Clay eventually came home finding John Dory sweeping the floor while Branch was still upstairs sleeping. Clay dropped his book bag at the coffee table looking around the aftermath of the chaos. Awkward silence followed them when the two brothers' gazes crossed paths and locked. Heavy glint of sorrow surfaced through John's eyes while a smile of false joy tried to mask his true emotions.

Clay probably didn't know. Of course he wouldn't know. He wasn't here when Grandma was taken. He was at his new school. At only college Pop Village had for a tour so he would know where all his classes were. He should know. He had the right to know and John stood by that thought but, how? Telling someone that your grandma got taken wasn't easy to deliver. John was still crushed from seeing it happen before his eyes.

" Hey..." Clay scratched his arm.

" Hey..." John nodded his head. " How was the tour?"

" It was okay. I know where everything is now. " Clay forced his smile too. " I already picked my classes. Aiming for CPA."

" Oh that's great. Do that. " John encouraged awkwardly.

" Thanks." Clay paused. " I heard Chef came back. Viva told me... Where's Branch? Grandma?"

John's whole face dropped once Clay was done beating around the bush. Worry deepened in his tone when he finally brought up the Bergen Chef. Panic invaded it's way out too when asking about Grandma and Branch despite Clay being so calm. His hands would fidget nervously with his sweater as if seeking some type of action to de-stress. John was unable to tear himself away from Clay's eyes twitching and darted around a little become intensely more aware of their surroundings.

" Branch is upstairs. He's sleeping. " John set the broom aside.

Clay sighed with relief. " Good! I mean- nevermind. And grandma?"

John froze causing Clay to grow anxious again. Drifting away into his mind searching for how he was going to break the news,John stared in no specific direction. His eyes became dead followed his pursed lips. Clay fidgeted with his clothes even more trying to smooth out non-existent wrinkles. His heart pounded in his chest sounding like drums to his ears. Gritting his round teeth the younger man stepped forward to poke his older brother.

" John? John. John! Snap out of it! " Clay shook John Dory's shoulders. "You're scaring me."

" GRANDMA GONE!" John exclaimed by mistake.

" What?!" Clay stopped shaking John horrified. " You - Grandma- no..."

John sighed then hugged Clay. " She's gone... Chef took her. I saw... everything... I wanted to save her but, she pushed me and Branch away as far as she could. She hair toss pushed us. I'm sorry..."

Tears threatened to escape John once more but, they didn't fail to break through Clay. Wrapping his arms around the other making the hug no more one sided,Clay clutched on tight with a flood of emotions. Entering an stage of both denial and bargaining Clay's voice cracked. John could hear shock, disbelief, sadness and anger all at once. That only motivated him to hug tighter.

" No. No. No. no. Why did she- She can't be-" Clay cried.

" I tried to talk her out of it but... She sacrificed herself. It could had been me. It could had been Branch. She made sure it was her." John whispered.

" Grandma got eaten..."

Clay felt his body give way from under him but, John stopped him from falling. In fact he held Clay up keeping the taller troll up right. Sensing his brother truly needed to sit down John slowly lowered both of them to the floor. He tried to let go of Clay to give him some more breathing space but, the younger and still crying man refused to let go.

" Please don't..." Was all Clay could mutter.

" I won't let go." John reassured.

A month later, the night was silent where John, Clay and Branch stood. Viva stepped forward helping them light candles at the small memorial they set up in the spot Rosiepuff was taken from. There was a wooden table with Fuzzbells, Forget-Me-Nots,Lillies,Roses and candles surrounding a picture of Rosiepuff. Her favourite deck of cards, empty bowl and everyday green lipstick near the photo too. All four trolls wore only black as another sign of mourning.

The whole of village knew about Rosiepuff being taken. A handful were taken outside of her but, Rosiepuff being the village's backup child care changed how the village operated. No more did trolls stop by. Working had slowed down while the unaddressed demand for caretakers increased. Not just that. Rosiepuff was the last of her generation. None of the other elders,who weren't even old enough be considered ones, had her experience or understood the complexities of thinking beyond their current time. So much changed and not for the better.

Viva pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket. On it was all the many things she wished she could have said to Rosie before her passing and lastly her good bye. While these words never got to be spoken they still had a strong hold on her heart. John and Clay took out their own versions of the Goodbye letters. Branch brought out his drawing he made as a gift to add to the memorial.

Choosing to keep the heavy silence Viva, Clay and John folded their farewell letters. John was the first to bring his letter to the flame of one of the candles then dropped it into the empty bowl. The paper caught on fire burning pure emotions,regrets,love and well wishes. Clay followed John's example and so did the princess. All three letters burnt slowly into ash. This was their way of sending goodbyes to their beloved grandmother in the afterlife. It didn't matter whether it made sense or not.

Little Branch gently pulled on John's pants causing him to look down. The older troll frowned as the four year old handed him his folded drawing. The little one was too young to understand what they were doing or why it was important but, that didn't make Branch any less of person mourning their lost relative. Grief looked different in everyone and in different ages. Unfolding the drawing of their whole family John gave an extra long look.

