Curse of the Weretroll (rewrite)

Chapter 60

His heart racing in pure absolute terror, Branch walked as slowly as physically possible through the forest, the survivalist heading sulkily towards the gathering spot Peppy had set up for the group of hunters to meet in, Poppy following right beside him, the young princess seeming just as panicked as her friend was...

"It'll be ok..." she assured in a calming whisper, taking Branch's hand in her own, the village grump looking at their fingers intertwining for just a moment before quickly pulling away...

Poppy sighed in despair as she watched Branch nervously fiddling with his fingers, the little gray troll's ears drooping down low as he stared straight ahead with wide unblinking eyes...

He was so scared... she could see it clearly on his face... the poor boy was freaking out... again...

Finally arriving at the meeting zone, Branch froze, his heart sinking down painfully into the pit of his stomach as he saw all the trolls there waiting to head out on the hunt for the dangerous beast known only as the wolf... the hunt... for him...

What was he going to do? What if he lost control again? What if all these trolls saw him change!? They were all holding guns... every single one of them... it wouldn't even be a second before he was laying on the ground, dead... a thousand tons of led piercing through his un-beating heart...

"Branch!" a sudden voice called out, the survivalist finally snapping out of his horrified trance to look up at who was now speaking to him. "There you are, my boy!"

With a gulp of pure uncontainable terror, Branch looked to see Peppy quickly approaching him, the king of trolls placing an arm around the young boy's shoulder.

"We've all been waiting for you..." the orange troll explained, gesturing to the group before them...

"Y... yeah..." the village grump muttered softly, lowing his head to look away from the old king in petrifying horror. "I... I'm sorry..."

Peppy looked at him for just a moment before giving the young troll a kind smile...

"It's ok, my boy," he assured, comfortingly patting Branch's shoulder. "You're here now. That's all that matters..."

But to the orange troll's surprise... Branch didn't cheer up, the poor boy's head remaining low as his ears drooped down in fear...

"Branch? Are you o..." But... Peppy paused his question, when he suddenly noticed his daughter standing a few feet away, the worried father looking to her in slight concern. "Poppy?" he questioned, leaving Branch's side to approach the young princess instead. "What are you doing here? You should be at home where it's safe..."

"Uh..." Poppy muttered, the young girl looking to the petrified gray troll for just a second before quickly turning her gaze to her father. "I was just worried about Branch... does he... have to be in the hunt?"

"He'll be fine, Poppy," Peppy assured, placing a firm hand on his daughter's shoulder. "All hunters will have a buddy. Which means he won't be alone out there... eyes will be on him at all times..."

"Ugh..." Branch groaned silently at the sound of those words, knowing that if at any moment... even if it's only for a second... if he lost control of his wolf side... he'd be dead...

"But dad..." Poppy started, the young princess quickly getting cut off by her father. "Everything will be fine," the old king assured, beginning to walk back over to Branch. "Here you go, my boy. If you see the wolf... have no mercy..."

The old orange troll handed the village grump a rifle, Branch reluctantly taking it in his hands to look at in fear...

"B... but... king Peppy..." Branch started... but just like when he had been volunteered for this position against his will... Peppy didn't listen, the king of trolls turning back to his daughter...

"Ok, Poppy. Let's get you back home where it's safe," the old king said, placing an arm around his daughter before leading the pink troll back towards the royal pod.

Branch watched as the love of his life left his side, the two young trolls keeping total eye contact with each other until the young princess was finally led out of sight...