Disclaimer: We don't own Trolls. The song in this chapter is "Ride" by Martina McBride.

Edit: Amended some narration involving Poppy's thoughts on Creek.

"Branch, Branch, Branch! Branch, wake up! We haven't got all day, ya know!"

Branch groaned as he was roused from sleep by the hyper, impatient, and apparently annoyed feminine voice and what felt like a stick poking him repeatedly. He swatted the stick as he rolled over, then looked up at his guest with irritation. Poppy had clearly woken up before him. She was fully clothed in her patched-up dress and holding a brown paper bag in one hand and, as Branch had thought, a stick that had most likely been in her hair the night before in her other. She beamed at him, energetic as ever.

"Morning! Hope you don't mind, but...I took a tiny walk outside this morning and found us some yummy treats in Bergen Town! See!?" She held the bag out as she tossed the stick aside, adding, "See, I figured you hadn't had anything sweet in quite a while, so I thought having some might actually make you happy! So!? How 'bout it!?" She reached into her bag and rummaged around a bit, then held up two different kinds of candy, asking, "Would you prefer a gummy worm or a lollipop?"

Poppy was feeling quite proud of herself right now. Since Branch had mentioned that Bergen Town was closer than the village, Poppy had stepped outside, curious as to how close. She'd been rather surprised and felt like an idiot when she saw them almost the moment her feet hit the ground—a quick walk around to the other side of the tower had been all it took to find them. She figured she must just have missed them in the dark, but that didn't make her any less proud of herself now. She'd only been to the root tunnels a few times as a little girl before the safer road had been built, yet she'd managed to remember which one led to the Troll Tree.

Branch had almost forgotten that Bergen Town offered troll-sized items in their stores, usually given for free to visiting trolls since the trolls didn't use money. He blinked as he realized that Poppy had just said she'd taken a walk to Bergen Town, then sat up and looked down at her feet. The bandages were showing red on the edges of her feet.

"...You have to stop that, Poppy," he told her as she pulled a second lollipop from her bag.

"Stop what, Branch?" she asked, sucking on her lollipop.

"Making your feet worse. Sit down."

Poppy blinked but did as he said, still holding the bag of candy. Branch got up and grabbed his first aid kit for the second time in as many days, then removed Poppy's bandages so he could check the damages. The wounds had stopped bleeding, but her blisters were looking worse, with new ones forming. Taking a look at the damages, Branch didn't think this girl should be walking on her feet any time soon.

He stared for a moment before he said, "Yeah, I think you'll still be here tonight..."

"That bad, huh?" Poppy asked, sweating, lollipop still in her mouth. She didn't feel like her feet were hurt badly enough to put her out of commission.

"You probably should try to stay off your feet for a while, Poppy," Branch said as he grabbed a washcloth and started cleaning her wounds once more.

Poppy winced "YEEOUCH! T-t-that's—"

She took it back. If cleaning her feet with cool water felt like sticking them in a raging fire, then they really were that bad.

"Well, if you'd stop running all over the place, it wouldn't be this bad," Branch pointed out as he kept working.

"Yow, ya, yeowch, ow!" Poppy cried, squirming in pain.

"Oh, just eat your candy and be quiet."

"B-b-but, Branch... I-it hurts..." Poppy whined.

Losing his patience, Branch looked up at her and began, "Yeah, and you—" He cut himself off. No, Branch, you need her. Don't drive her off. Rather than finish that thought, he just quietly looked back at her feet and finished cleaning them.

"Ouch, ooch, eech! S-say...y-you a-about done, B-Branch? ...That really hurts..." Poppy whined again.

"Just about," he answered simply. He finished cleaning her wounds and grabbed some bandages from his first aid kit.

"Ew... Y-yeah...probably should stay in bed for a while, h-huh?" Poppy asked with a pained, awkward grin. The agony was slowly starting to fade, but it definitely gave her a good reason to listen to Branch for once.

Oh, now she realizes that? Branch thought, annoyed at this girl for ignoring her own health. "Yeah, probably. Except we need to find a place to hide you tonight until Creek's gone. He's pretty mad at me right now, so that should only take about 30 seconds, but I don't need him seeing you while he's dropping off food."

Poppy stared at him for a second, feeling awkward all of a sudden. Would Creek really be upset with Branch if he found her here? "Uh...okay." Thinking of what Branch had said the previous night and not wanting to anger him so much that he refused to let her help him, Poppy looked around, trying to find a good place that she could hide while Creek was here. Her eyes landed on the shower, and she suggested, "Then how's the shower work for you? We could pull the curtain over and hide me back there."

"Sure, that'll do."

"Okay, then... But, uh...why's Creek mad at you? What did you do to upset him?" Poppy asked, looking back at Branch with concern.

"I've been trying to convince him that he shouldn't sell out all of his friends to save himself from pain."

Poppy blinked, looking lost. She didn't really get it, especially since she was still in disbelief about the idea that Creek would sell out his friends like that. "Uuuhh...okay?" She decided not to comment again. She'd learned the previous night that it was a touchy subject for Branch, so she changed the subject instead. "Anyway, have you decided what sweets to try? I've got fudge squares," she sang cheerfully, waving the bag in front of him. "Huh? Huh?"

Branch blinked, closing his first aid kit as he finished bandaging Poppy's feet once again, then took the bag and looked inside. As promised, she had fudge, in a variety of flavors. She also had colorful lollipops, jellybeans, gummy worms, gumdrops, rock candy, and a whole lot of chocolate. Looking back at Poppy, Branch set the bag down between them and asked, "Why'd you go to Bergen Town for candy?"