The crayon art had him,Branch,Clay, Spruce,Floyd, Grandma and even Princess Viva and Princess Poppy surprisingly. They all stood together behind a table and what John assumed was a card game. Or maybe it was a puzzle. It was hard to tell.  Not having the heart to burn the family portrait John put it up against the roses lean on. Seeing the art being up as part of the memorial brought a smile to the little guy's face as Dory picked him up.

Then Clay brought out the lantern ready to fulfill a wish from their grandmother's will. She had asked for them to release a lantern into the sky if she died before escaping the Troll Tree. She had released a lantern to the stars when her husband, Thornleaf, passed. The same treatment was given to her daughter, Olivia, and Noah. Now she wanted the same symbolic act to represent her. As one final act to honour Rosiepuff's memory the group went to the end of the tree branch with the lit lantern and released it together.

The cream and yellow lantern floated above the tree reaching the top of the cage. Due to how small it was it slipped through wire and bars. It kept going higher and higher closer to the stars until it was out of sight. Viva held Clay's hand giving it a squeeze as she rested her head on his shoulder. John still held Branch up in his arms hugging him.

" I wish Spruce and Floyd were here for this..." Clay whispered.

" Me too. " John whispered.

Soon the small party left back to the pod John Dory had inherited from their grandmother. It was too late to go walking home for Viva so princess stayed the night over. Clay stayed by her side being the main one tending to her while John focused on getting Branch ready for bed. Sitting down at the kitchen table Clay turned off the ratio while Viva took a sip of her hot chocolate. She wore one of Clay's oversized old shirts and some sweatpants she just happened have in her hair as backup clothes for potential accidents.

" I'm sorry about your grandma. Rosie was a fantamazing woman. Ella era una de las ancianas más geniales que he conocido. " Viva said.

" You don't have to say all that." Clay shrugged.

He smoothed the wrinkles from his long sleeved sleeping shirt with hands. His hair was partly braided thanks to Viva. They were micro braids in random places. Viva frowned at her close friend's response. She wasn't trying to say nice things out of respect. She meant every word.

" No. I mean it. She was someone truly special. Not just to your family and the village but to me too. She loved everyone who came into her care like they were her own child even when we all grew up and didn't need that care anymore. " Viva insisted reaching out to Clay's hand.

Viva gently rubbed her thumb against his palm. " It's not your fault that you didn't get to say Goodbye when she was still around. Your brothers didn't get that chance either and they were with her. "

Clay sighed. " I know... I just miss her."

" I miss her too." Viva smiled softly.

A year and a couple months later... Trolls were panicking as it was time to escape. To many trolls' surprise their King had went from insisting they wait a few more months until all the tunnels were stable to now rushing an evacuation. Nobody had time to pack besides what they could carry in their hair. Unfinished wooden decoys were left in every pod and couple branches. The village was split into three groups. Each one had a leader with a map and appointed to lead their group in separate tunnels from the others to limit the amount of trolls possibly getting discovered escaping.

Branch and John stood with the third wave nervous as the second wave was still waiting for their turn to leave. In Branch's hand was a small plush crocodile he was holding for comfort. The second and third wave leaders looked at their maps struggling to read it. Clay wandered into the second group to find Viva. In the distance the trolls could hear Bergens chanting "Trolls!" excitedly over and over again.

" Dory?" Branch muttered.

" Yes,Branch?" John looked down.

" Are the Bergens going to get us again?" Branch asked looking up.

The now five year old trolling didn't remember much from their first escape attempt but, he did remember enough to know that him,John and Clay got caught while Spruce and Floyd escaped. The details on how they escaped and how they were caught were a blur to him. John was actually thankful for it since it meant to him maybe Branch would be a little traumatized. He was unaware it was just Branch's brain temporarily blocking it out as a form of protection.

John got down on one knee." Yeah. We will. King Peppy has a plan. We just need to follow it. I won't let any nasty Bergen get their hands on you without a fight."

" Promise?" Branch asked.

" Promise." John swore giving him fist pump.

As their fists made contact John created an explosion sound. Branch copied it after a couple delayed seconds. A smile returned to the little boy's face while John smiled back. The Bergens' chanting was getting louder but, they chose to drown out with their new found hope. Clay eventually found Viva standing with the group leaders.

" Hey Viva. What's up?" Clay said.

" Hmm... Turns out there might be a map mix up." Viva grimaced.

Clay raised an eyebrow at first until the Princess gently took the second group leader's map and showed it to Clay. Half of it was blank. The third group leader showed their map after giving up trying to read it. While that map wasn't blank the dried ink was smudged to the point no words were identifiable. Some drawn directions and landmarks were covered up by what looked like tiny paw prints as if someone's pet had walked all over it.

Clay face palmed. " Who was in charge of handing out maps?"

" I don't know! All I know is my Dad asked someone from his council of elders to make these and hand them out."

" MAY TROLLSTICE BEGIN!" Chef announced as a flashy fire display from outside of the cage ignited from two grills.