"Mmmm!" Branch mumbled, trying to scream out for help, as he wiggled around in the ropes he was now tied up in, duct tape stuck over his mouth.

     "Ok..." Gumdrop said, standing next to Rainbow, both of them in front of Branch. Branch looked at them, growling angrily.

     "If we take the duct tape off..." Rainbow started.
"Do you promise not to scream?" Gumdrop finished.
"Mmmm!" Branch mumbled, nodding his head.
"Ok than..."

     Rainbow reached over ripping the duct tape harshly off of Branch's mouth.

     "AHHH!" Branch screamed out loudly.
"You promised you wouldn't scream!" Gumdrop yelled.
"I screamed because it hurt!" Branch yelled in reply. "Why are you two here? And why did you kidnap me? AGAIN!"

     "Shhh," Rainbow shushed.
"The others will hear you," Gumdrop whispered.
"Good!" Branch yelled, quickly beginning to call for help. "Poppy! Poppy, help!"

     Quickly, Rainbow put the duct tape back over Branch's mouth, silencing his screams.

     "Mmmm!" he mumbled, trying desperately to break free of the ropes.

     "What are we going to do with him?" Rainbow asked, looking to her sister.
"I don't know. We could just let him go," Gumdrop suggested.

     Branch's eyes widened at the statement, as he nodded his head rapidly.

     "Mmm!" he mumbled, meaning; 'yes! Yes! Let me go! Please let me go!'

     "We can't do that," Rainbow objected. "He'll tell the others we're here."

     Branch groaned, lowering his head a bit. He was never getting out of here...

     "Branch?" they all suddenly heard from off in the forest. It was Poppy! "Branch! Where are you!?"

     "Oh no!" Rainbow gasped.
"One of them's awake!" Gumdrop panicked.

     "Mmmmm! Mmmm!" Branch mumbled, trying to break free again. 'Poppy! I'm over here! Help!'
"Branch?"

     "Quick!" Rainbow shouted in a whisper, leading her sister away. "Hide!"

     Poppy walked through the bushes, instantly seeing Branch sitting on the ground, all tied up.

     "Mmm!" he mumbled under the duct tap, staring straight at Poppy, begging for her to help him.

     Poppy's eyes widened when she saw him, gasping in shock.

     "Branch!" she yelled, quickly running towards him.

     She dropped down to her knees, ripping the tape off of his mouth.

     "Ow!" he screamed out loudly, as the tape was ripped off of his skin for a second time.

     "Branch!" Poppy panicked. "What happened? Who did this?"
"Why don't you ask that Chief lady!?" he yelled in reply, still trying to break out of the ropes he was tied in.

     "Chief Nightengail?" Poppy questioned, raising an eyebrow. "She did this?"
"Yes!" Branch yelled angrily. "Well... no... but her two minions did!"

     "No we didn't! We're not even here!" Gumdrop yelled from a bush.
"Shut up, you idiot! Now she knows we're here!" Rainbow yelled at her sister.
"No..." Gumdrop denied. "I told her we weren't here."

     Poppy walked over to the bush, moving the leaves aside to see the two little trolls sitting inside, smiling up at her innocently.

     "Rainbow? Gumdrop?" she questioned, confused to see them there. "What are you guys doing here."
"We're not here," Gumdrop lied.
"She can see us, you idiot," Rainbow said, slapping the back of Gumdrops head.
"Right... umm... you're dreaming," Gumdrop said, waving her hands mystically in front of Poppy's face. Rainbow slapped her own forehead, annoyed at her sister.

     "Umm..." Poppy said, completely confused.
"Fine..." Gumdrop sighed. "We are here."
"She already knows that!" Rainbow yelled angrily.

     "Enough!" Branch yelled. "Will someone just untie me, please!?"

     "What's going on over here?" Chief Nightengail asked, walking over with the rest of the trolls. The loud yelling had awoken the group from their sleep, so they decided to go investigate.

     "Oh my gah," Smidge gasped, seeing Branch all tied up. "What happened?"

     Gumdrop and Rainbow shrunk away, worried they were going to get in trouble for following the group of trolls, and leaving troll meadow.

