Chef then spotted Poppy riding away on her horse!

"Oh the-the-the girl!" She cried before turning to her goons. "You, you, and you!" She pointed to a goon with maces on chains, a goon with an arm that shot out spades, and Bladebeak...who was still dancing. "Fancy Feet! Get her! And bring her back! And you." She then brought Griffin's head down so that she could glare at him in th eye. "You are going to lead me to Peacekeeper."

As the other goons forced Lady Lilac towards a wagon, she sang in prayer to Sir Peppy's angel. Since she currently couldn't do anything, she hoped that his soul would be able to protect Poppy for her.

I pray you'll be my eyes

And watch her where she goes

And help her to be wise

Help me to let go

Every mother's prayer

Every child knows

Lead her to a place

Guide her to a place

Give her faith so she'll be safe

Lead her to a place

Guide her with your grace

To a place where she'll be safe

Poppy hurried her horse onward, especially after she noticed two of Chef's goons and Bladebeak after her on warthogs. Her horse hesitated at making the turn towards the Forbidden Forest, but Poppy insisted.

One of the goons shot spades at a dead tree, making it fall, but Poppy dodged it by directing her horse into a river. Finally they made it to the edge of the forest, but this was her horse's limit. He threw her off in a panic and galloped away on his own.

"The Forbidden Forest." Poppy whispered, a bit frightened.

However she was more frightened of Chef's goons, and knew that she had to find Peacekeeper first, so she entered the forest.

Fortunately the warthogs collapsed with exhaustion, so the two goons were forced to go on foot as well. Bladebeak's warthog, not having had as heavy a rider, was still going but then skidded to a halt sending Bladebeak flying through the air until his beak landed into the spade goon's arm.

"Hey, we're not going in there are we?" Bladebeak asked nervously.

"Chicken." The spade goon glared.

"But I got a wife and two eggs at home!" Bladebeak protested.

No luck, the goons continued on. Bladebeak ended up having a choice after all though, since the spade goon shook him off his arm, but decided that there was safety in numbers and so followed him and the mace goon into the forest anyway.

Poppy continued on through the thick branches and rocky paths, until she tripped over a root and fell into a pond. Luckily the water was shallow, so she was able to instantly stand up...covered in a net?

"Hey!" Someone angrily said. "That's my net!"

Startled, Poppy turned and saw a male Troll in the shadows holding a wooden staff.

The two goons and Bladebeak then jumped into the pond...literally in Bladebeak's case, since he was small enough to be completely covered in the water. The male Troll noticed them and readied his staff, instantly grasping that they were the enemy.

They noticed him too, and the spade goon grabbed Bladebeak and flung him at the male Troll. The male Troll however ducked, causing Bladebeak to get stuck in the tree behind him. The male Troll then signaled with his head and a flying lizard, Barnabas, flew around the heads of the two goons to distract them as they advanced towards the male Troll. The male Troll took advantage of this to repeatedly knock them down with his staff, until the mace goon was swallowed by a living hunk of rock. The spade goon readied to strike, but the male Troll, with a smirk, hit a vine behind him with his staff. A log tied up in vines shot out sideways and knocked the spade goon into a whirlpool.

"Wow...that was incredible!" Poppy grinned.

"You okay?" The male Troll asked.

"Yes, thanks to you."

"Good...it took me six weeks to make that net!"

"Hey, I didn't fall into it on purpose." Poppy frowned. "Besides, you saved my life."

"Well, anyone can make a mistake." The male Troll deadpanned.

"Oh, I get it, this is where King Gristle Jr sends his unfunny jesters." Poppy retorted.

"No, but thank you for reminding me why I'm a hermit. Good day!" The male Troll started to leave.

"But wait, what's your name?" Poppy went after him.

"Branch."

"Fitting name for someone who lives in a forest. I'm Poppy."

"Fitting name for someone who pops out of nowhere to bother others."

"Hey! Look, can you at least go into the light so that I know what my rescuer looks like?" Poppy rushed up to him.

Knowing that Poppy was going to insist anyway, Branch reluctantly moved into the light. Poppy gasped.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know that you're-" She said sympathetically.

"What? Rugged? Handsome?" Branch deadpanned.

"Gray." Poppy said awkwardly.

"You know I always forget that one." Branch snarked. "So, now you know."

"Wha-what happened to you? I mean I heard that Trolls only become gray when they're depressed." Poppy said concernedly.

"Got that right. I don't want to talk about it though." Branch started to walk away.

"Okay, then I won't ask again." Poppy backed off.

Neither of them noticed Bladebeak, who had freed himself from the tree, following them. He hid behind some bushes...which moved behind him.

"Whoa, moving bush!" He almost panicked, ducking behind them again so that he wouldn't be spotted.

