AN: Omg this is TERRIBLE! Not my bestest work but I REALLY wanted to write some Kismet fluff, character exploring, maybe? And this popped up! Next chapter will be better, I promise!
Anyway, (try to) enjoy!
Mission on
"Ay, aren't you guys gonna eat or what?"
Hype and Ablaze jumped at the sudden interruption, and they turned around to find their younger brothers standing at the doorway, as if summoned by the mention of their names.
"Boom finished all the fries."
"Liar!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
Hype smiled. "We'll be there in a bit."
The orange-haired smirked. "Hurry before Boom-"
"Shut up!" And their bickering could be heard from the dining table.
The older stayed silent for a minute to make sure they were alone. "How about we visit him?"
"Do you know where he lives?"
Hype muttered, "No…" before his face lit up. "But! We can look for him!"
Ablaze looked at him, his skepticism betrayed through his raised eyebrow. "So you're gonna knock on everyone's doors till he opens up?"
"Bad idea?"
His brother nodded. "Very."
"And what do you suggest we do?"
"Casually walk till we spot him?"
Hype pondered for a second. It was better than his idea, at least.
"Alright!" He abruptly got up, earning only a smirk from the other troll. "Mission on!"
—--
Branch stopped, taking a minute to catch his breath. The spinning stopped, he was good to continue. He stole a glance at his arms to make sure the crocky bandage hasn't gotten undone nor fallen off. He really should learn how to tend to wounds. He was going to need to if he needed to survive.
But never have the thoughts of self-doubt stopped ringing in his small head, each one more terrifying than the last.
Was he strong enough to do this?
He felt vulnerable and exposed, like a small twig in a raging river. Yet he couldn't rely on anyone anymore. Not that he had anyone, anyway.
Little did the accusations and blaming start to subside when he remembered the lessons his grandmother had taught him. She had always told him that true strength comes from within, and that he had a fire burning inside of him that could never be extinguished. What happened to that fire?
He knew that he couldn't let doubt hold him back. He had to be brave and resilient, just like his brothers had always been. They were his idols, and he just had to copy them, be like them. So taking a deep breath, Branch straightened his posture and set his jaw with determination. He may have felt weak in that moment, but he knew he had the strength inside him to overcome any challenge that came his way. He had no choice.
With a newfound sense of purpose, the gray troll continued his small journey through the forest, a bag of berries nestled securely in his grip and eyes scanning the area for more bushes or trees, anything that could provide food at the moment. His stomach grumbled at the word.
Food. He needed food.
He took another deep breath, trying to stop the floating sensation in his stomach as he walked through the forest, his weak body unable to keep up with his usual pace. Branch had always been the most carefree of his brothers, the one who everyone relied on for a good laugh.
But now, it seemed like everything had changed. He was no longer the tough - as his brothers always called him, fearless troll he once was. He was small, vulnerable, and constantly on the lookout for danger. The thought of facing a bergen or other predators sent shivers down his spine.
And the mere mention of danger seemed to have pulled the thoughts out of the back of his head. Branch's mind wandered back to his brothers. He missed them terribly, and he couldn't help but wonder if they were out there somewhere, thinking of him too. Maybe they were trying to find him, or maybe they had moved on and forgotten all about him.
He just hoped they weren't with his grandma.
—--
"Ugh! This is so boring!" Trickee exclaimed, shaking his younger brother's shoulders.
Hype sighed. "We told you to stay home, but you insisted on coming."
"We thought it was gonna be fun!"
Ablaze rubbed his temples. "How is looking for someone fun?"
Boom whimpered. "Can you carry me? We've been walking for hours."
"Minutes," Hype corrected.
"Tireeed," Boom whined. "And hungry."
The orange troll nodded. "Yeah, me too."
This was not supposed to be how it goes.
"Alright, what do you two want?"
"Play," the younger pair replied in unison.
"But… we're on the outskirts of the village…" the blue troll mumbled. Ablaze heard him.
"You can go, I'll keep an eye on them."
"We're not babies!"
The purple troll ignored them. "Don't be late, though."
"Thanks, bro!" And with that, Hype was already heading off even deeper into the outskirts.
—--
Bad idea. Total bad idea.
Whispers in the troll community about the dangers that lurked in the outskirts repeated themselves in his head. Trolls who had ventured out never returned, and Hype knew he was taking a huge risk by going alone.
He took a deep breath and stepped out into the unknown, the darkness and cold enveloping him as the light and warmth of the sun started to go down with it. Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs sent shivers down his spine. But he couldn't turn back now. He was determined to find the gray troll and bring him back home where he belonged. So he took another, deeper breath. Arms crossed and head held high, he trudged through the eerie silence of wherever he was. Why couldn't he just live in a pod in the village like everyone else?
Deeper and deeper he went, and Hype could feel the eyes of unseen creatures watching him, and he quickened his pace, his heart pounding in his chest. He yelped as his foot made contact with a stray branch, causing a loud snap that made him jump and look around nervously. The darkness of the forest was daunting, the trees looming over him like giants. Hype's heart raced when he knew he was far from the safety of Troll Village. Why didn't he listen to Ablaze?
Ping! Hype gasped and looked down at the source of the sound. Hug time. But there was no one.
He wrapped his arms around himself.
"H-Hey? Are you here?" he called out in a nervous tone.
Silence.
Footsteps. They were approaching.
"I-I know karate and-"
"What are you doing here?"