A/N: I loved your reactions to the last chapter! Hope this one garners some great ones, too!

Chapter Fourteen – Fire!

Based on Branch's logic, that Randy would've dropped off Poppy's dad at the edge of the forest, the Tank Trolls decided to start their search at the tree line. They called for him as loud as they could and scanned the greenery. But half an hour passed and they still hadn't found anything.

"He couldn't have gotten far, right?" Poppy asked.

"I don't think so." Branch said. "But don't worry. We'll find him. Or we can even send a message through the forest. We can find a way to let him know that we're bringing you home. Word spreads fast when the news is important enough. Remember how your dad's story reached the tank?"

"We should at least find some shelter before dark." Guy Diamond suggested.

"Maybe sooner." Creek glanced to the clouds overhead, which had grown darker.

The Tank Trolls paused when they reached the lake. Branch noticed a spot where the lake fed into a creek, and he instructed the trolls to follow it. But even following the creek didn't yield any signs or clues to Peppy's whereabouts. Even worse, the Tank Trolls were growing tired. They had missed breakfast from all the chaos and confusion that morning, and now it was lunchtime. Branch found some bushes that had berries that were safe to eat, and he let his little pack rest on the side of the creek while he scouted ahead to look for any trouble. He took his role as alpha seriously, especially now that they were outside the safety of the tank. He may be down one arm, but that'd didn't hinder his fighting abilities.

The more he thought about it, the more thankful Branch was for Gristle Jr. releasing them at last. He and his little pack…..no, his family were free. They could live in the forest like they were supposed to, and he would care for them like a big brother would watch over his siblings. He seriously considered living near Poppy, in the part of the forest where she lived. At least then he knew there would be friends nearby while the Tank Trolls learned to live in the wild. Branch glanced to his hand and smiled at the sight of his skin. It was blue-grey instead of fully grey. He had Poppy to thank for that. She helped bring back a little happiness into his life.

Branch came to a collection of rocks and stoop on top of them. He scanned the area for any potential predators. He saw nothing and he heard nothing and he smelled nothing. It put him at ease. "No danger here. Nothing to harm them. Good." He turned to walk back to his family.

Then, he paused. His ears twitched. He did hear something. It sound like….crying?

Branch crouched on the rocks. The crying sounded like it came from right below him. Branch hung onto the edge of the rock and stuck his head down below, hanging upside-down to stare into a small cave. He couldn't see much, but he did notice a figure in the shadows. The muffled sobs came from the figure.

"Hello?" Branch called.

The figure's breathing hitched. "Y-yes?"

"Are you okay in there?" Branch asked. He hopped down to stand at the entrance of the cave.

"Oh, I'm fine." The figure said sarcastically. "Just lost my only friend."

Branch pitied the poor creature. "Well, is there anyone else out here to be there for you?"

"I only ever had one troll who was my family, and I lost him years ago." The figure said.

"Okay. Would you like to stay with me and my pack? We might be able to help you." Branch offered.

"That's sweet, but I think I'll pass." The figure said. "You don't want someone like me around."

"I doubt that." Branch said encouragingly. "Besides, my grandma told me you should never pass up an opportunity to help someone, even if you—"

"Don't get anything in return." The figure finished. Branch could see the light reflecting in the creature's eyes. "Who told you that?"

"My grandma." Branch said. "She was the best. Kind and patient, strong and protective. She was my whole world. She was taken from me…well, actually, I was taken from her by—"

"A bergen?" the figure asked. Branch could see the outline of a troll in the shadows.

"Yes." Branch was shocked that the figure knew what he was going to say. "How did you know that?"

The troll fully emerged from the cave, and the light revealed her to be someone Branch thought he'd never see again. Rosiepuff stared at Branch, looking at him from the tip of his hair and down to his toes. He was so much older, with so many more scars, and much more grey and black in his skin and hair. His eyes, though, shined with a familiar light.

"Branch?" Rosiepuff breathed.

