⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀<  ❈Iris' POV❈ >

Iris slowly and carefully crept through the big, eerie forest. The threatening call of crows sounded not too far off. The swish of a bug's wings against the bushes made her heart lurch. She knew she wasn't supposed to be here, but she was curious. And I also want to escape that dumb party, she thought. She was happy to no longer be harassed by her mother's friends. She didn't want Satin and Chenille to design her clothes, she didn't want Biggie and Cooper fussing over her, she didn't want DJ Suki asking her if her music sounded good. She just did not want any of it.

Iris had a sudden flashback from earlier that day, something that brought a burst of sadness scorching across her chest. She halted, taking in the memory.

"Iris! What's wrong?" The sparkly red skin of her best friend in the whole world moved from her peripheral vision. She turned her head from where she had slumped down next to the dark, tangly forest. She had been debating on entering or not.

She didn't answer Titian but he dove down beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Iris, please. Don't ignore me!" the glitter troll pleaded.

She shrugged him off, sighing. "I'm sorry, Titian. I need to be left alone for a while." She rose to her feet and her friend scrambled up beside her.

"Where are you going?" he called.

Iris didn't answer at first but then she halted, glancing over her shoulder and staring at him sadly. "The forest," she replied.

"B-but your father has forbidden entrance to that place! Don't panic everyone, Iris! Please!" Titian had tears flowing desperately from his dark green eyes, his teeth clenched hard together.

"I won't be gone long. Besides, they'll be too caught up in the party to notice my absence." She began walking towards the trees again, but Titian spoke once more, causing her to come to another stop.

"That's not true!" he called. "You're the Princess! Literally everyone will know you're missing!"

Iris stopped listening to him. His pleadings and calls did not affect her and she had no plans on changing her mind. The forest was calling to her, urging her onwards. She entered the thick greenery, hearing nothing but the angered, desperate shouts of her best friend fading out behind her.

The memory melted from Iris' brain. She opened her eyes that had squeezed shut in the process and glanced around at the thick canopy of intertwined tree branches overhead. She felt a pang of regret. Titian was right. She'd be in huge trouble when she got home. And the sun was setting. She was in real danger. She had never been out here before.

She knew her father would be livid when she returned—if she returned. I'll probably get swallowed up by something out here, she thought nervously. Her mother had told her stories of her adventures through here. How had she survived all that?

The rustling of movement in the underbrush made her halt, her heart skipping a few beats. Her muscles locked, keeping her in place. "H-hello," she risked to call out. She swallowed, realizing now just how dry her throat was. She was getting terribly thirsty and there didn't seem to be a source of water around. Another shuffling noise snapped her from her thoughts. Her eyes darted to and fro as she tried to pinpoint the maker of the sound. But she saw nothing. The sun was sinking lower behind the horizon, casting a dark orange glow over the land. Soon, she wouldn't be able to see a thing.

"Who's there?" she challenged, but her voice was weak and scared. She began trembling from panic, sweat trickling from her hair.

"Don't be frightened, poppet," came a sweet, accented voice. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Where are you?" Iris called.

"Well, you certainly have pretty hair," the speaker went on as if she'd never said a word. "Split-colored. Never seen that before in a troll. What are you doing so deep into the forest? Don't you know it's dangerous?"

Iris straightened herself, appearing taller than she actually was. "I'm okay with dangerous!" she insisted.

"Then describe that fear in your eyes, sweetheart," he spoke again. She had just detected it was a male, as the voice came a little clearer now. "Oh, I know what you want. I can see it as though it were my own thoughts."

Iris backed up slightly. He was scaring her, even though she could not see him.

"You're tired of being treated like a goddess. You just want to be normal. I can help you."

The Princess tilted her head in interest, hope flickering in her chest. "R-really?" she asked.

"Oh, yes, child," the voice muttered.

Iris began thinking. Was this a trap? Was this some creature trying to trick her into becoming a meal? But then again, if it were, how would it know about her struggles? Be able to describe them perfectly like that? No. This could not be a trap. This had to be real.

"Do you want to be seen as more than a Princess?"

The voice from the shadows still sent a shiver of fear through Iris. Where was it coming from? Who did it belong to? But the tone of the male speaker seemed to hold great promises, and she closed her eyes. She wanted to be more than just a Troll Princess. She wanted it so badly she'd be willing to jump off a waterfall for it.