Barnabas grumbled something to Branch.

"Not now Barnabas!" Branch hissed, too focused on figuring out what to do for food while he repairs his net; after Poppy leaves of course.

"Hey, your friend is a flying lizard!" Poppy realized, catching up to Branch.

"Really? Hadn't noticed." Branch deadpanned.

"I mean he knows where Peacekeeper is."

"Of course, it's in Trollgenlot." Branch rolled his eyes. "You know, big castle? Lots of flags?"

"No, it's somewhere in the forest."

Branch stopped, surprised.

"Really?" He said, a bit worried since Peacekeeper being here meant that something happened to King Gristle Jr.

"Yes, Chef stole it and took my mom hostage. That's why I'm here, I must find the sword and return it to Gristle or Trollgenlot and my mom are doomed."

Barnabas grumbled something to Branch.

"Ah, so that's what you were trying to tell me. Sorry." Branch said to him. "Well, we must go after it."

"Great!" Poppy grinned.

"Not you, me and Barnabas." Branch corrected. "We work alone."

"Well I see no reason why I can't come along?" Poppy frowned.

Branch started to sing:

I know the sound of each rock and stone

And I embrace what others fear

You are not to roam in this forgotten place

Just the likes of me are welcome here

Everything breathes and I know each breath

For me it means life for others it's death

It's perfectly balanced, perfectly planned

More than enough for this man

Branch tapped the stone he was standing on with his staff, causing it to rise. Poppy grabbed on as the stone continued rising until it was as high as the path next to it. Branch walked onto the path and used his staff to make a dry path in the waterfall in front of him. Poppy followed, but the water fell back into position and soaked her.

Like every tree stands on its own

Reaching for the sky I stand alone

I share my world with no one else

All by myself

I stand alone

They then came across a living tree. Branch waited and let the tree help him forward with a root, knowing that this type of tree was very friendly. Branch then used his staff to continue on until he reached the rock path on the other side. Poppy followed, but found it a little tricky to balance on the roots. However she was able to make it by swinging from a hanging root onto the rock path. Branch didn't want to admit it, but he was actually impressed by that.

I've seen your world with these very eyes

Don't come any closer, don't even try

I've felt all the pain and heard all the lies

But in my world there's no compromise

Bladebeak on the other hand had a horrible time with the tree roots. The tree, either because it sensed that he wasn't a friend of the two Trolls or because it just didn't like axes in general, moved its roots around to prevent Bladebeak from easily catching up to Poppy and Branch.

Then there were these flower-like plants that kept shooting out these thick tendrils from the middle of their petals. Branch made it through with no trouble, but Poppy had to duck and dodge a little. This time Bladebeak had it easy, once he reached that area, since he was too small for the plants to notice.

Branch then used little fountains of water that shot from a pond to walk up to a cliff and continue on his way. Poppy had a little trouble with this too, but this time she didn't mind because it was fun riding the fountains.

Bladebeak found them fun too, but by the time he reached them Poppy and Branch were already far ahead of him.

Like every tree stands on its own

Reaching for the sky I stand alone

I share my world with no one else

All by myself

I stand alone

All by myself

I stand alone

Branch then rode a living stump down to a slide in the path, and slid down to a field of tall flowers with blue petals. He lightly tapped one with his staff and then held on as the petals started to spin. The flower rose from the ground and flew away, allowing Branch to reach the top of a cliff.

Poppy tried to follow, but accidentally touched one with yellow petals that just sank into the ground. Then she touched the right type of flower, but hesitated for a moment which caused her to nearly miss her ride. Fortunately, by the time she caught up with Branch he had stopped.

Branch started to have second thoughts about letting Poppy join, not only had she managed to keep up with him but he knew that he couldn't leave her by herself in the forest. He was already filled with too much guilt as it is without letting another Troll die.

"I stand alone too, I just need your help this once." Poppy insisted.

Barnabas flew up to her and nuzzled her. Branch always trusted Barnabas's judgement, so...

"All right all right, but don't give me any trouble." He pretended to reluctantly give in.

Poppy went on ahead, later happily brushing against some ball-shaped flowers. It turned out that they were ball-shaped because they were filled with some kind of juice...that kept soaking Branch.

"This is a fine mess you've gotten us into Barnabas." Branch glared. "Or at least got me into."

"This isn't so bad." Poppy smiled, not hearing Branch.

Branch had to whack aside dangerous forest creatures that were about to attack Poppy without her knowing.

"I don't know why you made such a big fuss, I've had a tougher time collecting eggs." Poppy continued.

Branch hit a predatory patch of grass with a rock to drive it away from Poppy.

"Trouble trouble trouble." He muttered. "With a capital T."