Trolls and the Enchanted Forest (rewrite)

Chapter 40

Chief Tula approached Branch slowly, as he knelt on the ground, staring up at her, his eyes wide in fear.

Quickly, he rose up to his feet, beginning to back away, as he kept his eyes locked on the approaching threat.

     "St... stay back..." he stuttered, his voice trembling in fear. "L... leave me a... alone..."

     But she continued to approach, staring straight at him without saying a single word.

     Suddenly, the ground cracked a bit behind Branch's feet, causing him to trip and fall down onto his butt, stopping his escape.

"Um... uh..." he murmured, scooting backwards, as he looked around frantically for a way to escape, terrified for his life.

"I remember you..." Chief Tula finally said in a cold voice, glaring at the terrified troll. "You are the Troll Village troll, yes?"
"Uh... um... y... yes?" he responded, his voice shaking, as his teeth chattered.

The others gasped, suddenly beginning to murmur to each other again, confused by the statement.

"Troll Village troll?" one whispered.
"Why is he here?" asked another.
"His kind isn't welcome in these parts!" another yelled out angrily.
"Yeah!" everyone agreed, banging their spears into the ground rhythmically, as they began to chant again. "Kill the beast! Kill the beast! Kill the beast!"

Branch looked around at them, panting heavily, as his heart raced in terror.

'Gonna die. Gonna die. Gonna die!' he thought to himself, whimpering softly, as he looked at all the pointy spears surrounding him.

"Enough!" Chief Tula shouted out in pure rage, silencing all the bystanders. "I am handling this!"

     Slowly, she turned back to Branch, who gulped at her gaze, his eyes wide in fear, as he stared up at her.

     "Tell me... why did you come here?" she questioned, holding her staff up to Branch's throat threateningly.

He gulped again, beginning to stutter.

"I... I... I..."

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!" he suddenly heard, the sound piercing through the air. This time the sound seemed to come from right behind him, as if he was exactly where it wanted him to be.

Everyone seemed to react to it, looking around in confusion, as they began to murmur to each other once again.

     "Aqua..." one whispered.
"Why the call? Why now?" whispered another.
"Does it want the Troll Village troll?" another asked.
"Sacrifice?" asked another.

Chief Tula looked at Branch, raising an eyebrow, as she saw him looking around. Had he heard it too?

"You hear the call..." she said softly, lowering her staff. He looked up at her, still terrified for his life. Was this a trick question? Was she going to kill him if he answered wrong?

"Umm... n... no..." he lied. "I... I don't..."

"Aaaaaaaaaaa!"

He looked towards the noise, his ear twitching slightly, as he listened.

Slowly, Chief Tula put her staff under Branch's chin, turning his head gently, to look at her.

He gulped again, looking up at her in fear, as she gazed at him closely, seeing the slight tinge of grey swirling in his blue eyes.

"I knew it..." she finally whispered in shock. "Even when you were a kid... I could see it."
"Wha... what are you... talking about?" he asked cautiously.
"You... are not who you think you are," she said firmly. "Follow me."

She lowered her staff, beginning to walk, expecting Branch to follow.

Branch looked around again. In all his fear, he hadn't noticed Poppy and Barb weren't with him.

"W... wait... where are my friends!?" he demanded, rising quickly to his feet.

The other trolls raised their spears again, but Branch didn't even flinch, he was too focused on finding Poppy. He had to save her.

"Friends?" Chief Tula questioned, turning back to him a bit confused. "Oh... you mean the ones who lied to you." She smirked, looking at him closely.
"What are you talking about?" he questioned, glaring at her. He wasn't going to let her intimidate him. Not anymore... She had Poppy, and he was going to get her back...

"As I said... follow me." She turned back to the other trolls, who still held up their spears. "Weapons down," she told them, as she began to walk again.

They all listened to their Chief, lowering their spears, as they continued to glare at Branch suspiciously.

"Tell me where my friends are!" Branch demanded, refusing to follow her.
"Don't worry..." Tula said, continuing to walk. "Their safe... for now."
"Tell me where they are now!" he yelled, getting angry.

     She turned to him, a fierce look on her face. She was not happy with the way she was being spoken to.

"Aaaaaaaaaaa!" the sound suddenly called out from the distance.

Branch looked off towards it, thinking he knew what it meant.

"Follow... me..." Chief Tula ordered firmly, as she began to walk once again.

He took a step forewords, away from the trolls with the spears as if he was going to follow her, but then quickly turned, taking off running in the direction the sound had come from.

Chief Tula sighed, seeing him running away.

"It's a shame," she said quietly. "Guess we're gonna have to do this the hard way. Trolls... get him."

Quickly, the trolls took off after Branch, chasing him down with their spears pointed out in front of them.

     "Kill the beast! Kill the beast! Kill the beast!"