Stay

Hello Darkness my friend

Everyone in the troll tree heard screaming coming from the line. It shocked all of them, nobody heard multiple trolls screaming bloody murder, and they were too scared to check. But they were all pretty sure of what happened, a Bergen. 

Trolls have heard screams before when someone was taken. But these were different, their screams weren't ones of surprise or desperation. These were agonizing screams of pure horror, pure sadness. That even the King was shaking.

Nobody moved, nobody spoke until they heard the names of those poor trolls screaming.

“GRANDMA, FLOYD!”

That shook everyone out of their shock and the king started running towards the screams. Everyone else close behind him. When they got there it was heartbreaking.

The clothes lines were cut, a basket that used to be filled with clothes now spilled everywhere, and heartbreaking sods were coming from below the branch.

The King quickly followed the sobs, and found a trolling hiding in a bush, all gray. Everyone was in complete shock seeing the gray trolling, but the King was not paying attention to that. He was more focused on calming down the trolling, so the trolling can tell what exactly happened.

“Branch, look at me.” King Peppy said calmly. “It's going to be ok.”

It took a lot of effort to calm down the poor trolling, but the King managed to calm him down. 

“ Branch.” King Peppy said seriously. Putting his hand on his shoulder. Branch looked up with a fearful look. “What happened?”

He started to break down again, and that's when the king decided to not ask again. The King told everyone to go home while he resolved this issue. Then he focused all of his attention on Branch.

“ Hey buddy.” The king said quietly, “It's going to be ok.”

Both princess poked their heads out to see what was going on, after the commotion died down, and saw a sad troll. Feeling bad for him they both hoped out of their dads hair, and hugged him. 

After Branch calmed down King Peppy reached out his hand and said, “Let's get you home, ok?” 

Branch hesitated to take his hand, but not wanting to be alone, so he took it. King Peppy with Branch, holding his hand, started to walk back. 

____________

When they got to the laundry basket Branch froze. The King was surprised at first, holding Branch's hand and halting, he almost tripped. But he managed to catch himself, and turned towards Branch.

He sees the young trolling looking at the basket, or more specifically a green leaf vest. King Peppy has no idea why the gray trolling is looking at it, but it must be important. 

Letting go of Branch's hand, King Peppy went to pick up the leafy vest, to the surprise of Branch, and returned to give it to him.

“This is important to you right?” King Peppy said sadly, the hand with the vest reached out. Branch looked up to him and nodded sadly. “Then you don't want to lose this.”

Branch took the vest and put it on, hugging it. Then took the king's hand and they started walking again. Back to the now sad lonely pod.