Curse of the Weretroll (rewrite)

Chapter 38

Branch sighed deeply in content as he lay on the shore of a beautiful lake, the young Weretroll watching as the sun began to slowly set off on the horizon...

     It was beautiful... the young boy had always loved nature, but this... this was just simply gorgeous. Just like Poppy...

     "Ugh..." Branch grunted, shaking his wolf head in disgust. There he goes again... thinking about Poppy... why couldn't he just get her out of his head!? Even her smell still lingered in his nose!

     Wait... her smell... that wasn't his imagination... it was like... she was here... right behind him...

     'Poppy?'

     Confused, the Weretroll sat up before turning to face the pink princess, the young girl freezing in terror at the sudden movement of the wolf, her eyes wide as she stared at the monster before her...

     What was she doing there? Had she come out looking for him? Why?

     Branch couldn't help but smile at the sight of his secret crush, his tail beginning to involuntarily wag with pure joy. How could he not like her? She had always been kind to him... weather he was the only gray troll... or even when he was the wolf that everyone was afraid of... Hair... he loved her so much...

     But... the Weretroll's smile quickly faded away when he spotted the knife gripped tightly in the young princess' hand, his eyes widening in horror at the sight...

     "Arf..." he squeaked out in fear, the wolf quickly jumping up to his feet as he began to slink away from the pink troll, not once taking his eyes off of her. 'P... Poppy? Wha... what are you... doing?'

     Watching the wolf slowly moving away from her, his eyes wide as he stared right at her in pure and utter terror, Poppy took a deep breath before continuing her approach, the young princess raising her knife to hold up high in the air...

     'N... n... no, Poppy... No! Don't... don't do this! Please don't do this!' Branch cried out, his voice filled to the brim with fear. "Aaaoooooo!"

     Poppy could hear the terror in this poor creature's voice as he slunk away from her, his eyes wide and glossed over with tears as he gazed up at the young princess, pleading with her not to hurt him... he was begging her to let him live... He... he didn't want to die...

     "I... I can't do this..." the young girl finally sighed in defeat, dropping the knife to the ground as she lowered her head in shame...

     Panting heavily in fear, Branch watched as the princess kicked the knife into the lake, allowing the weapon to sink down to the bottom, never to be seen again...

     "I'm sorry, bud..." Poppy apologized in a soft regretful tone. "I... I just..." She sighed, finally looking back up at him, the wolf still staring at her in complete terror... "Tell me the truth..." she started, tears flowing from her bright pink eyes. "Did you attack my friend? Did you hurt Branch?"

     Branch's eyes widened yet again at the sound of those words... Is that why she tried to kill him? She was trying to avenge him?

     Snapping himself out of his shock, the Weretroll quickly began to shake his head in response to the questions, still making sure to not take his eyes off of the young princess for even a second...

    'It wasn't me...' he promised in quiet whimpers of fear. 'I... I swear...'

     Poppy smiled slightly at the sight before quickly running over to hug him tight...

     Shocked by the quick and sudden movement of the princess, Branch tried to pull away from the possible danger, but Poppy held on tight, not allowing him to get away...

     "I knew you wouldn't hurt a fly..." the pink troll whispered, burying her face into the wolf's thick fur. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you..."

     His eyes still wide and heart racing, Branch looked down at Poppy as she held him in a tight hug, the village grump not understanding what was happening...

     She... she wasn't going to hurt him?

     Finally beginning to calm down just a bit, the Weretroll licked the young girl's face as if saying; 'apology accepted'...

     He would always end up forgiving Poppy... no matter what... he just couldn't stay mad at her... he loved her...

     "Will... will you be here tomorrow?" the young princess suddenly asked in a soft tone, Branch looking at her once more with a stunned gaze...

     He didn't know why she had asked that extremely strange question, but finally ended up slowly nodding his head in reply, his unblinking eyes still locked on the young princess...

     Poppy smiled at the answer, gently beginning to pet the wolf's head as she pulled away from the hug.

     "I'll come and see you," she promised. "I'll even bring some brownies. I know their your favorite."

     Branch couldn't help but lick his lips at the mention of the amazingly delicious brownies, Poppy chuckling at him as he did so, the young princess thinking this wild animal was rather adorable despite what the other trolls would say about him...

     Maybe her new friend needed a name... that way when she came to see him the next day, she could call him something other than 'the wolf'...

     "I shall call you Squishy," the young princess announced in a proud tone, lovingly petting the wolf's head. "And you shall be mine... and you shall be my Squishy..."

     'Squishy?' Branch couldn't help but think, raising an eyebrow at the ridiculous name. 'Seriously? That's what you're gonna call me?'

     Poppy giggled at the extremely hilarious sounds emerging from this critter's mouth, thinking they meant he loved the name she had chosen for him...

     "See you tomorrow, Squishy," the young girl said, waving enthusiastically to her new friend as she began to jog away, quickly disappearing from from sight within the trees of the forest...

     Branch smiled as he watched her go, a happy lovestruck grin on his fur covered face...

     He didn't like the name... at all... but he did like the idea of seeing Poppy again... of being with her with no worries of getting too close. Because he wouldn't be seeing her as Branch... he would be seeing her as Squishy...