     Chief Nightengail looked at Branch for a moment, raising her eyebrow in confusion, before turning her gaze to the two young children.

     "Gumdrop!? Rainbow!?" she yelled in disbelief. "What are you two doing here!?"
"We're not here," Gumdrop said.
"Would you just shut up!?" Rainbow yelled in her sister's face.

     "Ehem," Chief Nightengail cleared her throat, to get their attention. They both looked up at her, smiling innocently.

     "Well... we may..." Rainbow started.
"Or may not of..." Gumdrop added.
"Followed you guys."
"Secretly."

     "Why? I told you to stay in the meadow," Chief Nightengail said firmly, crossing her arms in anger.

     "Exactly," Rainbow said.
"That's why we followed you secretly," Gumdrop finished.

     "Can we discuss this later?" Branch interrupted. "Maybe... when I'm not tied up!"
"Oh. Right. Sorry, Branch," Poppy apologized, quickly running over to untie him.

     Once he was free from the ropes, he stood, dusting himself off.

     "Thank you," he finally said grumpily, crossing his arms, as he looked away angrily.

     "Now..." Chief Nightengail said firmly. "Why are you two here?"
"We wanted..." Rainbow started.
"To help..." Gumdrop continued.
"With the glitter problem," Rainbow finished.

     "Awww!" Poppy awed, distracted by their cuteness. "Of course you two cuties can help."

     They smiled, but their smiles quickly faded, as Chief Nightengail spoke again.

     "No they can not," she said sternly, looking to Poppy. "It is much too dangerous. They are just children!"

     "But you trust us to capture dangerous creatures," Rainbow objected.
"Yeah. We captured this one twice," Gumdrop added, pointing at Branch.

     "I'm not a creature!" Branch yelled in annoyance. "I'm a troll!"

     "Yeah," Rainbow muttered quietly, rolling her eyes.
"Totally," Gumdrop finished sarcastically.

     Branch grumbled angrily, crossing his arms again, as he looked away.

     "You two go home right now!" Chief Nightengail said, pointing off in the direction they had come from. "But, mom!" they both whined simultaneously.
"Mom?" Everyone repeated in confusion.

     Chief Nightengail sighed, lowering her head slightly.

     "Yes," she said softly. "Rainbow and Gumdrop are my children. Though they're not supposed to tell anyone that!" she said angrily, glaring at her two children. The two young trolls backed away a bit, looking down at the ground, embarrassed.

     "Wait... why can't anyone know they're your kids?" Poppy asked, confused.
"Because..." Chief Nightengail explained. "Being the leader of a group is dangerous. You make lots of enemies with this job. I just don't want my kids getting caught up in it, just because they're related to me. So we keep it a secret. If no one knows... they're safe."

     "Hmmm... I never thought of it like that..." Poppy said quietly.
"Well you better start thinking about it," Chief Nightengail snapped. "Anyone who's related to you in any way, is in danger. Even your friends."

     Poppy looked back at her friends, and then lowered her head in sadness.

     "Don't listen to her, Poppy," Branch said softly, walking over to her, as he hugged her comfortingly. "She's crazy."
"What did you just say about me!?" Chief Nightengail yelled, glaring at the little blue troll.

     Branch flinched at the sudden shout, quickly hiding behind Poppy.

     "Uh... nothing?" he said slowly, smiling innocently.
"Mmhmm," Chief Nightengail said, rolling her eyes.

     Finally, Chief Nightengail turned her attention back to her kids, her glare fading away, being replaced by a look of worry.

     "Seriously," she said softly. "You two have to go back home."
"No, mom," Rainbow denied.
"Please let us go with you," Gumdrop added.

     They both got down on their knees, holding their hands together up in the air.

     "Please!" they both begged together. "Please, please, pleeeeeeeeeaaaase!"
"No," Nightengail said firmly. "You... home... now..."

     Rainbow and Gumdrop looked at the ground sadly, as they walked away, back towards troll meadow.

     "And you say, I'm grumpy," Branch grumbled, crossing his arms, as he looked away.