Branch didn't answer, still staring in shock. Rosiepuff hesitantly walked up to him and put a hand to his cheek. Tears welled up in Branch's eyes, and Rosiepuff smiled when she realized it. Even with his scars, with his greyness, she knew this was the same little boy she lost so long ago. She pulled Branch into a tight hug, and he held onto her like he would never let go. He hardly noticed the light passing over him that fully restored his cerulean skin and sapphire blue hair. Branch almost couldn't believe it. When he saw that bergen hit his grandmother, he believed her to be dead all this time. Had he known she was out here all this time, he would've tried harder to get out of that tank.

"I knew you were still alive." Rosiepuff breathed.

"I didn't." Branch laughed airily. "I thought you were gone."

"No. I never stopped searching for you. I knew I'd find you someday." Rosiepuff said.

Branch broke the embrace and wiped his eyes dry. "I can't believe you're here. I thought I'd never see you again." He noticed his grandmother staring at his scars and limp arm, and he forced out a sheepish chuckle. "Yeah, I can explain that."

Rosiepuff shook her head with a smile. "I'll be sure to destroy the one who did that to you later. Didn't you say you have a pack waiting for you?"

"Oh yeah!" Branch said. "Come on! You must meet them!"

Rosiepuff laughed at Branch's enthusiasm and let him lead her back to the Tank Trolls. She kept hugging him on the way, still so overwhelmed by her joy.

The Tank Trolls were quite surprised to see Branch approach with another troll beside him. When Branch started shouting that he found his grandmother, the trolls all gathered around excitedly. Poppy was the last to get there, ecstatic by this wonderful news. Rosiepuff was introduced to each of the Tank Trolls, and she was pleased to see Branch found a family while away from her. It meant he wasn't as lonely as she was all these years.

"This is our newest member!" Creek gestured to Poppy as the girl hobbled up. "She's Poppy."

"It's very nice to meet—" Rosiepuff froze when she saw Poppy's amputated leg. "Holy hair. Your Peppy's daughter."

Poppy gasped. "You know my daddy?" She yelped when Rosiepuff suddenly picked her up and spun her around.

"Oh you're alive you're alive you're alive! I can't believe you're alive!" Rosiepuff hugged Poppy, nearly squeezing the life out of her.

"Remind me how I know you?" Poppy asked.

"I know your dad! I've been traveling with him across the forest!" Rosiepuff said. "We thought you were dead!"

"Wait, you were in the pet shop too?" Biggie asked.

"Never mind that!" Branch said. "Grandma, where is Poppy's father now?"

Rosiepuff gasped and she looked around. "This way! He went this way! Hurry!" The Tank Trolls followed Rosiepuff through the trees and away from the creek. Branch scooped up Poppy and carried her on his back so they could move faster. Unfortunately, they didn't find any sign of Peppy for a while.

"Hey you!" Branch led everyone to a couple snake creatures, which were only about the size of gardener snakes and completely harmless.

"Excuse me, have you seen a troll come through here?" Rosiepuff asked. "He's got wild hair a similar shade to hers?" She pointed to Poppy's hair.

One of the snakes tapped his lip with the tip of his tail. "Maybe we have, maybe we haven't."

"Well, have you?" Creek demanded.

"Perhaps if we had something to jog our memories." The other snake suggested.

"Really? You can't just give us the answers we need out of the goodness of your hearts?" Suki snapped.

"Afraid not, darling." The first snake slithered up to Rosiepuff. "What do you say, granny? Got something for us in exchange for our information?"

Rosiepuff smiled sweetly. "Oh, I think we can work something out."

Two minutes later

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" the snake screamed simultaneously, desperately trying to avoid the beaks of the bird chicks snapping at them. Rosiepuff held the snakes with her hair, dangling them over a bird nest from a tree branch higher up.

"That's my grandma." Branch said proudly. Poppy giggled.

Rosiepuff pulled the snakes up and frowned at them. "Ready to talk?"

"Yes! Yes!" one of the snakes cried fearfully. "He passed by ten minutes ago!"

"He went that way!" the second snake pointed in one direction. "Towards the Hyacinth Highway!"

"Thank you, gentlemen." Rosiepuff said. "You have been very helpful." She flicked her hair up and sent the two snakes flying into the branches above.

