merendinoemiliano-Thanks! I'm glad you liked the chapter! As for why I didn't describe the golems too much, it was because we've all seen golems in the show before. I didn't feel like I needed to describe it any further than saying they were made from stone instead of crystal or mud. But thank you for telling me! Reviews help me know what to fix.

T3ddyBearL0ve-I'm so happy you're this excited over the fic! And it's funny, because I won't check up with a fic for a few weeks and then when I go back to it, there's ten more chapters and I'm like WHAT HAPPENED?! And don't worry, one day Jimbo will feel proud enough to roar! Those drones…definitely not good.

Jim was not a happy camper. They had lost valuable daytime-no, nighttime-tracking down the trolls that had fled the fight. They didn't look it, but the Trollmarket trolls were surprisingly fast when they wanted to be, unfortunately for Jim and his friends.

Merlin was no help at all either. He was sleeping the whole night long. Some wizard he turned out to be.

And so, Jim was very irritated by the time the moon was high in the sky.

"Is that everyone?" Jim called grumpily.

"Just Glug and Bagdwella left, I believe," Blinky replied. His eyes scanned the party of trolls. Since they couldn't move on without the missing trolls, they had taken the opportunity to rest. They really should've been doing something productive, like gathering food, but Jim let them have their rest. That fight had been unexpected and frightening, to say the least.

"Aha! Forgive my miscalculation, Master Jim, but Bagdwella is present! She's behind a particularly large river troll. One less troll to worry about," Blinky stated happily.

Jim slumped in relief. "That's good. I just need to find Glug, who is making my life difficult. Again." He shuddered, remembering when Toby was blamed for her antics.

"I'll come with you," Claire offered, slipping her hand into his.

He smiled gratefully at her and gave her hand a tight squeeze. "Thanks, Claire, but I think you should sit this one out. You look exhausted."

"I'm really not," Claire protested, stifling a huge yawn.

"Uh-huh," Jim said, grinning. He gently wiggled his hand out of hers. "You should get some sleep while the other trolls are resting. I guess that po-" the word hitched in his throat, "-uh, drink, Merlin gave you hasn't worked yet."

"I guess you're right," she huffed. She hugged him tightly. "Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone, Trollhunter."

"Pretty sure that's impossible."

"Yeah, I know." She trudged down to join Blinky. "But it doesn't mean I have to like it!"

He laughed as he turned away from Claire and slipped into the forest. On a whim, he jumped into a tree. With hardly any effort, Jim bent his knees and leapt to another tree at least thirty feet away. He landed on a sturdy branch smoothly.

Maybe I should consider doing gymnastics, Jim joked.

He braced one hand on the trunk and gazed at the forest below him. It was so peaceful up here. Sure, he had gone camping with Toby when he was younger, but this was different. It felt like Jim had gone back in time to when the only living things in forests were the animals. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of the wind as it rustled through his hair. He hoped Claire was sleeping right now, and not worrying about him. She needed some rest.

Now that he thought about it, shouldn't Jim be tired too? He had been working just as hard as Claire…no, even harder than her. So why did he feel like he could run a marathon?

He rested his head against the tree trunk, trying to ignore the way his horn conked against it. Claire did mention that trolls didn't need to sleep as much as humans, but he didn't think that would apply to him. He thought he would be, like, exempted from it or something. Stupid.

Does this mean he wouldn't sleep anymore? Jim did just have a terrifying nightmare, but sleeping was so essential to being human. If he couldn't do that, how much more did he lose? How much of his humanity was left?

Jim didn't realize he was whining until a voice said, "Rough night, Little Gynt?"

Jim shouted in surprise and stumbled. He lost his footing on the branch and went into a freefall. The forest was a blur of color as he rapidly approached the ground.

His mind was blank in panic, but his trollish instincts saved him. He grabbed a branch that flew by him and used his momentum to flip back up. He landed on a sturdy limb a few feet below the one he was on before, panting.

"Nice save," the voice grunted.

Jim glared up at Nomura, who was sitting on the branch above, her legs swinging lazily. "Did you have to sneak up on me like that?"

"Like what?" she asked coyly.

"Never mind," Jim huffed. "Why did you follow me?"

"Thought you could use the help. Plus, I may have taken out my fair share of Gumm-Gumms, but those idiots below still don't trust me. Just because I'm a changeling," she spat.

"Oh." Jim didn't know how to respond to that. "I'm sorry, Nomura." Annnnnd that sounded super fake and hollow.

She slipped down to Jim's branch. "It's not your fault, Little Gynt. You trust me, and that's good enough for me." Nomura smiled, her sharp fangs glinting in the moonlight. "Join me below. We need to talk."

With that, she elegantly jumped off the branch and disappeared. Confused but intrigued, Jim followed suit.

When Jim himself landed on the forest floor, Nomura was waiting with her arms crossed. She gestured for him to get up and started walking. Jim hurriedly caught up with her. "So, what's up? What'd you want to talk about?"

"I overheard your conversation with Merlin."

Jim tripped and nearly fell. "Y-you did?"

She nodded. "Yes. And I understand your fear. You've spent your entire life as one species. To have it changed so abruptly…I can't imagine the toll it must have on you. Even as a changeling."

He rubbed his arm. "Yeah…"

Nomura stopped walking and turned to face him. Her glowing green eyes stared at him. When he had first met her, those eyes were full of hate, but now, they shone with concern. "But I do understand more than most. While I've never had my human and troll sides clash in one form, like you, I know what both spectrums are like. Sometimes, when I'm human, I think of what I did as a troll and find it disgusting. Same for when I'm a troll. It took me nearly a hundred years to accept both of my natures."

"Did you say one hundred years-"

"Your problem is that you're terrified of your troll side. A warranted fear, to be sure. Trolls have their…unpleasant qualities, to say the least. But I can help you overcome that fear. I can show you how to master and embrace your primal instincts. One day, you will not only be unafraid of your troll side-you'll be proud of it." She smiled. "As I am now."

Jim looked down, unable to meet her in the eyes. "But…it's different for you," he said hoarsely. "You can still be-be human…I can't. I can never go back."

Nomura gently lifted his chin up. He reluctantly met her gaze. "I know," she whispered. "I know. You really do carry the weight of the world on your shoulders…I see now why Stricklander calls you 'Young Atlas.' But if you really want to embrace who you are now…I'm your best chance."

Her pointed ears twitched, and she lowered her hand. "I hear Glug," she said. Now that she mentioned it, Jim could hear the troll's faint calls for help in the distance.

Nomura sighed. "Think about it, Trollhunter. When you're ready to talk, let me know."

The changeling then darted into the trees, leaving Jim alone to consider her offer.

Thank y'all so much for reading! Please leave a review, I enjoy reading all of them! Have a great weekend!