"Because! Candy's a great mood booster, Branch! It can fix anything! Try it!" she answered, tossing a fudge square into her mouth. She was absolutely confident that this would work and rather excited at the idea of seeing Branch actually happy for once.

Branch watched her, slightly stunned. Sheesh. Creek brought things to try to make me happy, but he wouldn't have hurt himself over it! He wasn't sure if the fact that Poppy did made him feel annoyed or touched, but her concern was still appreciated, regardless. He pulled some chocolate out of her bag and ate it.

"So? How ya feeling?" Poppy asked eagerly, leaning toward him with a somewhat mischievous look about her.

Branch shrugged and said, "Okay, I guess."

Poppy tossed her head and groaned, frustrated. "Arrah! You're killing me, Branch! Are you even trying?" she asked, a hand on her hip.

If she was going to lose her patience that easily, Branch knew already that she wouldn't be able to cheer him up. "Sorry, Poppy, but it's going to take more than candy to fix my problems."

"Okay. So, then, where do we start? You've been gray forever, if I remember correctly."

Branch closed his eyes. Forever was a long time, but he had spent most of his life gray. "...You're close. 21 years."

Poppy stared, stunned. "... Twenty-one?" She threw her arms up over her head, looking somewhat exasperated. How could anyone be that moody? Now she was really glad she didn't have to marry him. "Good grief, Branch! What's your problem? How could anyone stay gray for so long that—"

"I don't want to talk about it, Poppy," he cut her off.

"Uh, Branch? I'm pretty sure not talking about it's part of the issue. I mean, if you're holding something this bad inside for too long, it'll consume—"

At that word, Branch groaned, pulling his legs up to his chest and looking down. She'd reminded him of Peppy's words on the situation—about how he needed to let someone in before the hurt he felt consumed him. He'd only had that one play over and over in his head every day for the last 16 years, after all. Ugh, why does she have to be right!? he thought, frustrated.

Poppy blinked, looking at him in concern. That was a weird reaction. "Uh, Branch? ...You okay?" She crawled toward him carefully, trying to keep her feet off the floor.

Branch stared at his knees for a moment before he began, "The last Trollstice before King Peppy made peace with the bergens."

Poppy stopped moving, waiting. If this had to do with Trollstice, it had to be bad.

"My whole family was taken in one day." He closed his eyes as he continued, "And my grandma was only taken because she was trying to save me. I was—I got—" He struggled to find the words as his eyes filled with tears.

Poppy watched sadly. "...Branch..."

Branch took a moment to gain control of himself, fighting the tears back. Once he was sure he could continue without breaking down, he said, "I used to sing and dance, and everything else trolls do. And singing's what got my grandma killed."

Poppy's eyes widened in shock. She looked at him with sympathy. It was all starting to make sense—Branch was unhappy because everyone he loved had died tragically in a single day, and he blamed himself for one of those deaths. She'd known he'd lost his family to Trollstice. Many in the village had lost loved ones to that horrible holiday. But she'd never met anyone who lost their entire family in one day. Adding in the fact that he blamed himself for one made it obvious why he'd turned gray.

"I got too lost in the music, didn't hear her trying to warn me. She pushed me out of the bergen's way and got taken instead. Both my parents were taken, too."

"...I'm sorry..." Poppy said as she inched toward him again. That had to be the most tragic Trollstice story she'd ever heard, and she'd heard some bad ones.

But Branch wasn't done yet. "Then, a year later, when it looked like everyone would finally be safe, one of my friends disappeared."

Poppy's eyes widened, and she froze. ...Oh, no...

She hadn't realized that Creek and Branch were friends before all of this happened. Branch hadn't had any friends when they were children, and he'd only said that he used to know Creek, not that he'd liked him.

As the true depth of the problem became more apparent, Poppy looked up at the bed. There was a stuffed alligator that she'd seemingly grabbed in her sleep—she'd woken up with it in her arms. She had initially wondered why it was here, but now she debated whether she should grab it for Branch to try to comfort him.

"I pushed away my other friends like an idiot, and then Creek showed up, and—and I convinced myself it was okay, that he wasn't going to do anything to hurt me because we were friends!" Branch continued, growing more and more upset with each word he said.

Poppy crawled over to sit beside him and hesitantly reached for his shoulder so she could offer some comfort and try to calm him down. Eyes still closed, Branch didn't notice.

"But it turned out it was just a trap, he was just trying to save himself! And I was dumb enough to trust him!" Branch cried, tears forming at the corners of his eyes as he fought them back once again.

Poppy stopped, pulling back and just looked at him sadly. In a whisper, she said, "...Branch..."

Now she knew why he thought Creek would turn on her. He'd turned on a close friend, possibly his best friend, years before. Given that Biggie and Cooper were best friends and had known Creek before she'd met any of them, she assumed that Branch and Creek had probably shared the same sort of relationship before this happened. Besides, the Branch she knew didn't trust easily. For him to have trusted Creek, there had to have been strong feelings there. Yet Creek had caused him this suffering. It made sense that Branch didn't think Creek could be trusted now. And...

Poppy didn't want to think about it, but maybe Creek wasn't as great as she thought he was. If he'd turned on his best friend so easily, then maybe everything he'd done for her and the Snack Pack was just an act to win their trust. She refused to let that thought cross her mind, pushing it aside as soon as it even started to form. Creek couldn't be as bad as Branch thought. She knew him too well to believe that he'd really hurt all of them.

