Get ready, It's a long one-

----

When Trollex regained consciousness, the heat of his body had returned.

He didn't open his eyes right away, because he was exhausted ... What? Where was he? He wouldn't have the answer until he opened his eyes.

- Hmm ... Hello, someone here? I don't know where I am... He spoke out loud in a sleepy voice.

He heard someone jump beside him, the stranger's breath doubling in speed. He was curious, he was really trying to open his eyes ... He wanted to thank his savior, because he knew that this stranger had saved him, no doubt.

- ...Hello? He repeated, wait I just have to open my eyes they don't want to ope...

But he heard a door slowly close and he finally opened his eyes. He saw a troll's foot under the planks of the door disappear in few seconds, waking him up completely.

- W-What the f-fish? Trollex spoke aloud, But ... Wait! He exclaimed rising from his covers, confused

He immediately noticed that the troll had put on him warm, furry winter clothes. He looked around the room; he seemed to be in a shelter built against the cold. A fire was dancing in a fireplace and the soft lights of the flames lit up the room. The cold wind was hitting the walls, but luckily it was solid.

- H-Hey! Trollex screamed again as he opened the door, which was of course unlatched.

He soon opened another door to the outside. The blizzard had stopped and the white snow was still stretching as far as the eye could see, covering the shelter with snow and providing it with perfect camouflage. Trollex was turning his head in all directions, only to finally see the troll running away.

- HEY! He screamed this time, WAIT! YOU WILL DIE OF COLD ALL ALONE! COME BACK !!

He ran to this troll, who was it? He was short, wrapped in his fur coat.

- No ! Go back in, you need it m-more than me! He heard her trembling voice respond to him.

That voice

That voice he never thought he would hear again. He could have recognized her anywhere.

No, it's impossible ... He must have been dreaming, right?...

- ... Wait ! Trollex managed to speak again, please d-don't go ...

Finally, she stopped, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Trollex was in shock, freezing tears streaming down his cheeks.

He wasn't dreaming.

She was there, he had found her.

- It's ... it's you ... he smiled through his tears, gradually approaching her.

The little turquoise troll turned to him, removing her hood and finally met his emerald gaze.

The two trolls froze for a moment, about a yard apart, not daring ... before she ran to the techno troll king and threw herself into his arms, shaking and letting out sobs. He wrapped his arms around her, refusing to let her go.

She was there.

- M-Maya... He finally let out her name, his voice shaking with emotion.

• ♡ •

- Boom Boom .. Boom Boom Boom ! Branch hopping happily behind Poppy

She couldn't help laughing, confused by the show he had been giving her since they had come out of the cold water. She let her fingers hang out on the tracks she had just found, analyzing them ... There were very few of them, so from a troll that could fly .... Techno or Classic then.

- Hmm ... how do I track this troll if this trail has been almost erased for a while? Poppy thinks out loud.

Branch stopped hopping and turned to the pink troll, curious. He grabbed Bandit she was holding in her other hand and began to shake his head to try to get her to let go of his chew toy. Poppy laughed, playing along a bit but noticing that he was trying to tell her something, she asked him:

- What's happening ? Do you think you can help me?

Poppy let go of his plush, pushing herself slightly to let Branch sniff the trail on the floor. In a few seconds he raised his head and started happily jumping to the north direction:

- Aurf! He barked, looking in a certain direction

- Okay, I follow you, she tells him.

He had only managed to find a lake by trusting his flair ... so he could certainly find the troll who had left this tracks. Branch resumed hopping happily and they left the lake together.

The ground seemed cooler and the sun had passed its midday height. The two companions had been walking for a long time now. Branch was come back sometimes to press his body against Poppy and continue on his way, as if to encourage her to continue ... it would be a long journey, she already knew that, and she would go all the way.

And she knew Branch would be with her until the end, she wasn't alone anymore.

At one point, the sun was already beginning to disappear on the horizon ... It would soon be night. It should be said that Poppy was waking up around noon, and they had a long time looking for the lake before swimming there for another long moment together. Night would come soon and she would have to make them a fire.

- We need to find a little shelter, Poppy said to Branch who turned to her with a curious sound, can you find that?

Branch cocked his head to the side, confused. Unfortunately, he didn't understand everything she was saying, but it didn't matter. Poppy gently stroked his hair and motioned for him to follow her. Branch barked happily and followed her, hopping on all three legs.

Knowing the forest well, Poppy knew what kind of place they could use as a camp for the night: flat ground, and a place where it would be easy to find something to make a fire. As if he had read her thoughts, Branch came back to her with a piece of wood in his mouth. Bandit was perched on his head.

- Where did you find it? She asked him, trying to take his piece of wood.

He growled gently, shook his head so that she let go of his chew toy, but finally let her have it and ran away for get another one. Poppy followed him, and they reached a small clearing area of the forest where they could spend the night.

Quickly, Poppy gathered wood and made a stone circle. She placed the sticks in and, after several attempts, managed to light a nice fire. Branch jumped as the flames start to grow up, gazing up at the orange glow with wide eyes of wonder.

- Don't touch, she warns him, it's very hot.

Branch just lay down, staring intently into the fire, the dancing flames reflecting in his blue eyes. Poppy smiled and settled the egg in a nest of blankets, kissing its shell reassuringly as if to wish her a good night before coming to sit by the fire.

The stars shone brightly in the sky, but Branch was still focused on the fire. Poppy was watching him of the corner of her eye; had he never seen a fire? He was a pop troll, like her ... why was he so different? Was he part of another group of pop trolls rebels? No, she should have known him, she knew all the pop trolls in her village before all of the rock trolls thing ...

