Curse of the Weretroll (rewrite)

Chapter 41

     Poppy walked with Branch through the village, the young princess leading her best friend back towards his own bunker...

     "I know how to get home, you know..." Branch joked with a slight eye roll as the pink troll he loved so much led him forwards. "I know..." Poppy replied, not even looking back at the gray troll behind her. "I just want to make sure you get back safely..."

     Poppy was just so kind... caring so much about the survivalist's safety just like he cared about hers. The young boy just couldn't believe how nice this one troll was to him. Even when he was the wolf she... wait... the wolf! He was supposed to meet Poppy in the woods as the wolf!

     "Well... well actually..." Branch started in a panicked stutter, pulling away from the pink troll's grasp, and looking away from her as he nervously rubbed the back of his head. "I... I'm not... going... home..."

     "What?" Poppy asked, finally looking back to her best friend in confusion. "What do you mean?"

     "I... I actually have plans..." he stuttered nervously. "Out in the forest..."
"Well then..." the young princess started with a smile. "I'll come with you..."

     "No!" Branch yelled, quickly turning back to her with wide fearful eyes. "You can't! I... I'm actually meeting a... a... friend! Mr. Glittercakes!"

     Mr. Glittercakes? Why is that the name he decided to go with!?

     "A friend?" Poppy questioned, raising an eyebrow in confusion. She didn't know Branch had friends...

     Ok... that sounded wrong... what she meant was... she didn't know he actually spent time with other trolls... she always thought that she was the only one who made an effort to hang out with him... as far as the young princess ever saw... the other trolls only bullied the poor boy... just because he was a little different... an action she always tried to put a stop to... but no matter how much she told the others to stop teasing the survivalist... the insults never seemed to end...

     "Well... not really a friend per se..." the gray troll explained, rubbing his arm as he tried his best to avoid eye contact... "More like an... acquaintance... I... I'm helping them... build... something..."

     "Oh..." Poppy muttered softly, knowing Branch was lying to her... but she just couldn't figure out why... did he not want to be around her? She thought they were finally getting along... had she done something wrong? "But... but Branch..."

     "Well... I better get going!" Branch quickly interrupted, beginning to back away with an innocent grin. "Bye Poppy! See you later!"

     And with that, Branch turned, quickly running off at top speed into the forest...

     Poppy watched sadly as her friend disappeared from her sight, the young princess letting a long sigh of despair leave her mouth as she sadly lowered her head...

     She didn't know why Branch had left in such a hurry... but she didn't have time to sit around and think about it... she had plans too, after all... and she didn't want to keep Squishy waiting much longer...

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     "Squishy!" Poppy called out with a smile as she walked through the forest, the young princess heading to the spot where she last saw the wolf. "I brought some brownies, bud!"

     She made her way past a cluster of trees, the young princess walking right into the small clearing where the wolf was laying peacefully by the edge of the water, his right side facing the young girl as he looked off into the distance. He still just couldn't get over that gorgeous view...

     "Hey there, bud," Poppy said softly, trying not to startle the large critter as she walked towards him.

     Smiling wide, Branch turned at the sound of Poppy's voice, the Weretroll looking up at his best friend in excitement.

     Wait... the sound of her voice? He could hear her? He could hear her!

     I mean... the sound was still a bit cloudy... but that didn't matter! He could actually hear!

     "Aroo!" Branch howled out happily, jumping right up to his feet as he began hopping around in joy. He could hear!

     Poppy chuckled at the wolf's adorable behavior, the young princess placing the tray of brownies on the ground for Squishy to eat.

     "There you go, bud," she said, stepping aside so the wolf could chow down on the delicious snack. "I made them myself..."

     It didn't matter that he was currently celebrating his miraculous recovery... these were brownies we were talking about! There was no way he could turn those down!

     Quickly rushing over to the snack Poppy had so kindly brought to him, Branch began gobbling up the tasty treat, his tastebuds dancing with joy at the marvelous flavors jumping around wildly on his tongue. Was that flufflebery he tasted in there?

     "You really like chocolate, don't you bud?" Poppy laughed, seeing the wolf licking the tray after finishing the brownies that were formally on it.

     Branch nodded at the question, purring with happiness as he made sure to get every last crum of the delicious chocolaty snack off the tray...

     The princess laughed at her new friend's adorable behavior, and then walked over, placing a gentle hand onto the wolf's head, Branch immediately beginning to purr even louder at her touch, the Weretroll leaning into her hand with closed eyes...

     "You are just too cute," Poppy laughed, rubbing underneath his chin.

     He was just like a giant dog, she noted, petting the wild animal as if he were a common house pet...

     As she scratched her fingers smoothly through the wolf's fur, the young princess accidentally touched a specific part of his neck, a shock like feeling zipping down Branch's spine, seeming to instantly paralyze him where he stood...

     The large animal's eyes widened in shock for just a moment before he suddenly flopped involuntarily onto his back, the wolf now completely incapacitated as he purred softly, his leg twitching slightly up in the air like a sleeping dog...

     "Squishy?" Poppy questioned, looking down at her friend in concern as he lay at her feet, his eyes shut and tongue hanging out of his mouth. "Are you ok?"

     The wolf grunted softly in content, seeming to enjoy the calm feeling now washing over him like a wave. What the hair did she do to him?

     Finally, Poppy chuckled, seeing that the critter wasn't injured and instead just in a state of extreme relaxation...

     She would have to remember that trick... it could come in handy some day...