"No! Please! Don't do this!" Branch begged, as he hung upside down over an active volcano. "Start burning the rope!" the troll with the staff ordered.
"No! Don't start burning the rope!" Branch yelled.

     One of the trolls walked slowly over to the end of the rope Branch was tied to, with a torch.

"Please," Branch begged, pleading with the troll who held the touch. "Please don't..."

The troll looked at him for a moment with an angry glare, before finally using the torch to light the rope on fire.

"No!" Branch cried out, his heart racing.

     The rope began to burn quickly, snapping a little bit under Branch's weight.

Branch dropped slightly closer to the lava below, as he screamed out in pure terror. "AHHHHH!"

     He breathed heavily, his eyes wide, as he looked down at the lava below him, the rope snapping a bit more. "AHHHHH!"

—————

     "Come on!" Poppy yelled, as the group of trolls ran towards troll meadow. "We've got to get to Branch!"
"He's right over here!" Rainbow said, leading them forward.

     They reached the spot where Branch used to be, gasping as they saw the empty cage.

     Tears came to Poppy's eyes, as she looked at the cage, Branch no longer inside of it.

     "No..." she whispered, her heart sinking down into her stomach. "Branch..."

"I'm sorry..." Rainbow said softly.
"We're too late," Gumdrop finished.

Poppy fell to her knees, crying into her hands, as she grieved the loss of her best friend.

Slowly, her friends walked over to her, hugging her comfortingly.

"We're sorry, Poppy..." Guy said softly. "He's gone..."

     "AHHHHH!" a scream suddenly rung out through the forest.

Poppy gasped, her ears perking up, as she turned towards the sound. "Branch!" she yelled, quickly jumping to her feet, and running off towards where the scream had come from. "He's alive!"

—————

     Branch blew at the fire burning the rope, trying to blow it out, but it wouldn't work. It just kept burning, snapping a little bit more.

"AHHHHH!" he screamed, as he dropped down a few more feet.

The trolls stood at the top of the volcano watching, waiting for the final string to snap, sending Branch to his doom.

"Please!" Branch begged, looking up at the troll with the staff, tears of fear sparkling in his eyes. "Please don't do this!"

But she just smirked down at him, waving goodbye.

"Ughhhh..." Branch whimpered in fear, watching as the final string of the rope snapped, sending him plummeting down towards the lava. "AHHHHH!"

     He fell towards the lava, closing his eyes tight, as he braced himself for the burning pain of death.

But then... suddenly... he stopped...

     Panting heavily in fear, he slowly opened one of his eyes, seeing the lava right under his nose.

He opened his other eye, and then slowly looked up, seeing Poppy clinging onto him with her hair.

     "Poppy!" he shouted joyfully, smiling wide. She came for him! She actually came for him!

"Don't worry, Branch!" she called down to him, her voice a bit shaky. "I've got you!"

     She struggled, using all of her strength, to pull him up to safety, hugging him tight, once he stood safely in front of her.

     "I was so worried," Poppy cried, burying her face into his shoulder.
"You think you were worried!?" Branch said, his heart still pounding. "I'm the one who was almost dropped into lava!"

     "What is the meaning of this!?" the troll with the staff suddenly yelled out in anger, stepping forwards.

Branch gulped, wanting to run and hide, but he stayed in front of Poppy, holding his arms out to protect her.

     "Chief, Nightengail," Rainbow said, rushing over to the troll with the staff, Gumdrop following close behind. "These are the trolls we told you about," Gumdrop said.
"The ones we found the creature with," Rainbow finished.

     The troll with the staff, who's name was Chief Nightengail, looked at the snack pack, and smiled, bowing slightly.

     "It is a pleasure to meet you all. Especially you, your highness," she said, gesturing to Poppy. "Wait..." Poppy said a bit confused, as she pushed her way past Branch. "You know who I am?"

     "Of coarse," Chief Nightengail said with a slight nod. "My great, great, great, great, great grandmother was friends with your great, great, great, great, great grandmother. The former queen of trolls back before that tragic day the Bergens attacked."

     She sighed, taking a moment of silence to regain her composure, before speaking again.

     "My family talks very fondly of your great, great, great, great, great grandma. And you look exactly like her when she was your age. There is no way, you are not related."

     "Oh..." Poppy said smiling. "Well... I guess your right. My name is Poppy. The new queen of the trolls."

     "It is a pleasure to meet you Queen Poppy," Chief Nightengail said with a bow. "But I must ask... why did you stop the execution of this prisoner?" She glared at Branch, and he shrunk down, hiding behind Poppy in terror.

     "There's been a mistake here," Poppy explained, blocking Branch to keep him safe. "This is my friend, Branch."

     Branch waved slowly, smiling innocently.

     "H... h... hi," he stuttered, his heart still racing in terror.

     "Friend?" Chief Nightengail questioned, confused. "Well then maybe you can tell me. What kind of creature is he?"

     Poppy looked at Branch who was still cowering in fear behind her, and then back at Chief Nightengail in confusion.

     "He... he's a troll, ma'am," Poppy informed.

     Chief Nightengail's eyes widened, not believing the queen's statement.

     "That is no troll," she snapped, glaring down at Branch, who let out a horrible whimper of fear.

     "Just because he's different, doesn't mean he's not a troll," Poppy explained. "He's unique. And that's what I love the most about him."

     Branch smiled up at her, as she grinned down at him.

     Slowly, he straightened up a bit, as he gazed into Poppy's beautiful pink eyes.

     "But... but he's so... grumpy..." Chief Nightengail objected with a snear.
"He's had a tough past," Poppy explained. "But his future is looking very bright." She hugged Branch, and Branch hugged her back, the other members of the snack pack quickly joining in.

     "Hmm... perhaps I was wrong about you," Chief Nightengail said, watching the group of trolls hugging each other. "I am sorry for almost dropping you in lava."

     Branch looked at her, pulling gently away from the group hug.

     "Hey... everyone makes mistakes, right?" Branch said, trying to be positive. Mostly, because he didn't want her throwing him back into that volcano. It was probably best to stay on her good side...

     Suddenly, as Chief Nightengail smiled at him kindly, her staff vanished, poofing right out of her hand, just like Branch's invitations had poofed out of his bunker the previous day.

     Everyone gasped, seeing it disappear right in front of their very eyes.

     "W... what just happened?" Poppy asked in complete shock.
"The glitter..." Chief Nightengail murmured quietly.

     She looked up at them, a look of terror painted on her face.

     "Quick," she said. "You all must come with me right away."

     She started to walk away, the group of friends following closely behind.