"Now, because of that, I'm trapped in this tower, relying on Creek coming around to keep me alive! And he's been trying for 16 years to make this place less miserable and more like home and make me happy, but nothing's working and everything just makes me more homesick! And, when I finally convinced him to try it my way, he still can't do it, no matter what! There's no way out of this, and now everyone I had left that I lost because I was an idiot is going to die at the hands of one of my friends!" With that last sentence, the tears finally started falling.

Poppy stared for a moment, absorbing all of that. Branch's family had all died one Trollstice, his grandmother because she was trying to protect him. After that, he'd lost a friend—his best friend. When Branch learned this lost friend was alive, he was also trapped by this same friend. Now he had no choice but to watch and wait while his treacherous friend lured everyone into a trap that would result in their deaths, and the few people Branch still had to care about were among those who would suffer. It was no wonder he was so miserable.

She quickly turned to the bed and reached out to grab the stuffed gator with her hair. Then she pulled the toy over as she leaned over to hug Branch. She pulled him into her arms, holding him close, and gently placed the toy in his arms at the same time. Branch's breath hitched in response, and he opened his eyes to look at the toy briefly before he squeezed it tightly and glanced at her. She just squeezed him a bit, knowing that nothing she could say would help with the pain he felt.

The tears were still falling—Branch couldn't stop them right now if he wanted to. Still holding Croco in a death grip, he quietly asked, "...You're friends with Biggie and Cooper, right?"

Poppy nodded silently.

"How are they doing?"

"...Cooper's as wild and carefree as ever. And Biggie's happy as can be with his friend Mr. Dinkles by his side. They're both doing really well, Branch. They're good friends to have around," she answered gently, still holding him close.

Branch nodded as he tried to calm down.

Poppy was quiet for another moment, partly to give Branch a chance to regain control of himself and partly so she could think of what to say. This was a delicate situation and needed to be handled as such. Finally, she said, "Branch. I know life hasn't been good to you, but you can't. Give. Up." She paused between each of the last three words, making each into a sentence of its own. "Happiness isn't solely dependent on our circumstances. Some of it's a choice we make to be happy, even if the odds are stacked against us. To look at the positives in life instead of the negatives and learn to find the silver lining, no matter what happens. If you can learn to cling to that, you can be happy anywhere."

Kind of like Creek said he was doing when Chef took him... Branch thought. He'd managed to stop crying, but his eyes were still filled with unshed tears. "Positives...like the fact that I'm not dead yet?" he asked, remembering what Creek had said all those years ago. He absentmindedly tossed Croco back and forth from one hand to the other.

Poppy nodded, smiling gently as she pulled back. She didn't like that not being dead was the first thing Branch could come up with. In this situation, being alive could be seen as another negative—after all, what reason did he even have to live? Besides, that idea was just too dark. The word "dead" wasn't something she believed trolls should ever have to think about, at least not at Branch's age. "Or the fact that the sun's still shining each day and giving us light and warmth," she suggested instead. It was a more positive thought than anything with death involved. "Or that the stars still shine, decorating the night sky, like a painting that moves. There's all kinds of things to be happy about if you just take the time to look."

Branch looked at her, eyes still shining with tears he didn't want to cry, Croco simply held in his left hand. How can anyone be that positive? he wondered.

"...Branch?" Poppy asked as she looked at him in concern.

Branch closed his eyes and nodded. "Y-yeah...I'll try that."

Poppy smiled and pulled a piece of chocolate out of the bag, glad that Branch seemed to be listening to her for a change. She offered it to him, asking, "Chocolate?"

He looked at the candy, then up at Poppy. After a brief moment, he smiled slightly and took the offered candy. "...Thanks, Poppy."

"Anytime, Branch. Anytime," she said. Then, as a song came to mind, she silently complained, Oh, cupcakes! I just thought of a perfect mood-lifter song for this, but it's country! And I only know it 'cause Rufus sings it with his wife a lot! Arh! I don't wanna sing that! And I'm sure Branch doesn't wanna hear it, either! But it just fits. So. Well. What's a troll to do? She ate some candy herself as she debated whether to sing that particular country song.

Country wasn't exactly her favorite genre. In fact, she hated it. It had this hillbilly redneck feel to it that made her think of buck-toothed swamp trolls. Those kinds of trolls did all kinds of weird things, like cutting their grass to find a car underneath or using their underwear as a bathing suit. Worst of all, though, was the fact that they went to family reunions to meet women they could date. They were disturbing, gross, and dumb, and they liked country music. It was the whole reason Poppy knew their music just couldn't be any good. Besides that, the song she was thinking of had some depressing undertones to it.

That...actually helped, Branch thought, surprised. Sure, he'd felt horrible while talking about it, but, now, it felt like a weight had been lifted off him, one he hadn't even realized had been there for so long. Getting that off my chest. Poppy's a good listener, I guess. Maybe she's not as bad as she used to be. He ate the chocolate she'd given him as he glanced at the stuffed toy in his other hand. And she found Croco. Ugh, that's embarrassing...especially considering what I just did when she gave him to me. But...she hasn't said anything about it. He looked at Poppy again and thought, I guess she figured I needed it. At least she's not teasing me about it... I wish I wasn't so emotionally dependent on a stuffed toy from my childhood, but I don't think that'll be changing any time soon.

With how difficult his life was, Croco was one of few options Branch had available to him when it came to coping mechanisms. Most of the time, it was the only thing he had for comfort when he felt miserable—he'd rejected hugs as a child only to realize that a good, comforting hug was all he wanted half the time in more recent years. Of course, at that point, there was no one to offer one, so Croco was the best he had. He could get his feelings out by writing in his journal, but he didn't always feel up to it. When it came down to it, like it or not, Branch needed that stuffed gator, and it meant a lot to him that Poppy didn't question it or mock him for having it.

