Chapter 18

Poppy, branch, and peppy walked down the square, followed by the pack in close proximity to creek. Keeping an eye on him as he was lead through the village in his chains. Every few minutes creek would try to look back to see poppy, envy and longing in his eyes. She turned her head in disgust, avoiding his eyes at all costs. Poppy couldn't stand that he was trying a puppy dog act. Peppy stood closely by her, being sure to help ease her anxiety from being so close to creek. Branch on the other hand, was closer to creek than either peppy or poppy. He wouldn't risk creek hurting poppy let alone getting near her. Glaring at him the entire time with a frightening scowl. The village trolls and guards traveled along with them, watching who they thought was their friend, being exiled for attempted rape and assault. Their faces fueled with disgust, and their hearts full of sorrow. Coming up close to the edge of the village grounds, The village trolls halt as the guards wait for the king, princess and branch to approach creek. The guards then removed all of creek's chains and shackles, rubbing his wrists in relief. "Creek, is there anything you want to say before you're gone"? Peppy asked the purple troll. Creek looked over to poppy, looking her over from top to bottom. Branch noticed this, and stood in front of her defensively, crossing his arms while glaring at him.

Creek grit his teeth, but shot his eyes wide open when he saw poppy put her hand onto branch's arm. The hand she used had the ring on it. Creek noticed. She had never worn a ring before. And was rather confused. And wanted answers. "Poppy, what..is that"? Creek asked the pink troll, using a slightly demanding yet firm voice. Poppy quickly retracted her hand, hiding behind branch. But, she felt something inside her stir. It was courage. She needed to say it, to set her free from fear that he held over her. "It's a ring creek. Branch made it for me". Creek raised his eyebrow, looking over to branch. "Branch made it eh? And what would prompt such an act of charity"? He asked. Voice almost dripping with disdain. Branch stepped forward to creek. "Because I asked her to marry me, she's my fiance now creek". Branch claimed proudly. The village trolls all gasped in astonishment. Only the pack and peppy knew about the engagement. All began to cheer in an excited uproar. Creek glared at branch with a fiery face. He stammered across his words. Trying to choose them carefully, but his anger was steadily growing. "F-f-fiance? You two are engaged now"? The purple troll asked angrily. "Yes, creek. We are. I love her, I appreciate her, and I am more than happy to protect her when she needs me. You see, THAT'S what real love is creek, you put THEM before YOURSELF". Branch snapped. Creek had finally hit his limit. He stomped forward towards poppy, but branch stood firm before her, shielding her from creek. "HOW could you seriously choose this ground mole over ME poppy? How? I've always been cool and collected and good to you. Peaceful and outgoing and always loved the things we did every day. Singing, dancing, yoga days and more importantly, hug time! I could have taken so much better care of you than him!  I loved you too poppy"!  Creek yelled. Branch was about to punch creek in the jaw, but suddenly, poppy approached creek fiercely with a terrifying look on her face. Full blown rage. 

"You really want to know creek? Fine I'll tell you. You judged branch before you even got to know him. You always assume that if someone isn't always happy, there is something wrong with them. Not to mention you were always so pushy and condescending! You tried pushing me to kiss you not once, but TWICE! You had no regard for my feelings and I told you I cared for you as a friend, but that wasn't good enough for you was it?! Love doesn't happen instantly creek, it grows over time. That's how I came to love branch. He's honest, caring, thoughtful, and very smart". Poppy snapped. Branch gave her a soft smile as he lowered his fist. Feeling his heart flutter by the compliments she showered him with. Creek scoffed in disgust. "Oh please! This groundhog Doesn't know how to love anything but himself! You needed a real troll, not him! Matter of fact-"! Creek finished as he blitzed branch, taking him by surprise and shoving him aside, using his hair to wrap around poppy's neck and ribs tightly, causing her to cough and choke. The crowd of trolls all gasped in horror. As soon as he had her, he turned and ran. "If I can't have her then neither can you"! He wailed. Growling deeply in anger, branch ran as fast as his legs could carry him after creek. The pack followed after him, in hopes to help bring back poppy safely. When he was close enough, branch used his hair to grip creek's throat, holding him in the air choking him out.

