She couldn't decide whither it was the depression or if he really had just been that fast-but soon Branch had some food cooking over the fire. Some kind of berries he had cut up and suspicious purple meat. He was using an old hollow skull of some random creature to cook it in and a stick to stir it up. She watched silently while he seemed happy. Manic almost. Pumped up with adrenaline.
While the food simmered over the fire he stripped in front of her. Her eyes widened but as with Trolls, there's nothing to see until they want you to see it. This still didn't stop her soaking up every cyan and cerulean curve of his little masculine body. She was surprised to see he had a leaner shape than most Trolls but he was still sturdy.
It was a kingly air to the way he had built himself and carried himself.
He ignored her prying eyes on his nudity as he started sewing together some camouflaged clothing.
"Branch. Please tell me you're not planning on going on a some suicide mission." Poppy said flatly.
Branch laughed as he sewed; "A suicide mission? No way. Just a regular mission."
"That's not funny." She crossed her arms and scowled.
Branch looked over at her with warmness and love in his face, but also a sadness he couldn't quite hide, and said softly; "It wasn't supposed to be funny."
Poppy looked away and sighed. Then she decided to lay back down. Branch continued his work on the clothing while she pouted angrily.
"You asked me last night to keep on fighting. That's what I'm going to do. My many years of studying survival and the Bergen make me the perfect Troll to fix this."
"We can't win a war!" Poppy nearly shouted.
Again, Branch smiled and chuckled as he worked. Poppy's heart did a weird little skip when he chuckled. The way the sun caught hold of the indigo of his hair, his purple nose, his smile made her heart feel strange.
"So who said anything about a war? I'm going to sneak in and have a talk with the King himself."
"That's too dangerous!" Poppy gasped.
Branch stopped sewing for a moment and looked over at her. His eyes, so very blue, caught hers.
"I promise you I will come back to you."
Poppy felt panicked suddenly and had to stand up. She paced around the fire tugging at her gray hair. Branch watched her and pursed his lips together. He sat her back down and served her up some food in a leaf he fashioned in to a bowl with a little twig for a fork.
"You'll feel better after you eat." He promised and ran his blue fingers through her hair. Only for a second. But to the both of them it was a very very long second. She ate while he continued on his outfit.

"There's no way to get out to even look for them!" HoneySuckle was absolutely panicked.
The Queen and Branch were both missing and after what she had gone through with King Gristle she was terrified that they weren't missing...but actually eaten. No one knew what was going on but her, Guy Diamond, and now the snack pack that Guy Diamond had gotten together so they could try to figure something out.
"We can't just stand around and do nothing!" Biggie puffed out his big chest; "When we need saved Poppy didn't hesitate to come find us!"
"But every little hole and gate and tunnel wasn't guarded then!" Cooper retaliated.
HoneySuckle hadn't been maintaining her flowing hair and it had spiked up like a normal Troll's. The color and hue were still the same color and texture but it fluffed about her head as if it may float off any second. Guy Diamond often found himself lost from the current situation just watching her.
"We have to figure out a way to get out past the guards. They're not even sure why they have to keep us out. I might be small enough to sneak through." The spunky little Smidge offered in her masculine voice.
"No...we need a plan that can get us all through..." HoneySuckle shook her head.
They argued and brainstormed for hours.

"Please, end this silly feud you have going on with the Trolls. Poppy is my best friend and now she's missing!" Bridget cried as she followed around Gristle in their bedroom. He refused to listen to her on the matter. Literally pretended she wasn't there. Bridget wished she had Branch and Poppy in her ear to tell her exactly what to say because she was so lost. There was no way to get through to him.

