The Adventures of Azalea and Twig (book 5)

Chapter 27

     "AHHHHH!" they all screamed, Poppy and Branch holding onto each other.

     Quickly, Pansy stood, running past Poppy and Branch to get up to Uueeka's head.

     "Foony! Foony!" she shouted, holding onto his head feathers. "Upa!"

     Uueeka spread his wings, quickly flying up into the sky.

"Yeah!" the three trolls yelled, cheering.

Poppy and Pansy threw their hands up into the air in celebration, but Branch was still afraid of being up so high, so he kept his hands down, clinging onto Uueeka's feathers tightly.

"We did it! We escaped!" Poppy yelled, hugging Branch tightly. Branch looked back at her smiling, just happy that she was alright.

Suddenly, a rope with big metal balls tied to it, came flying towards them, tangling around Uueeka's feet, and pulling him down towards the ground.

They landed on top of a tall mountain, the three trolls being flung off of Uueeka's back, as they collided with the ground.

     "Ow..." Branch groaned, trying to get up, but a bird swooped down, sticking it's talons into his back.

     "Ahh!" he screamed out in pain, as the bird held him down to the ground.

     "Branch!" Poppy yelled, running towards him, but two more birds swooped down, pinning both Poppy and Pansy to the ground.

     "Thought you could get away? Well think again." Branch looked up, seeing the head hunter, standing on the bird's back.

     "Leave us alone!" Branch yelled, which made the bird stick its talons deeper into his back, ripping four holes in his vest, and cutting his skin.

     "Ahh!" he winced in pain, closing his eyes tightly, as he balled his hands up in fists.

     "Branch!" Poppy yelled, trying to escape from the bird that held her.

     The head hunter looked at the bird who held Poppy, and then smiled, pointing up at the sky. The bird recognized the hand motion, flying upwards, while still holding onto Poppy.

     "No! Poppy!" Branch cried out, trying to get up, but the bird just pushed it's talons, deeper into his back.

     "Let her go!" he yelled, trying to ignore the pain he was in.
"Well... if you insist," the head hunter said, smiling. He looked up at the bird, and nodded.

     Suddenly, the bird let go of Poppy, sending her falling towards the ground.

     "POPPPY!"