Now we're on our way to the lake after we had lovely pancakes for breakfast and I'm positive that we'll be by the lake before evening! So far, the walk's going amazing, although we've been slowing down for the past two hours straight.

≫∘❀♡❀∘≪

Clay: Guys....

Everyone stared at Clay who wobbled behind them. Branch let out a deep sigh, slouching.

Branch: Not again!!! NOT LIKE WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY WHEN IT CAME TO SPRUCE!!!

Spruce: What? Nature called me at the wrong time and in the wrong place. (Smiles at Clay)

Clay: (Lets out a weak smile at Spruce)

Poppy: What's the matter, Clay? 

JD: Do we need to stop?

Branch started to get enraged as he made noises, making fists, shaking in anger. Everyone blinked at him. Poppy walked towards her irritated boyfriend.

Poppy: (Hugs Branch from the side) Branch? Branchifur? It's okay.....just relax....

Branch: IF YOU SAY THAT YOU GOT TO GO TO THE BATHROOM RIGHT NOW...... 😤😤😤😤

Clay: Easy, tiger, it's not that. 🙄 Not yet at the moment. 

Poppy: It's okay, Branch, just take a deep breath.

He took a deep breath, squeezing Poppy's hand.

Branch: Then what is it? 😒

Clay: I'm not up to par right now.

Spruce: Is that a golf joke? Because if it is, then that's not funny. 😒

Clay: I'm being serious. My head's been throbbing a bit...

JD: Oh, no. You probably ate too much syrup. Have you drunk any water? 

Clay: Not really...

Branch: Oh. There's your answer. Thirst. 

Poppy: Here's some water. (Passes a water bottle to him)

Clay: Thanks. (Drinks the water) I think I'm good now.

Branch: (Sighs in relief) Oh good. Let's just keep walking.

≫∘❀♡❀∘≪

Thirty minutes passed and Poppy felt a bit queasy for a few minutes, assuming she was thirsty. But the queasiness didn't go away. She faced everyone else. JD leaned onto a tree and held his breath, Clay burped multiple times, Floyd inched forward and clenched onto his stomach, Spruce mentioned being nauseous out of the blue. Poppy herself held onto her head for a bit and Branch moaned, gritting his teeth. Soon, they stopped walking, groaning.

Branch: What's going on with us??

Poppy: I can't be having cramps now. It's not even today. 😫😫😫😫

Spruce: It might be too much syrup. I did kind of pour too much on mine. 

JD: See? Didn't I warn you, bro?

Spruce: (Nods) 😖😖😖😖

Floyd: But I didn't have much syrup, and I only had two pancakes. 😫😫😫

JD: (Groans) Oh, my head. Could it be the pancakes we ate? 😖😖😖

Clay: Obviously it is the pancakes...because I wasn't like this at all this morning. 

Poppy: The pancakes...but how can the pancakes make us feel this way? Did I wash my hands before I started cooking? Of course I did.

Branch: I feel like I'm going to puke. 🤢

Spruce: Same, although I didn't eat that many pancakes. I had three. 🤢🤢🤢

Clay: I had five. 

Floyd: I'm scared! 😭😭😭😭

Poppy: What's going on with us?  (walks to a nearby rock, but misses it)

Spruce and Branch lifted her towards the rock. Branch sat next to her, rubbing her back. He let out a small smile at her while he had his left hand held onto his stomach. He grabbed his guidebook out of his backpack.

Branch: Poppy....

Poppy had fear in her eyes.

Branch: I do trust you on what berries you pick, but I have to ask you.............what color were the bushes? (Flips through guidebook)

Poppy: It was yellow green bush with interesting red tips on the leaves.

Branch kept flipping through the pages, until he finally stopped. He gasped, shook his head, and pointed his finger at the page. Poppy shook in fear some more. Clay, Spruce, Floyd, and JD stared at him.

JD: What's wrong?

Spruce: What is it?

Floyd: Are we going to be okay? 

Clay: I hope so.

Branch: Guys....I think we ate some poisonous berries.

BroZone Older Brothers: WHAT!?! 😱😱😱😱😱😱

Poppy: (Eyes widened and starts shaking) I-I-I POISONED THE BROZONE BROTHERS!!!!

Branch: These are called Deceiving Berries. They look like actual blueberries....but they aren't really.....

Clay: SAY WHAT!?!

Spruce: WH-WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO!?! 😱😱😱

JD: Be prepared guys....that might've been our last meal...

Poppy: The....last....MEAL!?! (Shakes)

Floyd: DON'T SAY THAT, JD!!!! WE'RE TOO YOUNG TO DIE!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭

Poppy: (Starts tearing up) OH, NO!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭

Poppy sat there in complete silence while each of Branch's brothers went back and forth on the topic in a panic frenzy. She felt a bit too hot, her stomach churned, her lips trembled. Soon, all eyes were on her.

Poppy: I....I....I....(immediately cries) 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Poppy ran to the left side of Troll Forest, not turning back, not caring about feeling the sharp pain in her stomach as she continued to cry.

Spruce, Clay, JD, and Floyd: POPPY!?!

Branch: POPPY, WAIT!!!!

≫∘❀♡❀∘≪

Poppy didn't care how much pain and hotness she felt inside her stomach, she kept running without stopping or looking back. Water filled her eyes, making it a bit difficult for her to see what's in front of her. Tears fell down her cheeks.

Poppy: (Cries loudly) I POISONED THE BROZONE BROTHERS!!!!! I POISONED THEM!!! 😭😭😭

....: POPPY, COME BACK!!

Poppy tripped onto a stone, pain struck her in the stomach. She cried, hiding her face in her hands. She recalled the time when she ate a berry that was a blue and bit larger than her hand and it gave her spots and made her swell into a huge berry. Although she went through it, just the thought of her poisoning others, including herself and her poor boyfriend made her cry some more. She felt something touched her shoulder.

....: Poppy...

She recognized the voice of Branch. She faced him.

Poppy: Oh, Branch, it's all my fault. I was just wanting to surprise you guys with some yummy, but I didn't even know that it was poisonous, and I should've asked you for your guidebook and...and...I know that you're mad at me, so....so...I'M SORRY!!!! (Cries) 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Branch blinked at Poppy. She closed her eyes, continuing to cry. He wrapped his arms around her, rocked her from side to side, and brushed her bangs.

Branch: (Whispers) Shhhh.....it's okay.....shhhh....everything's going to be okay...I'm not mad at you.

She held onto his vest, crying on its soft leaves. He kept brushing her bangs. She sniffled loudly, facing him. He gave her a small smile.

Branch: You didn't know...and you know what? I didn't even know either. It's my fault that I didn't question about it or check the guidebook. I should've gave you it in the first place. So, I should be apologizing to you...

Poppy: Oh, Branch.....I'm sorry the most....your brothers probably hate me. 😭😭😭😭

Branch: No. Of course not. I think they know that you didn't know and wouldn't do it on purpose.

Poppy: Really?

Branch: (lifts her chin) Of course.

Poppy smiled as they hugged each other. It felt like ten minutes for this hug to last, except it only had been two minutes. Branch lifted Poppy from the ground as she smiled and he smiled at her. They held hands, walking to the direction where Branch's brothers were at.

Branch: We're going to get through this together.

Poppy: (Sniffles) But how?

Branch: (Points at himself and smirks) That's why you have a prepared boyfriend for these situations.

Poppy: Aw, Branch!

She hugged him while they took their time to walk through Troll Forest. While they walked, Poppy felt queasy inside again. Not because of the berry she ate, but it's seeing Branch's brothers. What would they think of her? What would they say to her?