"Poppy! Poppy, where are you?" Biggie called as he wandered through the woods, searching for the Snack Pack's missing member. The others were out here as well.

None of them had seen Poppy the day before, but they hadn't worried too much about it. Today, however, things were growing more worrisome. Smidge had stopped by her pod to wake her up, but it looked as though Poppy had never even gone home during the night. After asking around the village, they'd found that nobody had seen her since the morning before, when some trolls had seen her head into the woods north of the village. The nine of them had gone looking for her, splitting up to cover more ground. It was about time for them to rendezvous and discuss the situation, including any clues they may have found.

Creek came running, along with Smidge, Guy, and the twins. "So? Any luck yet?" Creek asked, worry showing in his eyes. He hadn't been able to find Poppy after he'd dropped food off for Branch, and he'd thought she was simply busy. Now, however...

"No! And I searched the whole north woods, too!" Smidge panicked as DJ and Fuzzbert joined them.

"Where do you think she is? Nobody saw her at all after she went into the woods yesterday!" Satin asked.

"You don't think she got hurt, do you?" Chenille worried.

"I don't knoooooow!" Guy autotuned, throwing his hands to his head in a panic. "Someone said they saw her heading into the woooooooods, but—"

Cooper came running over then with a scrap of blue fabric, saying, "Guys! I found something that looked like part of Poppy's dress up north! Way north!"

"WHAT!?" the others cried, shocked.

"Let me see that!" Smidge demanded as she snatched the fabric from Cooper. She sniffed it, then licked it. Her eyes widened, then she narrowed them, looking serious, and said, "That's definitely Poppy's. Tastes like cotton and smells like daisies. Where'd you find it, Cooper?" She turned to him, holding the fabric in her open palm.

"It was way far north of here, stuck on a bush!" he answered, pointing back the way he had come.

"W-well, then, what are we waiting for!? Let's go check it out!" Creek said, anxious to find out where Poppy was and if she was okay.

Everyone else felt the same and agreed, and the Snack Pack took off. They all hoped that Poppy was okay and that they were worried over nothing. Before long, they arrived.

"Here! This is where I found it!" Cooper said, running up to a thorn bush.

Biggie looked around, growing more worried. He'd never been this far from the village—they couldn't even hear anyone singing from here. "Oh, dear. This is far from Troll Village, isn't it?"

Everyone else looked around, hoping to find some clue as to where Poppy had gone and what had happened to her. East of the original bush, the twins noticed an entire area that looked as if it had been trampled by something big, something that had seemingly headed further east.

Satin shrieked, backing away from a thorn bush she and Chenille had been checking.

"Th-there's blood!" Chenille cried, pointing at the bush.

Biggie's eyes widened as he whirled around. Sure enough, there were a few drops of sparkly troll blood on the bush.

Cooper looked, too, concerned. "Okay, I didn't see that earlier!" he said, shaking his head.

Everyone ran over to check out the scene. Blood on a bush and a shred of fabric weren't good signs, and they couldn't help but fear the worst.

"Where is it!?" Guy demanded as he grabbed the bush with both hands and started looking. If not for the firm look in his eyes, they'd think he was in a blind panic now.

Satin and Chenille both pointed at the drops, then Satin stuttered, "A-and it looks like something big went through here, heading east."

Guy examined the blood closer, narrowing his eyes at it, as Smidge went to check out the trail. "...W-well, this doesn't look like anything ate her!" Guy said after a moment, a bit shaken at the sight of what might have been his friend's blood. "I-it looks more l-like she t-tried cutting through the t-thooorn bushes t-to outruuuun something instead!"

"Guys! The trail narrows out further on and ends at a tiny hole in a log off towards the north a bit more! Maybe she got away and hid in there!" Smidge called over her shoulder as she pointed toward the log in question.

"Let's check it out!" Cooper said as he ran for the log. The others followed.

The hole in the log had a sharp edge on one side, and another piece of blue fabric was stuck on this bit of wood. Smidge plucked it off and examined it, looking just as serious as before. As the Snack Pack examined the area, the good news was there were no more signs of blood. The bad news, however, was there was also no sign of Poppy.

"Poppy's not here," Biggie said, holding Mr. Dinkles a bit more closely.

"Where did she go from here?" Chenille asked as she turned her head to look around the area.

Everyone searched around that log a bit, but they couldn't find any more clues.

Eventually, Guy sighed in defeat. "I hate to say it, gang, but we might have to head back for now and round up some bloodhound bugs. With a little luck, they may uncover the scent."

"That sounds like a plan to me. Especially since we've got this here fabric for them to use," Smidge said, holding up one of the scraps before she started back toward the village, and the others followed. Smidge held the fabric at arms' length in front of her, hoping she could avoid getting her own scent all over it that way.

"Oh, man. What do ya think could've happened to her, ya guys?" DJ asked as they walked. She laced her fingers in front of her, anxious. "I'm gettin' really worried now..."

"I know how you feel, DJ. This is terrible!" Biggie said, hugging Mr. Dinkles for comfort.

Satin clasped her hands in front of her mouth and fretted, "I hope she's okay..."

"I'm sure she is, Satin," said Chenille as she placed a hand on her twin's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll find her."

"I hope so, love," Creek said. Silently, he added, 'Cause I am one dead troll if we don't.