"Drop her creek"! Branch yelled. Creek resisted, trying to escape even though he was in the air, being strangled by branch's hair, once again. " I SAID DROP HER! NOW CREEK"! Branch bellowed loudly. Creek's hair loosened just enough for poppy to break free, guy diamond and DJ caught her as she fell, biggie, took her in his arm and hurried her behind himself, cooper and smidge. Guy diamond, king peppy and DJ instantly joined them, guarding her from the overly jealous and obsessively mad troll. Knowing that she was safe, He released creek while he was still ascended. Letting him fall towards him, Branch balled his fist and slammed it against creek in mid air. Blasting him to the ground. Running towards creek, branch launched another punch across his jaw. "How DARE you! She was kind enough to just let you be banished! But no, you had to assault her AGAIN?! You coward"! Branch prepared to punch him again when creek kicked him in the stomach, hard, sending branch backwards. Branch scrambled backwards, bracing himself for a charge towards creek, who was bracing for the exact same reason. Suddenly, a voiced shook the air.

"CREEEEEEK"! They heard a familiar voice roar. The pack spread to reveal poppy, a fierce and wolfish glare, nose wrinkled and teeth showing. Both creek and branch stop in their tracks, they had never seen poppy angry before, but THIS was beyond angry. She was absolutely furious. It actually frightened branch a bit. Creek was afraid himself. Suddenly she extended her hair to strangle him herself, holding him a few inches off the ground. "I WITHDRAW my punishment verdict. I now leave your punishment in branch's hands"! She Howled across the grounds as she dropped him in place. Branch slowly turned to creek, smiling a toothy devilish grin. Creek, in turn, had the look of terror all over his face. Branch scurried to his feet and hustled towards creek, like a lion to a gazelle. Creek swiftly turned to escape, but it was too late, branch caught his ankle with his hair, dragging him to the ground. Balling his fist tightly, he began to punch creek in various areas. His face, stomach, ribs and even a kidney shot. Creek blocked a few of the hard punches, but he wasn't as skilled in combat as branch was. Creek managed to land a blow to branch's lower jaw. Hardly slowing branch down at all. Creek tried to run past branch in a feeble attempt to escape from the strong and dangerous blue troll. Before he could, branch caught his hair and brought him down hard onto his knee, burying itself deeply into creek's stomach. Then using his fist to straighten him back upright. 

Poppy couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had no idea branch was this good at fighting. He was like a hurricane of punches and kicks. Easily dodging most of creek's defensive blows. Her belly stirred inside, almost like a cramp, but in a nauseous way. She winced at the feeling, holding her hand to her stomach. She didn't like the discomfort. DJ and king peppy noticed her expressions, concerning her since she had just started coming out of recovery. "Pop, are you alright? What's wrong"? She asked her with a brooding look on her face. "Y-yeah, I'm fine DJ, I just.... don't feel very well....I keep feeling nauseous from time to time. It might just be my body trying to adjust from the venom...". She said with a shaky voice. Peppy noticed the two girls talking. Then looked over to poppy, saying nothing. 

The male trolls were still fighting like two caged dogs, snapping at one another to prove who was the biggest and baddest. Branch landed a hard blow to creek's eye, causing a scratch under his eye to bleed. Creek landed a blow against the side of branch's face, causing him to stumble.   "BRANCH"! Poppy yelled out in worry. Creek turned to see her, her worried and frightened face annoyed him, knowing the looks of concern weren't for him. He tried making his way towards poppy with a heart stopping, evil look. Poppy stepped back in fear. Only to be stopped by branch tackling him, kneeing him hard into the stomach, making him fall to the ground. Flipping his body over to face him. "Don't you dare"! Branch howled as he punched creek hard in the jaw. Most likely loosening another tooth. 

