"That's the last milk-delivery for me today" Branch said to himself.
He looked up at the sky and where the sun was on the sky. The sun was slowly starting to go down in the distance.
"Shoot- my training!!" Branch started to run.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"This will be my last delivery today" The pink troll's eyes sparkled as she talked to the cow she was milking.
The cow didn't seem to care much as it was tiredly chewing on it's hay, swinging it's tail to keep the flies away.
"And after that I can go home and be with my horsies" she smiled brightly.
The cow looked at her with empty eyes.
"....What?" Poppy giggled.
"Anyways, the milking is done. I hope you had a great time hmmmm....Spot-y. I will call you that today. I hope you like it. Now see ya tomorrow!"
Poppy picked up the buckets and put them on each side of her long stick and started carrying it all. She looked up at the sun.
"I gotta hurry so I won't be late" she said to herself.
She started to walk as quickly as she could with the heavy buckets and long dress. Walking through the less crowded streets.
She looked up at the sky again.
"M-maybe I gotta go faster.. "
She increased her pace, still looking up at the sky.
Almost ther-
A crash was heard as she fell backwards. She surprisedly didn't find herself on the ground as she opened her eyes though.

She felt two arms wrapped around her, and her eyes was gazing into two beautifully blue eyes.

He hadn't even realised what had happened. It had all just happened instinctively. But he didn't know what to do now. As confused as he felt he also seemed to not be able to look away from her sparkling magenta eyes.

Trolls around them started to carefully glance at the two trolls.

"I-"

"I'm so sorry!"
They said at the same time as the blue-eyed troll lifted up the pink troll so they both stood up straight.
"I didn't mean to run into you, I'm so sorry!" Branch exclaimed not knowing what to expect from the pink troll.
"A- it's okay. I didn't look where I was going. Sorry for running into you too." Poppy said chocked at the male-troll's reaction.
Why didn't he yell at her..

The gray-ish troll's gaze looked at the ground behind her.
"Oh-" he put his arms around himself in shame. He looked like he was hugging hinself.
Poppy looked behind her to see her buckets laying on the ground. The milk was already absorbed by the sand around the buckets.
"Oh no!" She exclaimed and crouched to pick up the empty buckets and the stick.
"I'm so so sorry." Branch felt so bad for her. Why did he run into her!?
"Ah.. mmm.." Poppy were too focused on getting the sand off the buckets. She were worried. If this delivery would come too late she would probably be punished, and might not get the money she needed.
"When is the delivery?" Branch asked.
Poppy looked up at the sky.
"Too soon.."

He could feel exactly how she felt. He saw the worry in her eyes, and looked up at the sun.' I got a little time...'

"Come."
The gray-ish troll grabbed the girl's hand and picked up the buckets.
Poppy didn't even have time to think before he started running, dragging Poppy with him.
"What are you doing!!?"
"What does it look like!!? I'm gonna help you come in time!!" Branch stopped at the cows.
"You take this and milk that cow! She usually has more milk that the others!" Branch dropped one of the buckets in her arms and pointed at a cow.
He then ran towards another cow with the other bucket swinging in his hand.
Poppy stood there for a second. Chocked. She quickly snapped out of it and sat down by the cow's side and started milking it.

"Are you done??"
Poppy looked up at him. She got up from the brick she had been sitting on and showed the bucket filled with milk.
"Good, where is the delivery? It is better if we run with one bucket each, it's less heavier that way."
He looked stressed as he talked.
"Follow me" Poppy said and started to run.

The two trolls ran through the streets as fast as they could, trying to not spill out the milk.
"There!" The pink troll panted.
They went to the door and Branch gave Poppy the other bucket. They then knocked at the door.

Branch stood a few feet behind her in case something would happen to her.

"Who's there!?" An irritated male-voice exclaimed as he opened the door.
"Oh, the milk delivery" He said sarcastically.
"You are-" he looked up at the sky.
"A little late.."
Poppy swallowed.
"An accident happened. I'm sorry, but I'm not that late, am I?" Poppy said, trying to sound braver than she felt.
The angry male narrowed his eyebrows angrily as he looked at Poppy. But he then saw the gray-ish troll standing behind her.
"Hmpf-" He jerked the buckets out of Poppy's hands and closed the door with a 'bang'.
Poppy froze for a moment. What had just happened?
She looked down at her hands. They were bleeding a little bit from when the troll had jerked the buckets from her hands so harshly.
"Is everything okay?"
Poppy felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and looked at those deep blue eyes once again.
"Yeah. Just got a scratch."
"I hope it doesn't hurt." He said.
"Nah. I've been though way worse" she smiled. She didn't really know why she were so nice to him. He was still a guy. What if he just tried to get to her by acting friendly!? But at the same time...it really felt like he was a nice troll...
The gray-ish troll smiled sweetly back at her.
Poppy couldn't help but smile sweetly back.
"A-and Thank you, by the way." Poppy smiled.
"No problem. I was the one causing the problem so it was just the right thing to do to help. Sorry again for running into you" Branch rubbed his neck shyly as he spoke.
"You don't have to say sorry! I didn't look where I was going. That wasn't your fault"
"But I did the same. I ran without looking"
"You were? Why?" Poppy asked.
She saw how his face completely went from sweetly smiling to looking worried.
"My training!" He exclaimed.
"I'm so sorry but I really gotta go now! Sorry for bothering you, bye!" The gray-ish troll ran away.
"I- ..w-WAIT!" But it was too late. He was too far away to hear her calling.
"I....never got to know your name.." she said quietly.

As she walked to the outskirts of the village her head was filled with questions.
Why did he help her?
Why was he so nice?
Why didn't he get mad at her?
Why didn't he just ignore her?
What was his name?

Why did she have this weird feeling?..

"Neiiiigh"
Storm and Blossom ran up to Poppy happily grunting.
Poppy came back to reality and smiled at her horses.
"Hii Blossy, hi Stormy" Poppy hugged them both and put on the rope bridle on the black horse's head this time. She then climbed up on his back.
Storm grunted happily, as Poppy scritched under his long thin mane.
"Shall we go home now horsies?" Poppy smirked.
The horses got the hint and happily started cantering wildly over the sandy ground as the sun was setting in the horizon.
All her thoughts just took off with the wind instead of staying in her mind.

This was freedom.

10/09/2020