A Pair of Queens
Twiggy reached for her dagger on the ground, stabbing into the dirt as a metallic clang was heard. Twiggy ran her blade through the grass uncovering a plate of metal before sliding her dagger back into the sheath on her thigh as she held the metal bars of the cage, whoever set this trap probably used the cage as a backup in case the rope didn't work.
"Oh No," Twiggy said, looking at the rope, seeing it wasn't attached to the tree but led to the village. It was a simple alarm set up she read about in her survival scrapbook. There was little Twiggy could do at the moment so she just waited there for whoever set the trap, hearing footsteps from the woods.
"I'm telling you I heard it from this area, a voice called, belonging to a male as he walked out from the bushes, holding a wooden stick, carved into a spear. He had dark blue/green fur and blue hair, wearing tattered brown pants and a vest made of leaves.
"See, I Told you, a trespasser," the male Troll gloated to another Troll with light pink fur and hair, wearing a green dress and a green tiara with some flowers attached to it as she looked at the cage, facing the male.
"Uh Branch, you just caged a Troll," The pink Troll remarked in a smug tone as Branch finally looked in the cage seeing the Troll who simply asked if they could open the cage, the pink Troll reached over for a lever mounted on the tree as the green Troll caught her hand.
"Poppy, what are you doing," Branch asked, curious but not surprised as to why she was eager to raise the cage. Poppy stated that it wasn't a dangerous predator in that cage but another Troll and it wasn't right to have her looked up.
"We don't know anything about this Troll, remember the last Troll who 'just showed up' in the Village, he was a spy sent to infiltrate us, we can't risk that again" Branch defended as Poppy shot her hair into the cage, pulling on Twiggy's hair as the green female Troll jumped back. Poppy turned to Branch confirming her hair was not a wig as he crossed his arm.
"Poppy, That Doesn't mean we can trust her, we don't know anything about her," Branch kept defended, coming off as a bit paranoid as he looked at Twiggy, saying something about her seemed off. Branch noticed the rope around Twiggy's ankle was cut, asking how she cut it. Twiggy reached to her thigh pulling the dagger as she placed it down, and putting her hands up
"Look, Branch is it, I was just camping in Misty Meadow, I came here to pick some fruit, I have no desire to hurt you or anyone" Twiggy claimed in defense as Branch was still looking for reasons not to trust Twiggy.
"Branch, She's a Troll," Poppy rebutted, looking at her friend as he looked back at her, suggesting they comb her just to be safe. Poppy pulled the lever raising the cage as Twiggy looked at Poppy, thanking her as Branch picked up the dagger, saying he would hold onto it.
"Well I'm Queen Poppy, this is my Friend Branch, let's continue this conversation in the village" Poppy invited as Twiggy decided to follow them as the Queen smiled.
Twiggy looked at the young Queen Poppy, she had read scrapbooks about her and Branch and was a bit surprised to see the two. The former Pop Queen and Branch who wrote a scrapbook on survival tactics that Twiggy read cover to cover. Branch asked Poppy if she really felt comfortable inviting a complete stranger to Troll Village as she smiled
"Of Course, Strangers are just friends you haven't made yet," Poppy answered as the trio walked back to the village, Branch crossed his arms, puffing at Poppy's airheadedness. He could tell by looking at Twiggy that she wasn't a usual Troll, 'what Troll has a knife strapped to her thigh' Branch thought as he looked at Twiggy, trying to get info out of her.
"So You know our names, you could tell us a little about yourself," Branch said as Twiggy picked her words carefully, not wanting to tell them she came from the future as she thought up a false origin story.
"Well my name is Twiggy and from what I know, my father escaped the Troll Tree about 20 years ago, he got separated from the rest of the tribe and we've been wandering around ever since...he's not around anymore" Twiggy excused, knowing the story about Poppy's father leading the Pop Trolls from the Troll Tree of Burgentown. and that most of the Trolls were either too young or too old to remember one Troll who may or have not been there
"You see Branch, she's a member of the tribe, Argo a friend. We have a new friend. This is amazing, we can try on clothes and have sleepovers and glitter fights" Poppy said ecstatic of the new Troll friend she had as Branch was settling down. He wasn't warmed up to Twiggy but believed her story and felt sorry about her losing her father.