"YOU"! (punches creek hard in the stomach)

"STAY AWAY"! (punching heavily against his ribs)

"FROM MY POPPY"! Branch bellowed as he lifted a nearby boulder with hair, dangling it high  above creek's head. Creek looked up in horror. Poppy and the pack, as well as the rest of the trolls looked on in astonishment and gasping in terror, biggie closed his eyes, hoping not to see anything to horrific. Was he going to kill him? That wouldn't be like him. He was never the type to do that. Giving a loud roar, branch gave a mighty pull and slammed the boulder down to the ground, a cloud of dust flew into the air. Everyone stood still, waiting. For a sign. A sound. Something. After a few long and hard moments, the dust dissipated. The trolls were all taken aback when they saw the two battered and bruised trolls. Creek rolled his head over, panting heavily from fear as well as surprise. Seeing the large boulder embedded inches deep into the ground a foot away from his head. He looked up to see branch, panting as heavily as he was, with a hard look on his face. The crowd gave heavy sighs or relief. Poppy held her hand to her heart, greatly relieved that branch didn't take that route. Branch held creek by his throat, squeezing tightly, but not so tight that he couldn't breathe at all. 

"I...AM NOT....LIKE YOU"! Branch growled. "If you EVER come anywhere near this place again, I'll finish the job! You understand me"?! Creek timidly nodded his head in agreement. Pulling creek closely towards him, the two troll almost touched noses. "GET....OUT.....". Branch Whispered with a deep and menacing tone. Allowing creek to wriggle free from his grasp, branch watched the cowardice troll flee through the woods, the sound of branches and leaves being broken in the distance. Branch let out a loud and heavy sigh. Getting to his feet and stretching his muscles from the fight. He turned to see all the trolls before him, staring at him with large, wide eyes. He scanned the village trolls, looking to their faces. Expecting them to be afraid of him again, but he couldn't have been more wrong. The looks they had on their faces, were those of admiration and respect. He looked over to the pack, all smiling at their friend, poppy and peppy smiling wider than the rest. Branch was confused, why would they be smiling?

"Poppy, is everything alright? You're not hurt are you"? He asked her gingerly as he walked towards her. "I'm fine branch. But more importantly, I am so proud of you". He was even more confused. She was proud of him? Why? For teaching a slime sucking snake a lesson of a lifetime? Not once, but twice? "W-why? What did I do"? He asked. Poppy brings her hand to his cheek. Rubbing her thumb against his skin with a soft smile. "Because branch.....you didn't kill him. Instead, you let him go, to continue the exile. You're more of a man than he could ever hope to be". she said sweetly. He looked to everyone around him. All of which were smiling in agreement with her words, smiling and nodding in respect. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around him, grasping him in a firm but tender grip. He held her tightly in his arms. Thankful that he had someone with a beautiful heart like her. He was happy she was safe. The pack and king peppy surrounded the couple. King peppy stepped forward. 

"Branch, what you just did, was brave, and kind. You could have easily killed him with that boulder, but instead, you decided to let him live his life in exile. That was a fine and wise decision. A decision of a king". Peppy beamed proudly. The pack all nodded in agreement. "Why did you do it branch"? Cooper asked branch. He looked down to the ground for a moment in thought. Why DID he do it? Finally, he found the answer. "Because, like I told him. I am not like him. I couldn't take someone's life so willingly, or so easily. I actually care about those around me. If I would have gone through with it, I would be the same as him. And I'll never let that happen. Life is too precious to be squandered like that.....". King peppy looked as if he was beginning to tear up. Poppy and the pack all looked to him in deep admiration. He looked down to his fiance, tears welling in her eyes. He took her chin, raising her face up to his, pressing their foreheads together. All of a sudden, branch could feel how sore he was. Wincing at the blows creek had landed. He was no where near as banged up as creek, but it was still uncomfortable. 

He parted from poppy, looking into her eyes. "Poppy, let's go home". He sighed as he took her hands into his. "Yeah, because if y'all didn't forget-"! Satin started. "We got a wedding to plaaaan"! Chenille finished with an excited holler, jumping up and down in happiness! The rest of the pack followed, jumping and cheering happily. Quickly being followed by the rest of the village trolls. Looking to her future husband, she smiles widely, turning towards troll village.

 As everyone makes their way back to troll village, the couple walk slowly, hand in hand with the wind passing by. The smell of flowers and earth in the air, looking to one another, branch takes poppy's chin once again. Bringing her lips up to his. Sharing a kiss as a new day dawns. 

End of chapter 18