“Are we there yet?" Willow groaned.

“We get there when we get there!" Branch spat.

“But this is taking forever, Branch!" she complained. “We don't even have an in-flight movie! Are you guys sure you know where we're going?"

“We're looking for the Twin Waterfalls, that look almost like Satin and Chenille," Creek answered.

“This is amazing!" Poppy said excitedly. “We're going to the home of one of my ancestors! And she was a magician!"

“Actually, Poppy, I don't think Penny was a magician," Willow pointed out. “She didn't possess magic, she just studied it. So she was more of a... magicologist. Which actually sounds like something else."

“Well, I can't wait to see what life she lived."

“Waterfalls, ho!" Branch shouted.

Willow gasped. “Branch! That's no way to talk to Poppy!"

“I meant the Twin Waterfalls!" he said, exasperated. “We're heading in."

Branch lowered the balloon to a lush, green jungle surrounded by towering cliffs, and on the right, there were two beautiful waterfalls that seemed identical.

“I can see why they call it the Valley of Serenity," Poppy said. “It looks so peaceful."

“It is..." Creek agreed, wrapping his arm around her waist. He looked back to smirk at an annoyed Branch.

“Except for the predatory birds that live on the top canopy," Willow said, reading an ornithology book.

“Wait, what?!" Branch exclaimed.

Suddenly, they all heard a screeching noise and saw a giant, crested falcon diving towards them!

“Branch, get us out of here!" Poppy ordered. “Willow, try talking to him!"

“I can't talk to all birds," Willow pointed out.

Branch tried to get them to safety, but dirigibles can only go so fast. The bird grabbed the balloon, tearing holes in it, and began to carry it to his nest.

“What do we do now?!" Creek whimpered. Branch looked around for a solution. He grabbed one of the near-empty snack bags and dumped what was left of it out.

“Everyone, grab the sack and jump!" Branch shouted. The rest of the group each grabbed an edge and jumped off the balloon. The bag made a perfect parachute!

“Phew, that was a close one!" Poppy sighed in relief. Suddenly, the four Trolls heard a strange noise.

“Branch, please tell me that was the sound of your pants ripping," Willow whimpered.

“Why would my pants rip?!" Branch asked in surprise.

“You ate all the party fondue," Willow pointed out. That was actually a lie Branch said to avoid admitting Creek was right.

Suddenly, the falcon was back, and it snatched Poppy! She screamed in terror as he took her away.

“Poppy!" Branch shouted.

“Uh, guys?" Willow said nervously, pointing up to the parachute. A small hole suddenly made itself bigger!

“Oh, dear," Creek muttered. They all began plummeting to the ground!

Poppy struggled to break free from the falcon's grasp. Just when it seemed hopeless, a smaller, green and orange bird flew in and whacked the falcon with its long tail feathers! Shocked, the falcon let go of Poppy, and she fell down to a stream, screaming until she hit the water.

Meanwhile, the others were still falling. Luckily, Willow had a plan... and magic.

“Okay, time for those quilting lessons to pay off!" she said to herself, letting go of the bag.

“Willow, what are you doing?!" Branch shouted. What she was doing was making a needle and thread out of crystal-like material. She dived down to the boys, grabbed the hole in the parachute, and quickly sewed it back together. The sack caught the air just before it could reach the rainforest floor, and the trio safely crashed into the ground. They were sore, but alive.

“You're... welcome..." Willow panted and used her inhaler, causing her large eyes to slightly pop out.

“Well, the most important thing is that no one got hurt," Creek said, combing his hair.

“Are you kidding?!" Branch exclaimed. “Poppy got captured by a predatory bird, and it's all your fault!"

“How is it my fault?!" Creek said defensively.

“You didn't warn us the valley had danger in it! Now, Poppy's gone!"

“Well, you didn't help much either!" Creek shouted.

“Are you kidding?!" Branch said. “The parachute was my idea!"