"Yes...I do."

"Perfect."

Iris glanced around again. "Can I see you?" she asked.

Before she got an answer, she saw a flash of blue-green fluff appearing over the tops of the bushes. She was about to take another step closer but the sounds of someone shouting off in the distance distracted her. The fluff disappeared, and she could tell the speaker had vanished completely.

"Iris! Iris!"

The yells were coming more clearly now. Her heart lurched. She thought she recognized that voice. I'm dead meat... she thought, backing up against a rock and leaning her head to it. "I'm such an idiot," she grumbled.

"IRIS!"

She jumped as the shout sounded just inches away from her. She swallowed, dusting off her clothes and straightening her ruffled split-colored hair. She didn't want to look like a total mess. She wanted to convince everyone that she was okay and nothing had harmed her. But she was starving, thirsty, and exhausted. The sun was pretty much gone now, leaving her in the complete dark with only a few fireflies buzzing by providing light.

The bushes swished aside and the one troll she'd expected to see appeared. Her father.

"Iris!" His voice was full of relief as he saw her. He had a backpack slung over his shoulders that was clearly full of weapons and food. He dropped the bag on the ground and rushed over to her, grasping her into a tight hug. "Oh, thank goodness you're safe!" he muttered, pressing his nose into her hair.

"Dad, I'm fine," Iris replied.

Branch pulled back, his gaze suddenly hardening. "Why did you come out here? You know it's dangerous! You know I forbid entrance!" He shut his eyes, clenching his jaws hard, and then sighed. "Look, we just need to get home. We'll have this conversation later. Follow me."

Iris felt a lump building in her throat and she suddenly collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down her face as she began to cry. Branch halted and turned around, staring at her with shock. "Iris?" He nudged her shoulder softly with his hand. "Hey, hey, it's okay. Why are you crying?"

Iris felt her father wrap his arms around her and pull her into a warm hug. He lifted her up onto his lap as if she were a toddler again, crying over a scratched knee. But she was having a true mental breakdown now. This was no scratched knee. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ran away." She grasped the King's strong shoulder. "I just...I just didn't want to—"

"Hey, cupcake, it's all right. I told you, we'll discuss it later. Now come on. It's not safe out here." He helped her to her feet, using his thumbs to wipe the tears from her damp cheeks. He smiled at her and grabbed her hand, leading her off in the opposite direction she'd been walking.

As they journeyed through the trees, she couldn't help but think about the strange male speaker. Who was he? Were his promises true? I'll probably never see him again. I'm not supposed to be out here and I certainly don't wanna come back.

Branch suddenly halted in front of her, his head snapping upwards. "Iris, get back! In those bushes!" He pointed with his fingers to the thick green plants. "Go now!"

"But..." Iris began but her father only repeated his words. She reluctantly backed up into the thick, lush undergrowth, peering through the leaves and seeing the King pull a knife from his back pocket. "Dad, what's happening?" she whispered.

"Shh!" he snapped. "Don't talk."

Suddenly, to Iris' horror, a strange figure began lowering itself towards the ground, held by nothing but a thin string. It looked creepy against the dim lights made by fireflies. But that's when she realized what it was. A spider!

Branch stretched his knife out further and gave the large creature a threatening stare. He threw the knife towards the arachnid and it let out a a bloodcurdling shriek as the blade penetrated one of its eight legs. But it quickly flung the weapon aside, staring at her father with hunger glowing in all four of its eyes. It crawled towards him, letting out creepy little sounds.

Branch dropped his backpack to the ground once again, using his handy extendable hair to whip and slash at the spider. It yelped at each blow and began backing up. But suddenly, one of its legs outstretched and grasped the tip of the blue troll's dark hair.

Iris gasped in fear as her father was flung off to the side just like his knife and slammed into the trunk of a tree. She heard a sickening crackling noise as this happened, but mustered the courage to step from her hiding place and face the massive beast. "Hey! You there!" she called angrily. But before she could do much, the spider hit her over the head and she blacked out...

Thank you for reading!

Question:
On average, how much do you watch Trolls?

My answer:
I watch it everyday if I can. But sometimes stuff comes up and I can't find a time to watch it. Like today, for instance. But I'm watching it tomorrow because I'll be on a roadtrip and I'll watch it then.

Give me your answer in the comments and don't forget to vote!