Peppy hadn't felt this level of sorrow since Joy and Poppy's twin were killed. He was numb to everything around him. After losing his wife and one of his children, who hadn't even begun to live, Peppy cursed the world and any gods who existed for the unfairness. He had wondered if he did something in a previous life to bring this curse upon him. Poppy had been his light, his tiny beacon of hope, that kept him going. Now, she was gone, too, and Peppy began to believe he deserved it. After all, he promised to keep her safe, and all he did was neglect to give her the life she deserved. He failed as a father. Or perhaps he never should've been a father.

Maybe I don't even have to go home. Peppy thought. He stared at the ground as he walked, only looking up now and then to see if the river leading to the Hyacinth Highway had come into view yet. Maybe I just need to wander the forest until I die. Or maybe I just need to crawl into a hole and die. Who would miss me, anyway? Joy is waiting for me. So is Poppy and her brother or sister. Rosiepuff doesn't need more, nor does she want me around. So why shouldn't I—

"Dad!"

Peppy paused, but then kept walking. I'm just imagining that. I've been hallucinating Poppy's voice for days. What if I forget what it sounds like?

"Daddy!"

Peppy stopped, and he slowly turned around. He hadn't hallucinated that. "Poppy….."

"Daddy!"

There! Far away from him, running through the trees, was a small pack of trolls, with a familiar pink one riding on the back of a blue one.

"Poppy?" Peppy gasped.

"Peppy!" Rosiepuff called. "Poppy's alive!"

"Rose…" Peppy smiled broadly and started running towards the trolls. "Poppy!"

Branch let Poppy down so she could hobble towards her father. The Tank Trolls and Rosiepuff slowed to a walk, watching with wide smiles.

"Dad!" Poppy shouted, jumping right into her father's arms once she was close enough. She practically tackled him to the ground, and Peppy hugged her as tight as he could without hurting her. Happy tears trickled out from their eyes. Peppy kissed his daughter's head half a dozen times, holding onto her just to make sure this wasn't a dream. Rosiepuff and Tank Trolls caught up, and several of them had to wipe away happy tears.

Peppy looked up to Rosiepuff. "Thank you." He breathed. Rosiepuff only nodded, assuring him no thanks was needed. Peppy gave Poppy another squeeze. "I'm so glad you're safe."

Poppy sniffled as she pulled away from her father. "Dad, I don't hate you."

"No, no, no." Peppy shushed her gently. "It's okay. I'm just so sorry, Poppy. This shouldn't have happened."

Poppy hugged her father again. "Can we go home now?"

"Of course." Peppy nodded. "I can tell you right now it's going to be quite an adventure getting back." Poppy giggled, wiping her eyes dry.

Creek sniffed a few times. "Come on, Creek. Keep it together." Branch teased playfully.

"I'm not crying." Creek said. "Something just smells…funny…"

Branch sniffed the air. "Huh. What is that?"

"It smells like something's…." Creek's eyes widened as he looked past Branch. "Burning."

Everyone turned, and their eyes widened to see smoke rising in the sky and the flames of a wildfire charging for them.

"Run for it!" Peppy urged, handing Poppy her crutches. The trolls took off. Other animals of the forest flew or ran past them, desperately trying to escape the flames. It didn't take long, however, for the fire to creep up and overtake them. The trolls continued to run, to search for any way to evade the fire and certain death. They began to cough from the smoke.

Then, a burning tree started to fall, and the trolls scattered. The tree landed on another, stopping its fall but scattering burning branches across the ground.

"Everyone okay?" Branch called.

"No!" Creek shouted back. It soon became apparent that the burning branches separated Rosiepuff, Poppy, Creek, Satin, and Chenille from the rest of the group.

"What do we do?" Satin called.

"Branch, help us!" Chenille called.

"Just hang on!" Branch said, scanning the burning debris. "I'll figure this out!"

As Poppy stared at the flames around her, she suddenly remembered something. "Wait a minute. Karma covered this is her safety lesson from the first day of school!"

"Poppy! Are you okay?" Peppy called. He could still see his daughter on the other side of the flames.

"I'm fine, Dad! I know what to do!" Poppy called back. "We need to get to some water! A river or the lake or something!"

"I was heading towards a river that's just northeast of us." Peppy said. "It's that way!"

