Disclaimer: I still don't own Trolls! I just enjoy writing in their universe.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I can't wait for this movie to come out, I'm seriously excited.

Chapter Two

The forest hummed with activity as Branch and Rosie made their way home. Birds darted overhead while critters and crawlers roamed around, peaking at the two trolls as they went by.

"Can we go the long way?" Rosie was skipping in circles around Branch, burning off some of her seemingly boundless energy. While she didn't really want to go home and practice camouflaging, she wasn't going to whine about it. That just wasn't in her nature, and besides, she liked spending time with her dad.

"I don't know," Branch said, looking uncertain, "It's going to be dark soon, and we should get home before sunset."

Rosie darted to his side and tugged on his hands, her eyes becoming big and pleading. "Pleeeeeaassseeee? We don't have to take the long long way, just the long way. It'll be fun. And we can pick berries!"

"Aw, come on, sunshine, not the face."

She poked out her lower lip, and Branch knew it was over. Oh, well, what exactly was he supposed to do against that? Branch tried to keep a stern look on his face, but it crumbled as she suddenly hugged him. "Okay, okay, you little master manipulator," he said, giving her hair a loving tug. Rosie peeled away and starting running around him in circles, joyous. Branch crossed his arms. "But we'll practice on the way."

He gave a smug grin as she came to an abrupt halt. "Daaad."

"Those are the terms," he said as he started walking again, veering off to the left trail that would take them past the new party pavilion and berry patches. "Go with them, or we go straight home."

Rosie twisted her hand in her hair, considering it, then she smiled. "Fine, but I get to eat all the berries I want!" She took off down the path, giggling as he stretched out a hand to try and catch her.

Branch chased after her. "Don't you dare, you'll ruin your appetite. That's not a part of the deal!"

This part of the forest wasn't as well developed as the rest of the valley, and it was on the outskirts of the trolls' main village. With the village continuing to grow, they kept expanding, but there were only a couple troll trees out here. Most of the trolls in the area were berry farmers or critter wranglers, and they waved or called out to Branch and Rosie as the pair rushed past.

Branch was laughing by the time he finally caught up with Rosie. He snatched up his youngest and tickled her, grinning at her happy shrieks.

"Okay, okay, okay!" she said, dancing away from him, "I won't eat too many berries."

"You can have a few," Branch conceded.

Rosie smiled and tucked her hand into his as they walked. She was fine with that, it worked for her. And if she was lucky, maybe her dad had totally forgotten about camouflage practice. It wasn't like she didn't try to camouflage just like everyone else. While it came naturally to most people, it definitely wasn't her strong point. In general, she wasn't very good at controlling her hair. But hey, she was an outstanding hugger, a great ice cream maker, and a very good soprano. At least she had a few things going for her.

"So, what are you and your friends getting ready for the show?" Branch asked. The younger trolls were holding a dance show in a few days to celebrate the opening of the new party pavilion, and Rosie had been very secretive about what she and her friends were doing.

"Can't say." She smirked and shrugged. "Nothing big." Which meant it was going to be an all-out extravaganza. Rosie never did anything by halves.

"I'll be prepared with a fire extinguisher."

"I haven't played with sparklers in two years!"

"Still…"

Rosie rolled her eyes. He was never going to let that go, was he? She was going to be hearing about it when she was old with white hair. Just because she had almost burnt down a set of troll pods while playing with sparklers on Friendship Day…

"Well, since we're not going to discuss your super secret dance plans, let's try some practice drills," he said, sounding way too enthusiastic about dodging and hiding.

Rosie knew better than to try to put it off anymore. Her parents were lenient but when they wanted their kids to do something, it practically always happened. So instead of complaining, Rosie put on a determined expression. "It's go time!" She pumped her fist in the air.

"Okay, then let's start with a rock." Branch watched as Rosie sat down on the ground, her hair forming up around her. However, instead of going grey and bumpy, her hair flashed to a bright yellow and red striped pattern and fuzzed out. She looked like a little puff ball. Branch tilted his head to the side and frowned, not exactly loving the idea of some big creature thinking of his daughter as a fuzzy snack. "That's…not really rock-like, sunshine."

"Let me do something else then," she said, peaking out from behind her hair.

"Mm…then try a brush bush." At least those were colorful and troll hair already looked a little like its spiky top.

Rosie ended up with light purple curls springing out from all over her head. It wasn't a match for the dark purple and green brush bush by a long shot.

"Well, purple is a good start," Branch said, going for an encouraging tone.

Rosie's hair brightened into its normal blue-purple-pink tri-color, and she put her hands on her hips. Now it was a challenge. "Give me another."

"A flower, then."

"Which one?"

"Your choice." That would give her a lot of options, at least. Branch watched as Rosie's hair grew straight up and formed a flower-esque shape. "There we go, that's it!"

Then her hair simply starting waving back and forth and fading between colors. Well. That was the exact opposite of hiding. That was basically a 'here I am, come eat me' signal.

"I'm trying," Rosie said as her hair shrank back down. She ground the ball of her right foot into the ground and looked a little embarrassed. "Really."

"I know," Branch said, holding open his arms. She raced over and hug-tackled him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He hugged her tight, snuggling her close. While he still wasn't that big into hugs, it was different with his family. He liked getting hugs from Poppy and the kids. And you know, that was about it, for the most part. He picked up Rosie and set her on his shoulders, unwilling to make her practice more when he could tell she had been trying so hard. "You'll get better at it." He hoped.

"Why can't I do it like everyone else can?" she asked, settling her arms on his head and squashing his hair down so she could see.

"We're all good at some things and not so good at others," Branch said, "Like your mom is good at being positive, and I'm good at being careful. But I'm not so good making parties or designing new buildings and your mom isn't…well there are things she would say she wasn't good at." But he wasn't going to get into that with Rosie.

"Like what?"

"Like…um…recognizing safe forest plants." That was a safe one to say, and it was true. Poppy wasn't exactly the best forest forager.

"Branch! Rosie!" Poppy's cheerful voice chimed through the forest, and they saw her appear farther up the pathway. She looked like she had been working for most of the day, her forehead and hair smeared with dirt and paint. While Branch had been overseeing a harvest in another part of the forest, Poppy had spent the day working on the new party pavilion.

Branch automatically smiled at the sight of his spazz-tastic wife as Rosie jumped off his shoulder and dashed to her mom. Poppy gave him a soft, warm smile in return.

"Mommy!" Rosie said, springing into her arms.

Poppy laughed and hugged her close before spinning her around. "My Rosie! Wanna go try out the new pavilion? We finished the floor today!" She looked over at Branch as he walked toward them. "We can break it in."

Branch leaned over and gave her a one-armed hug before kissing her temple. "You just want to be able to claim 'first,'" he said, meaning she wanted to say that she was the first one to dance on the floor.

Poppy lifted her chin, but she was grinning like a kid. "It's a queen's prerogative to check out a dance floor and make sure it doesn't have any splinters. And, as my king, you have to come with me out of obligation." She bumped her hip against his, still holding Rosie in her arms. "Duh."

Branch gave a little, solemn bow, teasing Poppy. "As you wish, your majesty."

Poppy laughed. "Dork."

"Let's go!" Rosie shouted and wriggled to the ground, taking off the moment her toes touched the ground.

Branch held a hand out to Poppy, and she took it before the two of them went after their bouncy youngest.