Of course, Creek was worried about Poppy's safety. He hoped nothing bad had happened to the girl he loved, but he was also worried about what would happen to him if she met with an untimely end. Chef was angry enough about this as it is, and he was hoping she wouldn't take this anger out on him or do something else drastic if something happened to the only heir to the throne. The consequences would be disastrous if Poppy wasn't found soon, of that he was sure.

They continued walking in silence, each hoping that Poppy was safe and worrying that they might find that she wasn't. Biggie and Cooper couldn't help but think of the last friend they'd had who had wandered into the woods and the fate that had befallen him.

After a few pieces of candy, Branch was surprised to notice he did feel a bit better. He wouldn't describe it as happy, but he felt a bit less miserable. It was similar to the way he felt any time Creek brought fluffleberry cake—it got his mind off his problems temporarily and eased the pain. Once he'd had his fill, however, he picked Poppy up off the floor and moved her to one of the chairs beside the table. Then he grabbed Croco off the floor and set the toy back on his bed and grabbed the stick and tossed it onto his pile of firewood, figuring he might as well make use of it. Poppy pulled the second chair over using her hair and propped her feet on it.

"Ow, ow, ow..." She held her feet, rubbing them gently. "Okay, yeah. I need to stay off my feet for a while. They're still hurting, and I haven't even used them yet!"

Several sarcastic comments ran through Branch's head in quick succession, one right after the other. Rather than let one out, however, he simply said, "You'll be fine."

"Say, Branch? Can you do me a favor?" Poppy asked with a cute smile.

"What favor?"

She pointed toward the window, smiling and looking for all the world like she was more delicate and ladylike than she really was. "Carry me to the window and sit me on the windowsill so I can look out at all the beautiful scenery?"

Branch walked back over, giving a teasing grin, and asked, "I thought you were out there already?" He picked her up.

Poppy crossed her arms, annoyed. "Oh, ha ha. Funny."

Branch chuckled a bit, amused at her reaction, then carried her over and gently set her down on the windowsill, taking care not to drop her or bump himself against the barrier.

Poppy shifted positions, letting her feet hang over the edge inside the tower, and held onto the side of the window with one hand. "Come on over here, Branch. There's something I want to show you," she said, lightly patting the windowsill beside her with a gentle smile.

Branch honestly didn't want to join her. Looking outside never did anything but make him feel worse, something Creek had learned a long time ago. Still, he didn't protest. He just kept his eyes on Poppy, curious, and rested his elbows on the windowsill, leaning on it.

Poppy pointed outside at some wildflowers in bloom. "Look."

That was something he really didn't want to do, but Branch turned and looked where she was pointing anyway. He saw a field of purple flowers with white centers off in the woods, hidden somewhat by some bushes.

"It sure is pretty, isn't it? How those flowers bloom in just the right way to mix purple and white together for an almost tie-dyed appearance? Why, it's like Mother Nature's painting a masterpiece just for us to enjoy."

Branch could kind of see that as he looked at the flowers a bit longer. From this distance, it did sort of look like the purple bled into the white a bit before fading out in the middle of the flower. "...Yeah. Not a bad view, I guess."

Poppy smiled again, pleased at his response, and pointed up at the trees nearby, where all kinds of critters were moving about. She smiled and added, "And look up there. See how the critters are all hard at work, doing what critters do? And even the birds are out enjoying the fresh air. So now the painting's more like a little play we've got front row seats to."

Birds weren't exactly Branch's favorite animal. Over the years, some of the larger ones had tried to eat him, and there were several other critters in the world that he'd rather not have anywhere near his prison.

Seeing the look on Branch's face, Poppy took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Giving him a lame look, she said, "I said 'critters,' Branch. Not 'predators.'" She closed her eyes, leaning back slightly and just peacefully enjoying the view. "Relax. Those little guys don't mean us any harm."

Branch took a breath and settled down. She was right. The only ones in the area were harmless. At least, for now.

"See?" She opened her eyes, smiling gently, and pointed at the critters again. They were all smiling, happy and friendly.

Branch just stared at them for a moment as they climbed about in the trees or flew around. Seeing them so free made him feel miserable, remembering that he couldn't leave this tower. This was just like that stupid game of I Spy Creek had insisted on trying early on. "...Yeah."

Poppy looked at Branch for a moment, growing concerned. She didn't like the look on his face. Negative thinking was the last thing he needed to be doing right now. "...What are you thinking?"

Branch didn't answer immediately, still staring out the window. Then, looking a bit guilty, he said, "That I wish I could actually go out there?"

She held out a firm hand, signaling for him to stop with a somewhat commanding look. She was afraid of that, but this was Branch she was dealing with. He'd always told her he didn't do happy. "Don't think about that right now!" She lowered her hand, looking more gentle again, but her eyes were still firm. "Just focus on the beauty that is Mother Nature." She turned and gestured out the window, smiling gently once more. "Listen to the sounds of the wind blowing through the trees. And the songs the birds sing." She looked back at Branch and added, "Not too many creatures are blessed with such a great set of pipes, Branch. So it's a real treasure when you get to hear them sing, a treasure most trolls take for granted because they can go out there and experience it themselves. But going out there isn't the only way to enjoy it. Watch." Smiling peacefully once again, she turned to look back out the window.

Reluctant, Branch followed her instructions and watched. The birds were flying about, building nests, gathering food, and feeding their young. As they did, they sang, their voices harmonizing beautifully. Various other critters—spiders, bizzy buzzer bugs, chorus flies, and more—scurried around, too. The leaves rustled in the wind, the grass swayed gently. It was actually a pleasant sight when he looked at it differently.