"Great, let's go!" Poppy said. "We have to back up to the water, and we'll be safe!"

"She's right." Branch said. "We'll be safer in the water while the fire burns over."

Peppy stared at Poppy. He just got her back. He couldn't lose her again. "Poppy—"

"Dad, I can do this." Poppy assured. "I'll meet you at the river, okay?"

Though he wanted to protest, though he still feared for her safety, Peppy finally saw the strength in his daughter. He saw how much she had grown in a short amount of time. The conviction in her voice and determination in her eyes told him she would be all right.

"Okay." Peppy nodded. "Okay. I'll meet you at the river. Promise."

"I promise." Poppy nodded. She led her group away and they disappeared.

"All right, you guys follow me!" Peppy ordered his group of trolls. "We'll head this way!"

With Poppy leading them, Rosiepuff, Creek, Satin, and Chenille navigated their way through the burning forest and towards the river. It wasn't the safest option, but it would decrease their risk of injury and asphyxiation. There wasn't much space to run, and the trolls had to constantly dodge flaming debris falling from the trees.

However, the fire moved faster than them, and a large burning tree branch fell and nearly landed on them. Rosiepuff and Poppy were separated from their group.

"Keep going!" Poppy called. "We'll meet you at the river!"

Reluctantly, Creek and the twins obeyed, and they ran off. Poppy and Rosiepuff ran the other way, hoping they could get around the debris and on the right track. Creek made sure his sisters stayed close as they ran. Ash dusted their skin and they coughed from the smoke. After what seemed like hours, they saw a familiar group of trolls waving them down from the shores of a river. Branch ran up to meet them and guided the trio to a section of sand far enough away from the brush. The current was calmer here, so backing into the water was an option if flaming debris flew their way.

"What happened to my grandma?" Branch asked.

"And where's Poppy?" Peppy asked.

"We got separated running from the fire." Creek said. "They said they'll meet us here."

"We need to go look for them!" Suki urged.

"No! That's a death wish." Branch said. He had a rueful frown on his lips, indicating he hated saying what he said next. "We have to wait here, as hard as it may be, and trust that they'll be okay. Right, Peppy?"

The Tank Trolls looked to the adult of the group for confirmation. Peppy stared at the wildfire. He, too, wanted to run in there and bring the girls to safety. But he couldn't deny Branch's logic. He sighed softly. "They'll be all right. we have to wait here until the fire burns over."

Reluctantly, the Tank Trolls settled in the decision and prayed their friends would be all right.

Meanwhile, Poppy and Rosiepuff moved as fast as they could but still struggled to find a way out of the fire. Instead of heading towards the river, they seemed to be moving in circles. Everywhere they turned, something was burning. The smoke invaded their lungs and made them cough.

"I don't think we'll find the river." Poppy said. "We have to hide somewhere!" She wobbled a little, but Rosiepuff steadied her. The older troll scanned the area. It was mostly fire everywhere with the exception of one black spot in a nearby hill. Upon further inspection, Rosiepuff realized it was an animal hole. She didn't have time to consider whether or not something lived in it. She guided Poppy to the hole just as the fire consumed the path they just walked in. Rosiepuff and Poppy realized the hole wasn't that deep, blocked by a rock. They sat as far away from the entrance as possible, leaning against the wall of the cave. The heat and smoke from the fire blew into the hole. Flames sometimes clawed their way in, but thankfully didn't reach the two trolls. Rosiepuff made sure she sat between Poppy and the hole entrance. She coughed harshly, ash dusting her skin like spots. Poppy coughed, too, clearly struggling.

"Easy, now." Rosiepuff said soothingly. "Everything's going to be all right."

Poppy stared at Rosiepuff with a glazed look in her eyes. Quite suddenly, she slumped forward and passed out. Rosiepuff steadied the girl. She slipped her coat off and draped the knit clothing over Poppy's head to keep her from inhaling too much smoke. Rosiepuff pulled Poppy into a protective embrace, and she eyed the flames outside warily.

"Everything will be fine." Rosiepuff coughed. "I don't know how, but you're going to be okay."

A/N: Ha! Take that cliffhanger!