Love is Strange

Chapter 29

Warning:⚠️ Blood. Violence. Minor swearing.⚠️

A troll like figured jumped off their beetlebike from a dark shadow with an sword in hand diving down behind the bush landing on the lizard's back. The shadows of the trees still casted over the armed troll with brief rays of moonlight peeking through. Sugar Plum gasped as the unknown troll stabbed through the lizard's tough skin. The hungry beast roared in pain and anger dropping the Trairy onto the hard rock surface. She winched in pain her side met the rock and groaned clutching her racing heart. The lizard turned it's head around with it's sharp teeth out intimidatingly. The unknown hero jumped back pulling their sword out with them as the the large predator lunged at them, mouth open wide ready to bite and dig in. The removal of the now bloody weapon only made the lizard more aggressive with it's attempts to bite and eat the troll on their back right then and there.

The strong tail of the beast swung around hitting the thron bushes around them. One of the thorns broke off tearing the hooded clothing of the troll still facing the animal. They swung their sword once lashing the predator's armored face struggling to stay on. The thrashing and jaggared movements threatened the fighter's balance they desperately counteted every bite attack with their blade swinging in different directions attempting to make at least some sort of impact but, it only caused the cold blooded predator back off for brief moments before striking again. It was like an endless cycle with one outcome. Keep fighting until your weak amd slow enough to be eaten. This position was doing nobody a favor,except the angry hunter. 

However it didn't seem to be enjoying itself either at this moment. It grunted after almost every head turn. An old cut that was only closing back up recently had reopened enough discomfort. The lizard bashed it's body against the nearest tree knocking the troll off it's back. It's tail striked the fighter distancing them from dropped weapon. The troll's back hit a dead and fallen tree trunck. They gritted their teeth moaning at the sudden impact. Sugar looked at the lizard then at their protector still on the same spot frozen in place. Her shock and fear kept her there.

Slowly approaching the disarmed troll the injured animal opened it's mouth again revealing it's sharp teeth and extended it's tongue. The troll desprately looked around for way out but, there was nowhere to run. They were cornered with their back against a tree.  Their hands tighten their grip on the dead tree. Eyes locked with the beast's fixed cold stare.

Sugar kicked the sword to her protector mid uncorking her glass bottle. Within a second thought filled with adrenaline she hastily flew in front of the troll before they had time to grave their weapon. The Trairy's black fire proof gloves reappeared on her hands in a matter of seconds. Her thumb covered a quarter of the bottle's opening as she quickly shook the bottle of fire. The flames inside intensified shooting out like a flamethrower immediately! Sugar aimed the bottle at the lizard's face burning the side of it's face.

The reptile screamed as it backed away from the constrainted fire. Some of it's scales turned a dark grey almost black even. It's eyes were shut as it contuined take a few steps backwards thrashing it's around. Grabbing their sword the troll used their hair to launch up and swing through the air. Their sword cut the toughest vine known to the Rock lands with one clean cut of their blood stained sword. They held both ends of the vine with their sword still in hand. Landing on the thrashing burnt beast the vine hooked straight into it's mouth somehow getting passed the sharp points of it's teeth. 

Sugar Plum corked bottle as the troll pulled on the vine the lizard to turned around. Whoever this troll was had the bravery and strength of a true Rocker. The lizard's eyes were closed as it tried to throw the tiny being off it's head as they redirecetd it. It spun closer to the edge of a rocky river bank. The unknown hero pulled with all their reamining strength to right as tge tough vine threaten to snap any moment now. They grinded their teeth feeling the gorwing pain in their musicals. 

Then the reptile began to lean to the right tipping over. With no time waste Sugar's defender jumped off just in the nick of time falling and rolling onto the ground in skillful manner. The lizard rolled down the short rocky hill roughly before falling into the river and being carried away away by the rushing current. Sugar stared at her defender who was still hidden by the shadows in awe. Their panting sounded familiar but, she couldn't pin point where exactly she heard it from. Plum took one of the strong and tough vines that her hero had accidentally cut and tied it around her waist like a belt and to her corked glass bottle. It kept the smooth item attached to her hip better than expected.

" Oh Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou! Who are you? What's your name? Oh Rose is so gonna wanna meet you. We are so friends now! " Sugar Plum ran tackling the troll in a hug.

Without any warning the unkown troll pushed Sugar away into the expanding moonlight. She would had fell if it wasn't for her wings flapping keeping her up in mid air few inches above the solid dirt covered flat rock surface. The Trairy stared at her savior as her eyes widen with shock and an disheartened hurt came over her. Her warmness was met with coldness. Sugar touched her dress giving in to an need to feel something to ease her new found sense of uneasiness.

" What was that for?! I was thanking you! Who are you?" Sugar exclaimed upset.

Then the troll stepped into the moonlight revealing themselves to be Caroline. Princess Caroline of the Rock Tribe. Her colours slightly glowed as the moonlight softly highlighted her entire body. Her cropped hoodie had several tears on her sleeves and a large hole in her hood. A long, faint scratch appeared near her thigh skull tattoo. Her blue haired ponytail was messier than usual. Her earrings were missing as well. The blade of her sword was covered in almost completely dried blood that came from the predator she stabbed. Caroline's gaze was cold and intense as she glared distrustfully and angrily at Sugar Plum. The troll woman wiped off the sweat from her forehead.

" We will never be friends..." Caroline spoke bluntly pulling her sword's case out from her hair.

" Caroline?" Sugar gasped in disbelief.

Caroline inserted her sword in it's case and hooked it to her belt. She refused to look at the Trairy like she was a traitor to her kingdom. Reaching into her pocket her hand pulls out her thin dangling earrings and she put them back on one by one. Guilt washed over Sugar as she remembered what led to that fateful day she was imprisoned. The princess was right here. She needed know the truth and understand what really happened that day. The potion maker frowned trying to find the right words.

" Caroline. Please listen! About that day. It wasn't-... "

" Oh Shut Up! You set me up for disaster! We don't need your stupid potions that ruined everything. " Caroline snapped.

" Your Not Listening! Please! Let me talk about that fateful day! " Sugar begged.

" No! You done enough! And your not going anywhere. " Caroline growled.

Her blue locks of hair launched at Sugar. The Trairy's grey eyes widen with pure fear,sweat ran down the sides of her face and her voice cracked when she screamed again. Her wings flapped faster lifting her even futher away up in the hair from Caroline but,Caroline's hair still managed to wrap around her stomach and attach on tightening it's grip. More the winged being tried to escape the more tight Caroline's hair became.  The Rock Princess struggled to keep the escaped jail bird in place without getting pulled and dragged along herself.

" Nice Try!" Caroline grunted holding onto a overgrown tree root.

" No! I'M NOT GOING BACK! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" Sugar Plum yelled desperate.

" ROWAN!!! HURRY THE FUCK UP! I HAVE SUAGR PLUM! " Caroline called out from the top of her lungs.

" WAIT! HEAR ME OUT! " Sugar Plum begged with her voice cracking again.