“It ripped!" Creek pointed out.

“Maybe because there are one too many Trolls on this mission!"

“Stop it! Both of you!" Willow screamed, her voice deep and purple eyes completely black. “All this fighting, I might as well be back with my parents! ‘Damn it, Forest! I told you if you kept drinking, I'd leave you!' ‘Well, that makes you a liar, cos I'm drunk as hell, and you're still here!' ‘Will you shut up, you're so annoying! And you're making Clyde cry!' ‘I'll tell you what's making Clyde cry: the fact that we let Willow name him Clyde!'"

Even as she returned to normal, the guys were terrified. They immediately forgot what they were arguing about.

“What?" Willow asked. Suddenly, they heard a rustling from the canopy. The orange and green bird flew down, holding Poppy in its talons.

“Look out! Another one!" Branch exclaimed, hiding behind Creek. It was no secret that Branch was a first-class ornithophobe.

“Branch, she's just a Green-bellied Thrushwhipper," Willow pointed out. “She can't hurt you. Besides, she saved Poppy from the bigger bird."

The bird put Poppy down gently and approached Willow, whistling a familiar tune. The black-haired Troll slowly approached the bird and curiously held her hand out to its beak. The bird gently nuzzled Willow's hand.

“Poppy, are you alright?" Creek asked. Poppy just shook her head. “What happened?"

To answer, Poppy just made a bunch of strange body and hair movements. Creek couldn't figure out why she couldn't just say it.

But Branch could.

“You... fell into some water..." he translated, “... and somehow... lost your voice?"

Poppy nodded.

“Not just her voice," Willow added, holding her hand. “I can hardly feel any emotion."

Willow had empathic abilities, the only good thing she inherited from her wicked father, the Rattlecobra. He slowly lost his when the Darkness began taking over his body, but it managed to be passed down to her.

“I told you birds are trouble," Branch grumbled.

“Branch, the bird didn't do this!" Willow argued. “Besides, don't you recognize her? It's Whistle!"

“Oh," Branch said. “Last I saw her, she was a baby."

Whistle tweeted a little so Willow could understand.

“She says Poppy fell into an enchanted stream that silences all who touch the water, verbally and emotionally."

“How does she know that?" Branch wondered.

Suddenly, they all heard something in the bushes. Whistle flew away and the four Trolls huddled together and braced themselves. Willow's hands sparked as she prepared herself to protect her friends. But all that emerged were creatures about the size of Trolls, but with horns and hooves instead of feet and bushy hair. They were all brightly colored, but their facial expressions were rather dull. One of them was tall and looked rather handsome, especially since he was wearing an elegant robe while most of them were only dressed from the waist up.

“The Faunlettes!" Creek said happily. “It's so good to see you all again!"

“Hi, I'm Branch, and this is Poppy and Willow," Branch greeted. “And you guys know Creek."

Everyone just blankly stared at them.

“Quiet crowd," Willow muttered. “We're pleased to meet you. What are your names?"

Nothing.

“Branch... Poppy... Willow... Creek..." Branch enunciated, pointing to each of his friends. Silence. “Creek, what's going on?"

“I just assumed they couldn't understand," he whispered. Branch returned his focus to the Faunlettes.

“Do... you... understand... Trollish?" he slowly asked the tall one, who nodded.

“Oh! But you don't speak?" Willow wondered. The tall one shook his head.

“Don't or won't?" Branch asked suspiciously. Poppy tapped his shoulder and made more gestures.

“We... should ask... yes or no... questions... or they won't answer," Branch translated. “Like when Biggie talks to Mr. Dinkles?"

“Actually, Biggie can always tell what Mr. Dinkles is feeling, but these Faunlettes don't show anything," Willow pointed out. “Come to think of it, they're acting a lot like Poppy is right now."

Poppy lowered her head. She couldn't show her sadness, but it was still there.

