's breath got normal again. She slowly went off to sleep, she was laying against him. They just formed a new connection, and she was happy to get in more. Branch had to admit he was slightly happy too she did.

But Branch also took grip on his right side while she was aslerp and hissed a bit in pain.

You guessed what was wrong, what he didn't told her, right ?

He had a broken rib.