Hello, trolls fans and lovers. This would be my first trolls story, so I hope you will like it.

I would like to give thanks to Black Raider, Ashwheeler, Samantha Peace Heart, and all of the other troll authors whose stories I've read, collected and reviewed for the inspiration of writing this work of art.

Disclaimer: I don't own Trolls or any of its characters except for the fanmade ones, but I do have the film "Balto". Don't know if that counts as owning the film.

Enjoy!


The Grey Hero

Chapter 1: Remembering a Story


It was a cool, autumn day around the valley. The trees were filled with the most colorful leaves anyone would think of. Shades of crimson to golden brown were seen on the leaves and when the wind blew them in the air, it looked like they were dancing, celebrating the cool season.

On the base of a great tree in the middle of a valley, a village stood there where it is inhabited by unique, colorful creatures that love to sing, dance, and hug til they drop: the trolls. The trolls enjoyed the season and many of them can be seen outside their pod homes talking and strolling through the areas. Everywhere you look, trolls can be seen everywhere, but their large numbers was almost been consumed by a terrible plague that came to them long ago. Luckily, one troll made the journey that save them all and his story became a legend. Without him, half the troll population would have been lost forever.

And who was that troll? We'll get to that. And right on cue, a small group of five troll children were taking a trip. Their caretaker is a young adult female troll with lavender skin, a fuchsia nose, purple eyes, and tall blue hair. She wore a dress which was yellow on top and pink on the bottom and also wore a purple "hug time" bracelet. To the children, she was known as Auntie because she's more of an aunt than a caretaker to them. She led the children as she searched the area not far from the village.

"I know it's around here, somewhere..." The caretaker said, looking around.

"But we've already been past here!" A girl troll cried. She was pink skinned, with dark violet hair, light blue eyes, a purple nose, and was wearing a light blue dress.

"Are we lost?" A boy troll, who was also the pink troll's brother, asked next. This one was light blue and has light teal hair with azure blue at the end, pink eyes, and wore a dark blue vest and green shorts.

The caretaker chuckled. "No, we're not lost. It's just the trees, they've grown so big." She looked at the colorful flora around her. The children curiously looked around as well and wondered where they are and where they're going but they stayed quiet while admiring the scenery. "It's been so long since my last visit. Come along, children. The day's still young."

The children quickly obeyed and followed behind. The pink troll then came forward and gently tugs on her caretaker's arm, getting her attention. "When was the last time you've visit there, Auntie?"

The caretaker chuckled. "Years ago. Way before any of you kids were born, Pansy."

"Oh, look! I found a firefly!" Pansy's brother cried out, pointing at the insect flying away.

"Now, just a minute, Echo; I'm trying to hint my bearings," The caretaker kindly instructed. "Oh, there are so many paths here, so easily to get turned around," she huffed. "Come along. Let's go this way."

"Auntie, we're in the middle of nowhere!" Echo whined.

"We're right in the middle of the Troll Meadow Park."

"But you're going to make us tired for walking so long," Pansy complained, as she stopped to take a breather, near some small benches.

"It feels like we've been walking forever!" A minty green girl troll with fuchsia hair known as Peppermint whined as she sat down.

"Nonsense! It hasn't been more than a half hour. Not much further," Pansy handed her green headband to her as she straitened her hair up.

"Echo is getting tired."

"Me too, and my feet hurt!" A green troll with yellow hair known as Leaf added.

"I bet we've walked a hundred miles," A big chubby red troll with orange hair named Blaze said.

"Oh, I see," The caretaker looked down on Pansy's headband and smiled a little, recalling a special memory.

"Auntie, what are we looking for anyway?" Pansy asked.

"A memorial," Auntie answered simply.

"A m-what?" Echo wondered as he sat next to his sister.

"A reminder of a wonderful story," she laughed as she sat down on the bench as the other children gathered curiously around her to listen. "At a place very far from here."

"What place is that, Auntie?" Echo asks.

"The Troll Forest," she answered with sparkling eyes. She knew that this was a story that had to be told. Her story was true for she was there. "It's a very vast place where our village was originally settled. Now, over there, our village was really in the middle of nowhere, little charmers." She sighs as she began to tell her story. "It was in the cold winter, about 15 years ago. It was snowing hard." She recalled as the autumn leaves flew in the air and the scenery changed into the snowy forest of the past.


-The Troll Forest, 15 years ago-

She recalled as the autumn leaves flew in the air and the scenery changed into the snowy forest of the past 15 years ago. The forest was dense, covered in huge blankets of snow which glittered during the day. The day was cold despite the bright sun shining throughout the sky.

The trolls loved the winter just as much as the other seasons. During the day, they spend it by skiing, skating around in ponds, having snowball fights, building snowtrolls and forts, and at the end of the day, they warm themselves with soothing hot drinks and hugging each other for warmth. But the most special event that the winter season brings them is their favorite sport: The Winter Relay.

This sport is what trolls do to entertain themselves when it's too cold to dance or sing. The Winter Relay is known as a race for single trolls competing other trolls to see how fast and agile they can be. During the race, they can use their hair to swing across branches and other obstacles that come across their way. Once the winners are chosen, they team up with others and become a team. This team is required for emergency travels to other villages and outposts for supplies or deliveries. The winter can bring beauty, but it can also bring great danger. Blizzards can be hazardous for trolls for their small size which is why they need to be quick and determined to complete their tasks.

"Back then, the fastest and most reliable way of getting around during the winter was with elite teams of trolls pulling on sleds!" Auntie narrated. "Races were held every year to form the best team and the competition was very fierce."