... had he been abandoned? Was it when the pop trolls were in cages by the bergens ?

Her heart squeezed as she saw all the scars on his gray skin lit up by the flames lights, he had been through a lot, probably ... Poppy had always had a hard time believing that anyone could be mean before Barb attack them.

- Hey, Branch?

- Aoow, he whispered, keeping his gaze fixed on the flames,

- Have ... have you always been alone?

- Aoowoooa, he answered, his ear turning to her for listen.

Maybe it was just sounds to someone else, but at that precise moment, Poppy felt a bond forming between them... no need to speak, she knew how to listen to him. As if by magic, she knew what his sounds meant, and Branch understood even her most complicated words ...  even though they had known each other for a few days, the two trolls already shared a strong bond, we could almost think they actually already knew each other,

- How did you do that? She asked, letting her finger trail over a long scar on his back

- Aoow aooww, Branch replied, he had left the flames to watch her.

- A growl beast? Wow, you've been through a lot ...

They chatted for long minutes ... until Poppy asked him a question that burned her lips:

- Do you have a family?

Branch looked at her, his eyes plunging into hers... just before he yawning widely and standing, stretching and pulling her blanket over Poppy. The pink troll chuckled lightly, forgetting her question as Branch gave her his plush raccoon, telling her to rest that way.

- Okay ... She sighed, even though he hadn't said anything, come on, there's a bed for you too!

She pointed to the bed she had made for him, right next to hers. But Branch barked, sitting down and gazing into the forest, his ears pricked to hear any enemies approached.

- ... Well, like you want, she says, but still try to sleep a little, you deserve it.

But he didn't move. Poppy shrugged and said him good night before heading off to the dream world.

What she hadn't noticed were the tears on her friend's face.

• ♡ •

When Poppy woke up, the moon was still high in the starry night sky.

A strange noise had woken her up, the kind of familiar noise she heard every night in the camp ... except those ones sounded like a troll mixing with a dog.

Squeaks, tears of distress. Poppy straightened up, searching for where it had come from... There in his bed, Branch was fidgeting in his sleep, waving his arms above him, his legs hitting the void. Poppy approached him ... he was having a nightmare !

- Branch, wake up!

But he continued to cry, the tears on his cheeks shocked her; this troll who always seemed happy, so innocent... was crying! She began to stroke his hair, trying to wake him up without rushing him.

- Gra ... Gran ... dma ... aaaow ..! He whimpered, shaking his head, N-NO!

- Branch! Wake up, everything is okay !

His breath was fast, shaken with sobs ... when finally, jumped and suddenly straightening up, he screamed, loud and clear:

- ... GRANDMA !

He had never said a word so clearly as this since she had met him. When he saw her, that pink troll that had saved him, he whimpered even more horribily, curling up in a ball against her shaking little body. Shocked, Poppy pulled him even closer to her, that poor boy ...

- It's okay.. shh... everything is okay now, it was just a bad dream, you're a good boy... do you want talk about it?...

Branch sniffed loudly, shaking.

- It's okay, I understand ... I miss my family too.

Branch turned his gaze to her, confusion in his eyes. Poppy smiled tenderly at him, grabbing pieces of wood and sticking them in the ground. Then she drew a circle around them.

- Family, she repeated, here there is me, and my friends and my father ...

Her heart sank as she looked at the staff that represented her father. Branch sniffed at her model, then looked up again with teary eyes at her:

- A-aoow? ...

- It's okay if you don't understand ... Poppy reassured him, stroking his cheek to chase away a tear, go back to sleep now, a long journey awaits us ...

She returned to her blankets... but hearing Branch still moving behind her, the Queen of Pop turned to him, frowning.

- What are you doing ?...

The puppy troll approached her, with two sticks in his mouth. Under the stunned gaze of the pink troll, he planted them in the ground, and traced a circle around them.

- Yes ... yes, that's a family .... you have a family ! She smiled to him

Branch smiled sadly at her, it almost looked like a real troll for a few seconds. Gently, he pushed one of the stick with his nose, before covering it with dust.

- ... and you found yourself alone, Poppy understood, her heart aching painfully.

Branch didn't say anything, didn't make a sound, just keeping his hand resting against the pile of dust. Slowly, Poppy straightened up, grabbing a stick and planting it right next to one that represented him.

- You're not alone anymore, she smiles at him, you got me ... and all these trolls that we are going to find, they will also be your family, they will adore you, just like I do.

Branch regained his eternal smile, barking happily, and she pulled him towards him, into her warm blankets. Branch rested his ear against her, listening to the melody of her heart beat. He closed his eyes, rocked by the sudden voice rising in the darkness ... it had been so, so long since she had singing, but it was a good moment to do it;

When the fear takes you down
When the doubt takes you under
When you sink like a stone
And you can't breathe

When the tears take control
When the demons take over
Won't be in this alone
You got me

She could feel her friend breathing slowly, gently licking her hand in affection. She smiled and continued to sing her lullaby.

When the walls all caved in
When the nights all get colder
When you hang by a thread
Of sanity

Rest your head on my heart
And your pain on my shoulders
Make your way to my arms
'Cause you got me

His puppy-like licking on her hand had ceased, he buried his nose in the warmth of her soft pink locks. Poppy was about to fall asleep, she curled up in a small ball against his larger body, feeling protected. In a sleepy voice, she whispered the last words of her melody;

When the fear takes you down
When the doubt takes you under
You're not in this alone

You got me