"See? It's magical enough to just stop, look, and listen without running around and disturbing the peace," Poppy said. She hoped Branch would get the point that you could enjoy nature by just watching, not necessarily running around outside and possibly scaring the animals. "Nature's full of wonder itself if you just sit back and let it be."

As he watched for a bit longer, Branch actually felt relaxed. He didn't think about his own situation, focusing on just what was before him. He smiled a little.

Poppy smiled proudly at him. She was pleasantly surprised that he was seeing things her way for a change. That never happened when they were kids. "Even better. There's stuff to experience right here, too. Like that gentle breeze blowing through your hair, or the warmth of the sun on your face. So it's not just looking and listening. You can feel its beauty, too." She closed her eyes and leaned her head back a bit, making a point of enjoying this herself.

Branch closed his eyes. The breeze did feel kind of nice, the air was clean and fresh, and the sun's warmth took away some of the chill from the stone tower. As he stood there, a butterfly came and landed on his nose, smiling happily and flapping its wings gently. He opened his eyes a bit and looked at it, then closed them again.

"See?" Poppy asked, looking at him with a reassuring smile. She was pleased to see that he was actually doing what she suggested for a change and even more pleased to see that he was smiling a little. It was clear to her that Branch did have happiness inside of him. He just needed a lot of help finding it after everything he'd been through.

"Yeah," he answered, eyes still closed.

"Now come on. Take me to the bed. There's something else I want to show you."

He looked at her with confusion, causing the butterfly to take off. What could she possibly have to show him inside the tower? He knew everything in here so well, he could probably draw the exact layout of this place, decorations included, blindfolded. Regardless, he picked her up off the windowsill and carried her over to the bed, like she asked.

Once he'd set her down, Poppy made herself comfortable as she sat on the side of the bed, legs hanging over the edge. "Alright. Now, Branch, you said earlier that nothing Creek's done has made you happy. Just homesick, correct?"

"Yeah, basically."

Poppy shrugged, hands out to her sides. "Why? Take a look around you." She spread her arms, gesturing around the tower and looking at everything there. "This place is overflowing with blessings," she continued, smiling gently, "and the love of a friend, too. Why, just look at that rug there." She gestured at the rug beneath his feet. "See how it's such a lovely shade of blue and purple? And it's very soft, too. That's a blessing in and of itself, right?" She looked back to him, hoping he'd agree.

Branch looked at it, thinking. The rug's colors honestly reminded him of Peppy's efforts to surround him with color in a feeble attempt to cheer him up. It just made him think of the ridiculously colorful room he'd left behind and wonder what Peppy had done with that room once its occupant was supposedly dead. "...Yeah, I guess."

"Stop! I know what you're doing, and it's not helpful," Poppy said firmly, holding up a hand again. "Stop thinking about what you lost and focus more on what you have!" She gestured around the room, smiling once more. "I mean, look at this place. It's filled with some very beautiful artwork, like those paintings on the walls." She gestured at some of them as she spoke. "They're all so vibrant and mystical." Turning to look behind her, she sweat a bit at the sight of the painting of her hanging over the bed. Now that she thought about it, it was a little creepy that her ex-fiance had a picture like that, especially since she could have sworn he hated her. What was that doing there? Deciding to just roll with it for now, she said, "...And...this one's real lively and cheerful!" Creepy or not, she could use this. She smiled proudly, all signs of her discomfort gone. "Harper did a real good job on that one, if I do say so myself." Then she looked Branch right in the eye and offered a gentle, caring smile as she added, "And, even though it was meant for Creek, he gave it to you, making you the proud owner of a one-of-a-kind masterpiece." She turned and smiled gently at Branch again as she asked, "Now, how can you say that's not a good thing to have?"

Branch looked up at the painting over his bed, and a smile slid back onto his face. Seeing Poppy so cheerful in that painting, it was almost impossible not to smile sometimes.

"See? There's beauty to be found everywhere. Even in this room." She picked up a corner of the orange blanket that lay beside her on the bed and stroked it a bit, saying, "And these blankets aren't just pretty. They're also soft and warm, too, making them extra special." She held the blanket out to Branch with a reassuring smile. "Here. Give them a rub."

Thinking this was a weird thing to tell him to do, Branch raised an eyebrow at her, but he hesitantly did as she instructed. The blanket was fleece, soft and warm, like she said.

"There, see? It's super soft and really doesn't have to be here, you know. Creek could have just left you here the way you were all those years ago. But look around." Eyes brightening, she gestured around to each object as she listed, "You've got a fireplace, a bookshelf full of fun things to do, a nice warm bed, a couple torches for light, and even a bathroom!" That last one she turned to look at herself, highly impressed. That one shouldn't even have been possible. She looked over her shoulder slyly at Branch, adding, "That had to be tough to do on his own, so the fact he was able to get one of those for you makes it the greatest gift of all."

Branch looked over at the bathroom and thought about Creek's plumbing adventures. He couldn't help but smile, remembering Creek's efforts to build a bathroom and run pipes through solid brick. It had taken a bit of trial and error before he'd gotten the water running, and he'd insulated the pipes as best he could to minimize the risk of them freezing in winter.

Poppy smiled pleasantly at Branch again, leaning back on the bed and stretching her legs out on it to get more comfortable. "So you see? You've got a lot to be thankful for, so you should be paying more attention to that." She closed her eyes, relaxing. She could see how nice the bed was, even if he couldn't.

Branch closed his eyes, thinking about it. In the beginning, this tower had been completely empty, and all he'd had was what he'd brought with him. Even worse, in his efforts to escape, he'd put holes in the tower, two of which let in cold air and rain. It had been unbearable, living here in those days. Creek had not only brought more things that he thought Branch could use, but he'd also brought things Branch himself requested to make his life better.