At that moment, a rushing troll team pulled ahead in a flash. The racing trolls panted and breathed heavily from their lungs. Even in the cold, the adrenaline made their hearts pump and sweat easily despite the cold. Their driver, which helped them guide them through the travel, pushed them on with cries of support. On their right side, another troll team began to caught up, which their leader was a purple troll with yellow trousers, blue/turquoise hair, and blue eyes. He pushed harder to reach the lead.

Both teams headed towards a long log tunnel, but they saw that its exit is not wide enough for both teams to pass through. The leaders competed and are neck to neck. The purple leader looked on and then bursts ahead, pulling his team harshly as they were almost being lifted from their feet.

"Whoa, Creek! Easy there!" The driver from the back cried out to the lead troll.

"Creek, we're not gonna make it!" A scrawny, male yellow troll with light green hair and green eyes cried out, only for Creek to slap him with his hair.

"Tune out your negativity, Weed!" Creek ordered. He and the other leader raced ahead. The exit was coming closer and it's narrow enough for only one team to pull through. But Creek's chance of winning is slipping fast and the other team are not slowing down. The other leader gritted his teeth as he glared at Creek, showing determination that they're going to win.

"Fall back, Creek! Fall back!" Creek's driver ordered, but Creek ignored him. Then he saw the second troll behind the other leader trying to keep his feet balanced during his run. He noticed how his legs are shorter than the others. One slip up, and he tumbles down like a pile of sticks. Creek thought for a second and then grinned at the thought of a devious plan. He then twirled his hair and swung at the troll's feet, causing him to panic and stumble to the ground as well as making the rest of his team to fall down. Creek's team then rushed ahead, exiting the log tunnel as they left the other team behind.

The fallen team's driver growled and punched in the snow angrily at this unfair defeat. "CREEK!"

Creek heard the cries and only snickered cunningly and continued forward to finish the race they were in while heading for the village in the center of the forest.

One troll above the tree saw them coming and let out a fireworks, signaling the arrival of the winning team.


Meanwhile, in a small troll village, cheers and hollers can be heard in the crowd as they witnessed the fireworks in the sky. This meant that the winner is almost upon arrival and it'll be the end of this Winter Relay.

Not far from the village center, a black haired grey troll with light blue eyes was climbing on the pods as he helped his friend, a giraffe-like Troll that has fuzzy red and pink stripey fur, four legs, blue hair, and a green hat, get up the pod.

"Look! It's the three mile marker!" The four-legged troll said as his grey friend with a green vest and brown shorts, managed to pull him up.

"Well, I guess that means the race will be almost over," the grey troll commented. "Now, please, get off of me!"

"Sorry, Branch!" The troll, known as Cooper, apologized. "Now, if we hurry, we can catch the end of the race!"

"Uh, no!" Branch argued. "This isn't such a good idea, traveling by jumping on pods." He then saw the crowds cheering and cringed at the loud noise. "Then again, it's better than to go through that pack of party animals."

"Don't be such a party pooper, Branch! This is good for you and you need to get out more."

"I just don't want to be the center of attention or going into town!" Branch complained. "Every time I leave my home, something always happens to either of us."

"You're acting like something bad will happen to us," Cooper chuckles. "What's the worst that can happen?" Before Branch could answer, Cooper accidentally became tangled in some vines. Luckily, Branch grabbed the vines and swung him over to another pod safely.

"Does that answer your question?" Branch sarcastically asks.

"Nah, it could happen to anybody," Cooper took a step forward, only to slip and fall down and landed beside a small pod farm where they handle fuzzy animals. Cooper yelled as a rope wrapped around his neck, pulling him inside. A bulky troll began to shear his fur on the behind, only for Cooper to grab his fur and put it back angrily. "Yo, man! My butt needs that!"

When the troll suddenly grabbed a huge pair of clippers, Cooper gulped and attempts to escape, only for the troll to tackle him. He screamed when he saw the shadow of the shears, the sound of clipping coming louder. "I'm too young to be bald!"

Luckily, he was saved by Branch who grabbed him with his hair before Cooper's fur was cut. "Hey, bring that back, you bandit!" The farmer hollered but Branch only smiled. He then sees the silhouettes of the winning team in a distance.

"Excuse me, Grey brother, but I would like to be put down now, if it pleases his grumpiness," Cooper commented.

"Whatever you say, Cooper." Branch lets him go.

"You know, you used to love watching these races, Branch. Every time there's one, you would run around like you're in it. Ever thought of entering one? With your survival skills, you could win easily."

"Yeah, until another winner comes, and then another," Branch sighed. "Trust me, no matter what I do, they just don't want a gray winner. I prefer to watch from the sidelines or far from the crowd. I don't belong there anyway."

"Branch, one day, you'll be in it and you'll be someone again!" Cooper tried to cheer him up.

"Yeah, maybe. Someday, hopefully," Branch slightly agreed as he stepped on a slab of wood.

"But remember, this race is off the chi-zain! Let Brother Cooper give you the ro-opes!" Cooper yelled as he fell through a window and managed to pop out of another, this causes a huge heap of snow to fall on top of him. "Well, I'm no spring troll myself!" He shook himself and completely shivered. "Dude, it's cold!" He then followed Branch as they went into another pod.

Another fireworks has set off to the sky. "Look! It's the two mile marker!"

The duo bursts out of the pod, breathing slightly due to them running in a hurry. "Come on, we don't want to miss the finish!" Branch panted, having slightly cheered up a little by Cooper. He wouldn't admit it, but deep down, watching the races always brought him hope of a little happiness. Who knows? Maybe even hope of recovering his true colors again.

"Oh, that would be a tragedy!" Cooper sarcastically said, having learned it from Branch. Branch, however, only rushes off, jumping on Cooper's head with force which caused him to become buried in snow. "I was being sarcastic! Guess it only works on you, brother!"


Hope you like it!

Please leave reviews and/or ideas or comments, but no flames! I mean it!

Neomoon585