Curse of the Weretroll (rewrite)

Chapter 46

After her visit with Squishy, Poppy began to walk back towards home, the moon now placed high up in the sky, thousands of stars twinkling beautifully overhead as Branch stealthily followed behind the young princess in his wolf form...

     It was dark and with that mysterious predator following her earlier... he just wanted to make sure the secret love of his life got home safely. And to do that... the survivalist had to be able to hear the dangers around them. Something he could now only do as Squishy...

     Plus... if that unknown predator did come back for what was supposed to be it's dinner... being a wolf would be a better way to protect Poppy from the threat...

The princess skipped along through the forest, having no idea her friend was following close behind her... and yet... she somehow felt safer just by him being near...

—————

Finally, Poppy made it back to the village she called home, skipping out into plain view of the trolls who still happened to be up at this late hour of the night while Branch remained hidden in the shadows of the darkened forest...

     He couldn't be seen like this... not in his wolf form... the trolls would instantly attack him... capture him... and possibly even... kill him...

     But he still wanted to make sure Poppy got home safely...

     Even though she was now in the safety of the village... there was still a 10% chance a predator could get her... the odds were low... but still possible...

     After all... the home of all trolls had been invaded by predators before... Growl Beasts... Cuddle Pup mamas... Kitty Critters... even he had infiltrated it's boarders in the past...

     He had to continue forwards... he just couldn't let his precious friend get hurt... or worse...

     So... the Weretroll took a deep calming breath, working up all of his courage before sneaking through the village, his dark fur actually helping him camouflage in the black of night...

     'Just need to get Poppy home safely... and then get out of here without being seen...' he told himself, his belly close to the ground as he followed stealthily behind the young princess. 'I can do that... right?'

—————

Out near the outskirts of the village, Creek was meditating with a tiny glow fly holding him off the ground by his hair, the purple troll's legs crossed and hands together...

     "Ummmmmmm..." he muttered softly to himself, his eyes closed gently in relaxation. "Uuuummmmmmm..."

     Suddenly... the crackle of leaves being walked through interrupted the jerk troll's tranquil train of thought, causing the hideous purple freak to open his eyes in slight confusion...

     Who would possibly be out this late at night? he couldn't help but wonder to himself. And why?

Looking around himself for a quick second in slight suspicion, the disgusting nuisance couldn't help but smile when he finally spotted Poppy walking by just a few feet behind him...

     He didn't know why the princess of all people would be out so late, but this was his perfect opportunity to talk to her... to tell her his 'feelings'. There was no way she could turn him down under the beauty of the stars...

     His smile quickly faded however... when his gaze slowly turned to the wolf that was currently sneaking up behind the beautiful princess, the horrendous monster going almost completely unnoticed with it's jet black fur...

His eyes widened at the sight, fearing that the beast was about to attack the defenseless girl! His only chance at being actual royalty was a stake! He had to stop this...

"Poppy!" he called out, pure terror flooding his voice as he tried his best to warn the princess of her impending death... "Poppy!"

The princess flinched at the sudden call, quickly turning to see Creek running towards her at top speed...

Branch gulped, his bright blue eyes wide as he stared motionless at the approaching threat, the Weretroll shrinking down even father to the ground as he whimpered softly in pure and utter terror... He knew exactly what Creek was gonna do to him...

"Look out, Poppy!" Creek shouted, continuing his desperate approach to save the beauty from the beast. "Behind you!"

Confused by the purple troll's frantic shouts of terror, Poppy turned, the young princess instantly gasping when she saw the wolf shrunk down low right behind her...

"Squishy!?" she questioned, her heart immediately filling with worry. "N... no. You can't be here! Run! Run before he kills you!"

Branch looked up at the love of his life as she ushered him away in a panic.

     "Go!" she pleaded, her eyes tearing up at the thought of her friend getting hurt again... "Now, Squishy! Run!"

     Nodding in response to the young princess' desperate command, Branch quickly took off into the forest, the large wolf disappearing almost instantly into the thick trees that were now surrounding him on all sides...

"Poppy!?" Creek shouted out in a panic as he finally reached the young pink troll, the purple nuisance quickly checking her over for injuries. "Are you ok!?"
"I'm fine, Creek," Poppy assured, gently pushing him away from herself. "He didn't touch me... I promise..."

Creek checked her over for a moment longer, and then quickly turned, seeing the wolf disappear completely behind a cluster of trees...

"I'm gonna kill that beast..." the jerk troll grumbled angrily, instantly beginning to run off after the dangerous monster...

"What!? No, Creek! He's gone... Just leave him be!" Poppy pleaded, trying to hold back her not so good friend... but he just pulled away from her with ease before taking off into the forest after the wolf without even listening to the young princess...

"No... Squishy..." Poppy whispered in disbelief, her eyes wide in fear as she imagined what Creek was gonna do to the poor creature if he actually found him... "No! Squishy!"

Quickly, she too ran off into the deep dark forest, hoping with all her heart to find the wolf before Creek did...

—————

"Squishy!? Squishy!? Where are you!?" Poppy cried out as she ran as fast as she possibly could through the forest. "Squishy!?"

     Crackle...

     Poppy gasped as she froze in place, the young princess looking off in the direction the sound had come from...

     The leaves were rustling just on the other side of a nearby bush... could it be Squishy!? Or... was it Creek...

Her worry for her beloved friend quickly taking over, Poppy ran to see what had caused the sound of movement just off in the distance... If it was Squishy... she had to protect him...

Quickly pushing through the bushes, Poppy froze in place when she saw the wolf standing just a few feet away from her, the poor thing panting heavily in exhaustion and fear...

Poppy was about to leave her hiding place to run quickly over to her friend... to help him escape the jerk troll that was currently hunting him... when... suddenly... the wolf began looking around his surroundings, almost as if making sure no one was near...

     At the strange sight of the wolf carefully scanning the area, the young pink troll paused once more, watching to see what Squishy was about to do in pure confusion before he suddenly began to transform...

The princess's eyes widened in shock at what she had just accidentally witnessed, her heart seeming to skip a beat at the realization suddenly popping into her head...

"B... Branch is... the wolf?"