She's got a point. I mean, Creek didn't need to make this place more like a home. To keep me alive, food, water, and warmth would have done it. And it made a lot of extra work for him. But... There was something she was forgetting that, in Branch's mind, negated all of that. He opened his eyes and looked at her, saying, "Poppy, his goal was to make me happy so I could get out of here and go tell Troll Village what's going on so he wouldn't have to."

"Okay? And how long did you guys try that?" she asked as she looked back at him.

Branch looked down Now that she mentioned it, that had only been a part of the time he'd been here. "...Six years?"

"Uh-hm. And did he stop doing this stuff for you then?" she asked as she crossed her arms, looking a bit smug. She tried to cover it up, aiming to keep her expression neutral.

She had him this time. Creek hadn't taken an interest in construction work and plumbing until he was around 15, yet Branch had just said Creek had stopped trying to make him happy about the time the guru troll was officially qualified for such work. If that were true, then the bathroom was installed either after they had quit or immediately before. Adding in the supposed Clawsmas gift rug, Poppy knew the answer. Branch was forgetting a few things. Creek cared, he just wasn't brave enough to go all-out with it.

Branch thought about the fact that Creek built that bathroom after Branch said he didn't think he could ever be happy, or the decorations Creek had brought after that. The rug hadn't been here until they'd decided that Branch was doomed. Creek had even kept bringing fluffleberry cake, which Branch knew he hated. He shook his head, saying, "No. He's still been doing the same things."

Just as she thought. Branch's negativity and hatred were hindering him, keeping him from seeing the truth.

Poppy nodded, arms still crossed and really looking smug now. "Uh-hmm..." Catching herself and knowing this was hardly the time for that, Poppy uncrossed her arms and smiled at Branch with confidence instead of that I-told-you-so attitude. "So, then, yeah. I think he did all this for more than just that. And, really, with how you've described him, he didn't even need to do that. Making you happy meant taking a ton of risks, Branch." She gave him a gentle yet serious look, hoping he'd see sense. "Like coming up with stories about the unusual things he does. And while I appreciate finally having an answer as to why he suddenly decided to take up construction work then quit it four years later, it still doesn't change the fact it was a huge risk, Branch. Why, it would have been a lot safer to just drop off food, water, and some blankets and leave than to take those kinds of risks. So why do you think he did it? Hm?" She leaned forward a bit, hands on her lap, and smiled at him expectantly.

"...Because...he cares?"

That was a tough one to wrap his mind around. The troll who lured him into a trap and let all of this happen, caring about someone other than himself?

Poppy nodded some, smiling proudly. She leaned back on her hands again and said, "Creek might be a coward, but he'll bend the rules as much as he feels he can. And having a friend like that's another blessing you're missing out on. You're life's full of blessings, Branch. So stop always looking at the negatives and look on the positives instead!" She threw her arms up, beaming. Then that song she'd been thinking of earlier came to mind again. The thing was, she really didn't want to sing it. Oh, shoot. I just set the mood for that dumb song of Rufus's. That is, if Branch chooses to cooperate. Might be better if he didn't...

Sure, the song fit this mess perfectly, but Branch was far too intelligent and mature for that redneck stuff. He'd probably hate it three times more than Poppy.

Branch thought about it again. It was true—Creek had lured him out here and caused this nightmare he'd been living for the last 16 years. But it was also true that Creek had done a lot for him over those same years. The fireplace, for one—Creek had been afraid of getting hurt, and he'd been equally as worried about Branch getting hurt, but he'd agreed to figure out how to build one after seeing how scared Branch was about the thought of freezing to death in winter. Building a bathroom had helped Creek reduce his workload, but it was also great for Branch to have access to water during the day when Creek was gone. Even on smaller levels, Creek had shown signs he cared, signs Branch had hardly bothered acknowledging over the years—the fluffleberry cake he frequently brought, the books and games Branch asked for, and even just the simple fact that Creek stopped by and visited for a few hours every night all showed how much he cared. Creek was almost always either sleep deprived or missing out on fun activities so he could catch some sleep before he had to spend half the night up with Branch. Someone who didn't care at all wouldn't do any of that.

Finally, Branch nodded. I really need to talk to Creek. The way things are going, I just might be pushing him away, too.

Poppy sweat a bit. Great. I was afraid he wouldn't argue. Now what'll I do? If Branch was in agreement with her words, she'd definitely set the mood perfectly. She looked at him for a moment, debating the wisdom of singing such a song to the one troll who claimed to hate all music, then said, "Uh, so, Branch? This seems like the perfect opportunity for a mood-lifting song I once heard, but..." she looked down uneasily, "I don't really want hit for singing it..." She kicked her feet on the bed, uncomfortable.

Branch sighed. That made it sound like the song was terrible, and he wasn't sure he wanted to hear it if it was. "Go ahead. Just don't ask me to join you."

"Wouldn't dream of it," she muttered, wishing he'd said no. Regardless, knowing it might at least help Branch, she pulled out her mandolin and sighed in defeat. "Okay... Here goes..." And she started strumming out a country melody as she played "Ride" by Martina McBride.

Branch raised an eyebrow at her. "Wait, I thought you didn't like country!"

Poppy ignored this and pressed on, already uncomfortable about what she was doing. "Yeah ah yeaahhh yeah..." she sang, looking pained. She bopped her head a bit as she tried to ease some of her discomfort, her movements stiff and uncomfortable.

Branch just stared at her, completely nonplussed.