“It's okay, Poppy," Branch said calmly. “I'm sure there's a way we can undo this magic. Yes, your singing and happiness sometimes drive me crazy, but I could never live without it. It's what makes you, you."

Although she struggled, Poppy managed to let out a small smile.

“That's the Poppy we know and love," Branch said as she kissed his cheek.

“Too bad Creek's not here to see this," Willow said. “Wait, where is Creek?"

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Turns out, Creek followed the Faunlettes back to their village so he could catch up with them. The rest of the group found him teaching a yoga class.

“Inhale, and exhale," Creek instructed a group of Faunlettes. “Now a downward Cuddlepup..."

“Unbelievable," Branch groaned. “He completely forgot about the mission."

“Yeah!" Willow scoffed. “Wait, what was the mission?"

“To find Queen Penny's home and figure out what the Darkness is," Branch answered. Suddenly, someone tapped on his shoulder and he noticed a Faunlette pointing to a dark, spooky path that led into unknown territory. “Now, we're getting somewhere."

“Woo-hoo!" Willow cheered, accidentally releasing some lightning. Luckily, the trees were very wet, so she didn't damage them too much. “Sorry."

“Poppy?" Creek said suddenly. “Maybe you should stay here with me while Branch and Willow go searching."

Poppy nodded in agreement.

“What?!" Branch exclaimed. “But--"

“Hey, Branch?" Willow interrupted. “I think he's right. What if we get separated? Poppy wouldn't be able to call for help."

Branch sighed in defeat. “Okay, fine. Poppy, Creek, we'll be back."

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Branch and Willow trudged their way through the jungle. The ground was so muddy and there were bugs everywhere. Branch was immediately annoyed.

“Some Valley of Serenity," he grumbled, smacking a mosquito off his arm. “Why would Queen Penny want to move here? There's danger written all over this jungle!"

“Oh, look!" Willow said excitedly as more bugs attacked Branch. “A pink-throated crowned finch! Just one more for Exotic Bird Bingo!"

“Why are the bugs attacking me but not you?!" Branch exclaimed.

“Probably because you're only wearing a vest and short-shorts," Willow figured, “while my black sweater and blue jeans give me more protection."

“But aren't you hot?"

“Actually, I can change my own body temperature," Willow replied, and held out her hand. Branch touched it and felt how cold it was. “Exactly. What I'd like to know is how you can understand Poppy, but not the Faunlettes."

“I... I don't know."

Soon enough, Branch and Willow found themselves at a crossroads. Neither of them were sure which way to go. Willow spat on her hand and smacked it to see which direction her saliva went.

“This way!" she said, pointing to the right.

“What was that?" Branch asked.

“It's an old Duckweed family trick," Willow explained. “Whichever way my spit goes, I follow."

Branch thought it was sweet that Willow still followed her dad's family traditions, even though she wasn't technically his daughter, but he found many of them too weird.

“So, you're saying we should go that way?" he asked. Willow nodded. “Well, then, I'm going this way."

“Suit yourself!" Willow called out as he took the left path.

Willow stuck by her decision and eventually found herself by one of the Twin Waterfalls. She noticed a stone path leading to the other side and a wooden sign that said “Welcome!"

“Looks like something a Troll would say," Willow said to herself, and followed the path, which turned into a staircase, and she climbed up to a cliffside and found a beautiful house made from a gourd and painted with bright colors. There was an overgrown garden of sparkly, pink flowers. Willow knew these were Poppy's favorite flowers, so they must've been Queen Penny's, too. Easy to see why, they were so beautiful!

“Come on, Willow, focus!" she scolded herself, and stepped inside the pod. There were so many books about magic, Willow thought she was dreaming. “Let's see. Changelings, no. Lycan-Trolls, no. Legend of the Music Strings, no. Aha! The Darkness."

Willow grabbed the book and rushed back to the Faunlettes' village.

Y'all are probably wondering what happened to Branch. Well, you'll find out in the next chapter.

Until then, please leave a vote! 🤞