Trolls:A Chimera In Disguise (A Trolls and HTTYD Crossover)

2:The Trapped Hatchling

Branch flinched back as the charred branch cracked off the tree and began to fall. It took the baby dragon down with it, who tumbled through the leaves with a howl of terror. Their purple wings smacked against the smaller branches, and Branch felt a jolt of terror as he heard the sounds of ripping skin.

This continued for a few long moments until there was a softer snap and a heavy thud. He recognized that soft snap. The dragon had been caught in one of his traps on the fall down and had fallen to the ground trapped in what he could only assume was a net.

Well, I have a dragon caught in one of my traps. What am I going to do now? Can I tell anybody about this? Is it hurt? His mind began to race with thoughts as the tip of the charred branch ebbed with smoke. Black wood clung on by a thread to the rest of the tree, and the smell of fire still lingered in the smoky air.

He took a claw and touched the burnt wood. He suddenly flinched away as he felt a searing heat pulse through his paw. He waved his paw and blowed on it as he began to contemplate what he was going to do.

"Okay, a dragon in a trap. I can either go down there and cut the dragon free, or..." He looked down at the wooden dagger in his pocket. He knew he could cut through his net traps with it, but it was also sharp enough to hurt. Possibly kill.

"Ugh, but it's a baby! I can't just kill a baby! Even if it's a dragon baby!" Branch said, his feelings conflicting with each other. He felt his paws shaking, and the memories of when he was a baby seemed to inch their way in.

Now, he could feel real pity for this baby dragon. He remembered the times when he was still a baby after his brothers left, and he had gotten himself hurt. How he had wished one of his brothers would come back and tell him everything was okay, and they would help him. How he wouldn't be left alone, hurt and scared, like the baby dragon in the trap.

That baby dragon... he's just like me, in a way. Branch thought, wiping a tear from his face. This baby dragon couldn't be a threat. It was just scared and hurt, just like him.

So Branch decided what he would do, and began to leap down the tree. The smell of smoke drew farther and farther away, and the normal sounds and scents of the edge of the village began to return. The wind rushed past his face as he leaped for the trunk, and landed in a tall patch of grass.

As he walked, he pushed the tall grass out of his face. The buzz of little bugs passed by his face in a flash, and the ones he would usually swat away were now left alone. He didn't care if a bug or two got in his face, he was going to go rescue a dragon.

As he edged closer to the north base of the tree, he heard a pained whimper and the weak shuffling of wings. He felt a nervous feeling build up inside him a she shuffled to the side of the tree.

He wasn't very shocked when he looked over. He saw the baby dragon, lightly struggling in the net. It was definitely a baby now that he had a better look at it, as it had the smallest body he'd ever seen, even smaller than a baby troll. It was obviously a hatchling, but that made the fact it was so high up in a tree extremely odd.

It had kind of big wings that could cover its whole body, but we're being held out by soft hooks in the trap. With its wings spread out, Branch saw many holes and tears in its wings. He also saw some chipped scales, and blood dripped from its mouth onto a little tooth on the ground.

"Oh, that's not good..." Branch said, his mind plagued with worry. What would happen to the little dragon if he left it here? Would the smell of blood attract other predators? Or would the baby dragon die from starvation, or blood loss, or dehydration?

He slowly creeped closer, but as he began to reach the end of the ferns, he suddenly snapped on a twig. The dragon's head lurched forward to face Branch, and it let out a shrill shriek of panic. It began to thrash around in the trap, trying to get away from him.

"Hey, hey, it's okay! I'm not here to hurt you, I'm just here to free you." Branch said, taking his wooden stake and dropping it to the ground. He backed away and raised his hands and tail, showing he had no hidden weapons.

The dragon began to calm and let Branch pick up his wooden dagger as he approached the baby dragon. The baby dragon shriveled as they tried to cover themselves with their wings, but was unable to due to the hooks.

With a worried glance at the baby dragon, Branch begun to cut through the grass net. With each cut, he glanced at the baby dragon as they realized that Branch was trying to free them. The baby's ear nub flicked as Branch cut the last rope.

The baby dragon then sprung forward, but fell over as the hooks tugged at its little purple wings. It whimpered in pain and stretched its wings, the holes and tears now in full sight. Branch realized they were much bigger than he first thought, and the baby dragon nearly had its wings fully torn.

Branch crept closer to the baby dragon, and with a weak nod, he began to snap the hooks off. It took him only five seconds for each wing, as he had done this many times before.

The baby dragon whimpered as it could finally lower its wings again. It's purple wings enfolded over it's black and white body, which was rippling with scales. Branch gently took his paw and ran it over the baby dragon's scales, which were as smooth as water.

This time, the baby dragon didn't flinch, but instead blinked at Branch. It let out a small cawing noise and reached its head over to sniff Branch's paw. After a few seconds, it began to lick Branch's paw. He could also hear a purr coming from its throat.

"There. See, buddy? I'm just trying to help." Branch said in a soft voice as he began to pet the baby dragon. It closed its bright yellow eyes ringed with black scales, and seemed to bask in the beam of sunlight that shown down on them. It actually looked kinda cute this way.

What didn't look cute, though, was the condition it was in. With blood trickling from its mouth, chipped scales, and heavily torn wings, it was in no condition to be out here like this. Branch knew if he kept it out here any longer, it would be in too much danger.

Branch stopped petting the baby dragon and stepped back. It opened its eyes in confusion, but then curiously peered forward at Branch, who had his arms outstretched.

The baby dragon slowly stood up, and with a grunt, hobbled forward on shaky legs until it flopped into his arms. When it was in his arms, it instantly curled up and purred. The heat of fire from its inside began to radiate from its scales. That was the sign of a happy dragon, or at least that's what the Book of Dragons said.

"Alright little fella, now let's get you to the bunker..." Branch turned around uncertainty, realizing the way back to his bunker would mean passing through Pop Village. With a baby dragon in his arms.

"...without anybody seeing you. Uh oh."