The Lost Tribe

Chapter 11

Poppy and Branch walked to Pop Village. They were going to get all the troll leaders in one place so they can prove to them once and for all that the Lost Trolls were not dangerous.

"Are you sure this is gonna work?" Branch asked. Poppy hesitated for a moment before answering.

"I really hope so." Poppy said, slightly worried. Branch saw the nervous expression on her face. He took her hand in his and looked at her in the eye.

"I'm gonna be here to back you up." He said confidently. Poppy smiled at him as he kissed her cheek.

The two trolls reached the middle of Pop Village to find King Peppy talking with the troll leaders. Well that was easier than expected. Poppy noticed that her dad looked distressed as he spoke to the other leaders.

"It's been two days and there's been no sign of her." King Peppy panicked. King Quincy tried to calm him down. "She's missing."

"Where did you see her last?" Queen Essence asked.

"When we set free that Lost Troll." King Peppy remembered.

"Do you think that troll kidnapped her?" Trollzart suggested. King Peppy lowered his head in disbelief. What if the Lost Troll did take her?

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted that troll!" Delta said angrily. "Did she take anyone else from any of your tribes?" She asked the rest of the leaders. They shook their heads.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Branch either." Barb stated. "What if she took him too?" The troll leaders fell silent. If the Lost Troll had taken two trolls, will it be back to take more? What was she going to do with them?

Poppy's ears drooped when she heard their conversation. Her dad had been so worried about her while she was away, and thought that Aria was to blame. She didn't hesitate and ran to the gathering of troll leaders.

"Dad!" Poppy called. When King Peppy saw his daughter his face lit up and he went over to give her a hug.

"Poppy, where have you been?" He asked. "I've been so worried about you."

"Dad, Aria took me and Branch to her tribe." Poppy explained calmly. The troll leaders gasped.

"I knew it!" Trollzart said.

"She is not to be trusted!" Delta added. Poppy stopped them and calmed them.

"No, she didn't harm us in any way." Poppy said. "None of their tribe wants to harm us. You can hear it from them, yourselves." Poppy pointed to a nearby tree where Aria, Ash, Oak and Tala came out from behind. King Peppy stood in front of Poppy, defending her.

"Queen Poppy speaks the truth, your highness." Tala said calmly as she stepped forward. The leaders stood back. "I'm Tala, chieftain of the Lost Trolls."

"You're the leader?" Barb asked, tilting her head.

"Yes," Tala said. "And just like all of you, I want to do what's best for the trolls." Oak stepped forward, next to Tala.

"I was the one who lead that invasion on your village the other night." Oak explained. The trolls gasped, recognizing him. "We may have seemed a little aggressive, but it was only to get your attention." The leaders looked at each other, confused.

"There was a hurricane and it damaged our village," Tala spoke. "It destroyed all of our crop fields and we don't have enough hands to repair it quick, there's very little food left for my people." Tala kept walking forward, towards the leaders. "All we ask for is your help."

"Do you really think we'd help you after what your ancestor did to ours?" King Quincy said. Aria jumped in, joining the others.

"Our ancestor wasn't trying to harm yours!" Aria added in. "She came back to the other trolls after Mother Nature gave her a guardian to show them. But there were predators going to attack you guys." King Quincy tilted his head.