"So, how did your old man die," Branch asked as Poppy looked at him, apologizing to Twiggy for his lack of social skills, telling Branch he shouldn't ask stuff like that as Twiggy dismissed it, saying it was alright. She Told Branch that her father passed in his sleep which was actually true as he nodded.
"That's Good... I Mean, It's good he went peacefully, considering the alternatives," Branch said, reflecting on his Grandmother as they headed back to Troll Village.
On the other end of Misty Meadows, Eddy was walking as he crossed to a rocky landscape. Eddy's goal was to pick a campsite outside of Volcano Rock City as the Troll noticed a creature running around to landscape it had black leathery skin, shaped like a boar with two sharp metal tusks sticking out and a set of horns sticking out of its head.
The creature was called a Backhog, they lived around the area surrounding Volcano Rock City, they were fast and thanks to the blade-like tusks they bore, their ramming horns and foul tempers, most Rock Trolls avoided them. But thanks to Twiggy's lessons Eddy knew that they could be tamed and ridden. In Eddy's time, Backhogs were a common form of transport. Eddy checked his hair seeing if he had anyone to offer the beast.
The Tip to riding a Backhog was through their stomach as he pulled a big red berry from his hair and slowly approached the beast as it ran up to Eddy, sniffing the Troll as he held up the berry, lowering it as the Backhog devoured it, chewing and swallowing. Eddy rubbed his smooth leathery skin, using the techniques he learned to tame the beast as he got down allowing the Troll to mount it.
Eddy gently grabbed the metal horns and squeezed the beast's side with his legs as the Backhog dashed forward. Eddy used the horns to steer the beast. Despite the Backhog having a foul temper, First impressions were everything to a Backhog, a common method of showing friendship to them was offering food. the beast ran through the landscape, zipping thru the rocky landscape.
In the distance Eddy saw smoke in the air as he looked seeing Volcano Rock City, the volcano stage in the city's square was actually still active as he could make out hot lava pouring out as Eddy was feeling a mixture of emotions, the last time he same Volcano Rock City it was painted in neon colors, covered with bandanas and glitter and the 'volcano' was turned into a fountain, seeing the city in its natural beauty brought a tear to Eddy's eye.
Eddy could swear he heard something he had not ever actually heard, It was Rock Music, real, raw, Rock Music. Eddy knew he should stay away from the actual city but the sound of the music was drawing him like a moth to a flame. Suddenly a giant Anglerbus drove into Eddy's side as he managed to avoid being hit. Eddy guided the Backhog like a natural as the bus spun out, almost crashing. Eddy rode his new friend to the Anglerbus as the big creature's zipper opened.
"Hey, watch where you're going you dick," a female yelled, belonging to Rock Troll with light purple skin, sporting a red mohawk, a torn-up white shirt black shorts, and fishnet stockings, topped with a silver skull belt buckle as Eddy looked at the Troll.
"Me? YOU ran into me, ya dumb bitch" Eddy said the Trolls in the Anglerbus covered their mouths, shocked that this Troll just vulgarly insulted their Queen as Barb walked out of the Caterbus as Eddy dismounted the Backhog.
"Stay" Eddy ordered rubbing the beast's chin as it obeyed, earning a look of surprise from the Rock Trolls who have never seen a Backhog be ridden before.
"Who do you think you are, speaking to your Queen like that" Barb demanded, never having been insulted, let alone called a 'stupid bitch' which shocked her more than actually insulted her.
A/N And now Twiggy and Eddy have met the respective Queens of their kingdoms due to their own errors. I liked Twiggy having Thorns as a pet and wanted to give Eddy a pet. I thought a boar would be a good animal for the Rock Trolls, something fierce and as some Reader involvement, I want you to come up with a good name for his Backhog.