Why me? This is so uncomfortable right now, but— Aloud, she sang, "You wake up from your dreaming, and you don't wanna face the day."

Well, that's accurate, Branch thought wryly.

Ugh, Poppy thought, still not pleased at her own song choice. A quick glance at Branch showed that he agreed with those first few, unpleasant words. She wasn't surprised. "And you can't find a reason to think your world will ever change."

"...Yeah..." Branch said sadly.

He'd lost his family, his friends, his home, his freedom... Why would any of this change? For some reason, his life was just one tragedy after another.

"You can hide beneath the covers." During a short musical break, Poppy glanced at Branch again. Judging by the look she saw, this song was definitely hitting home. What kind of troll could relate to something as gloomy as that? Sure, things were bad for him, but he didn't have to let it keep him down.

Fortunately, the next lines told him what he should be doing."Or you can run outside, head up high, and carry on!" Poppy sang on.

Being brave and facing the day with confidence, no matter what, was a better option than shutting down and moping. She just hoped Branch could learn to do that.

Branch looked at her lamely, partially upset about the line saying "run outside" and partially irritated at himself for being upset. It's part of the song, Branch. Get over it, he told himself.

The look Branch gave told Poppy he'd missed the point, and she knew he was probably stuck on those two words—he tended to get stuck on small details. Fortunately, there was more advice in store. Still trying to enjoy this moody song, Poppy started rocking her head from side to side, her movements still rigid, and continued. "Life is a roller coaster ride. Time turns the wheel and love collides! Faith is believing you can close...your...eyes and touch the sky! So shine while you have the chance to shine. Laugh even when you wanna cry. Hold on tight to what you feel...inside...and riiiiide," Poppy sang on, strumming out the melody.

There was so much good advice in that part, Branch would be a fool to miss it.

Branch looked at Poppy, thinking about some of those lines. Laugh when you want to cry, huh?

Okay...so maybe this isn't so bad, I...guess... Poppy thought somewhat reluctantly as she kept playing the music. The refrain, at least, had good advice. She started on the second verse, bopping her head a bit less stiffly this time, singing, "It brings you up slowly then shoots you like a rocket toward the ground."

And, just like that, she was getting uncomfortable again. This song made life sound terrible.

"Yeah, sounds about right," Branch said. That was exactly what his life did to him most of the time.

"It twists you and it shakes you before it turns you upside down."

"Yep."

Great. He fully agrees!

Of course, he would. True or not, this song described Branch's views on life perfectly.

Ignoring that for now, Poppy kept going. "You can't see what's around the corner." Somewhat glad that the second verse basically reworded the advice from the first, she sang, "And you can't look back, so just live it up and feel the rush..." This song really wasn't as bad as she'd thought. At least it told people how to handle the storms in their lives.

Speaking of, she began the refrain again, rocking to the beat and actually enjoying this part of the song this time. A smile formed on her face, and her voice even sounded more relaxed now. "Life is a roller coaster ride. Time turns the wheel and love collides! Faith is believing you can close...your...eyes and touch the sky. So shine while you have the chance to shine. Laugh even when you wanna cry. Hold on tight to what you feel...insiiide...and riiiiide..." Silently, she mused, Okay, okay. So it does sound better when I sing it than when Rufus and his tone-deaf wife Posy do, but still!

She had to admit, the song had an amazing and beautiful melody. It was too bad that it said life was too hard to handle sometimes.

Branch looked at her for a second before he smiled a bit. Whether he liked the song or not, there was just something about listening to Poppy sing that was relaxing. She's got a good voice, I guess, he admitted to himself. Now that he wasn't trying to talk to her about other problems, hearing her sing was actually kind of nice.

"Riiiide..." Poppy sang, drawing the word out. "Riiiiiiide... Yeaaaaah..." Gradually, as she started getting more into the song, Poppy's face relaxed completely. The worst of this thing was behind her now and positivity could reign supreme now. She smiled brightly, even went from uncomfortable rocking to dancing in her seat, which made her start actually enjoying the song. As she played the musical interlude, she found herself actually loving the song. By the time she reached the next lines, she was smiling happily, completely lost in the song. "Ohhh, ohh... Yeaaah... Shine while you have the chance to shine. Laugh even when you wanna cry. Hold on tight...to what you feel...insiiide...and riiiiide... Riiiiiiiide... Riiiiide... Yeah, yeah, yeeeeeaaahhh... Yeah!" She strummed out the final chords and posed dramatically, swiping her arm away from her mandolin and bowing her head, eyes closed. Then, as the last notes from her mandolin faded out, she threw her head back before tossing it forward again in quick succession, taking some very deep breaths.

She'd never thought she'd sing that genre. She wasn't really a fan, even if that moody, life-hating song did offer some great advice. One somewhat decent mood-lifting song did not a good genre make, after all. "Huff...huff... I can't believe I actually did that! ...Huff... That...that was..." She huffed in a few more breaths, looking downright exhausted. Who knew a song could be so tiring?

Branch laughed and said, "You just turned country on me. Interesting choice."

"Aarrhh!" She flopped on her back, exasperated.

He had to bring that up, didn't he? They'd spent enough time together as kids that he knew how much she hated country music, but did he have to poke fun at her for singing it?

Branch sat down on the edge of his bed and looked down at her, smirking. "So when are you planning to start farming? Or are you more of a cowgirl kind of troll?"

"Oh, be quiet! It's not that funny!"

He just laughed a bit.

A/N: Poppy's thoughts on country music and rednecks are straight-up "You might be a redneck if" jokes from Jeff Foxworthy. He's the one who said those are redneck things.