As the sun began to dip beyond the horizon Branch stood up. He had made camouflaged pants and a vest as before. His indigo hair had been reigned in shorter and he had fashioned a backpack with...well Poppy wasn't sure what was in it. Or why he was acting like he was going to leave in the middle of the night.
She ran to her feet and grabbed on to his arm.
"No! Branch, you can't do this alone. We couldn't do it alone before. What if I need you here? What if something happens?"
Branch looked down at her with a half smile and ran his hand across her cheek. Her color may have been gone but he could feel the blush that it bloomed on her cheeks.
"I'll only be one call away." He said confidently.
Poppy rolled her eyes so hard her head rolled with them and she let go of his arm. "Stop!"

(Charlie Puth: One Call Away {Trolls Edit})

"I'm only one call away. I'll be here to save the day. The Bergen have nothing on me." He reached over to her and grabbed hold of her cheeks in a silly way and pressed his nose against hers; "I'm only one call away."
She pulled away and groaned. Threw her hands in the air and let them smack back down to her sides. So frustrated but not knowing what to do she didn't even have words anymore. But Branch did. He smiled and winked at her very flirtatiously.
"Call me baby, if you need a friend. I just wanna give you love. C'mon c'mon c'mon. Reaching out to you...So take a chance."
He jumped towards her and wrapped an arm around her lower back and dipped her down so her hair brushed along the dirt. Poppy scowled back in to his beautiful face but all he did was cock an eyebrow teasingly and yanked her back upright. He gently wrapped two fingers around the heart around her neck he had fashioned her.
"No matter where you go you know you're not alone."
He let go of the heart and took a few steps away from their camp with Poppy following behind him and attempting to complain but he just sang right over her whining.
"I'm only one call away, I'll be there to save the day. The Bergen got nothing on me! I'm only one call away."
Then he stopped again and gently took her in his arms this time. Pulling her wrists towards him and wrapping them around his neck. Poppy would have been glowing from blushing if she hadn't been grayed out. He kept his hands on her wrists and sang down to her playfully.
"Come along with me and don't be scared. I just wanna set you free. C'mon c'mon c'mon. You and me can make it anywhere. But for now, we can stay here for a while." He let go of her wrists and she tried to snatch her hands back to her chest while slowly his hands cupped her little face. "Cause you know, I just wanna see you smile."
"Branch we can't just stay here and...and do whatever it is that this is! Something has to be done but you can't do it alone-"
"And when you're weak I'll be strong. I'm gonna keep holding on."
"Branch, no..." She started to cry. He just wiped away her tears.
"Now don't you worry, it won't be long. Darling, and when you feel the hope is gone...Just run in to my arms."
He got punched in the chest instead of getting hugged with his arms held out. But he took it with a small grunt and then darted off running. She heard the tail end of him singing before she lost all sight and sound of him.
"I'm only one call away. I'll be there to save the day. The Bergen got nothing on me! I'm only one, one call away. I'll be there to save the day. The Bergen got nothing on me! I'm only one call away...!"
Poppy just hopelessly plopped on the ground and wiped away her tears angrily. He was going to get himself killed for her. Because she was being so weak! She hated herself at that moment and actually threw herself on the ground and pitched a fit. Complete with screaming, throwing of fists, head, and feet. When she was finished she sat back up all dusty and dirty and watched the moon rise in the direction Branch had run off.

(Haley ReinHart: Can't Help Falling In Love With You)

"Wise Troll's say only fools rush in. But I can't help falling in love with you. Oh...Shall I stay? Would it be a sin? Oh...If I can't help...Falling in love with you."
Would it really be so bad marrying Branch? He had shown her that he would be an excellent king and loved her unconditionally. She was just so unsure that he wouldn't turn and run. But...Maybe this entire time she had really been afraid of herself turning and running.
"Oh, like a river flows surely to the sea...Darling so it goes...Some things are meant to be..."
If he made it back alive she would tell him that they could get married. She could do that. Couldn't she?
"Take my hand. Take my whole life too...Oh...For I can't help falling in love with you."

(This one is leading up to what I hope will be a better chapter. Got a lot planned in my head for the next one. But currently in a bout of depression so...I'm very glad some people are enjoying this story! Thank you!)