Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Today was the day. The day they would finally flee from the troll tree that had been their home for hundreds of years. Flee from their birthplace and home. Flee from sorrow and death. The remaining trolls of the Pop genres would at last leave the terrible place, Bergen town, where the worst creatures—the Bergeners—bred and kept them captive for the sole purpose they looked forward to. The one day they cherished each year. Trollstice. The day they eat a troll, young or old, and truly feel joy and happiness. For Bergeners are very unhappy and miserable beings who, it is believed at least, can only feel true happiness if they eat a troll. A creature that constantly sings and seems endlessly happy. A happiness they longed to get a taste of.

While their king, King Peppy, prepared their escape with the other elders and adult trolls, a small troll cub sat alone in one of the pods in the tree. He sat in the middle of the floor, in what looked like it had once been a cozy living room, but now appeared dusty and forgotten. It seemed no one had given this home any love or care for a while—yet it was still deeply cherished. The little troll, with fur gray as stone, hair black as the darkest night, and a face—if one could have seen it, hidden as it was behind his pulled-up knees—wore an expression of the deepest sorrow and despair.

Branch curled his tail around himself—a tail unusually long, even for a Pop Troll—in an attempt to give himself some comfort. He didn’t want to leave his home, the only place where he still had memories of his family before they all left him. His brothers, who abandoned him when the band broke up and his grandmother… His grandmother, who selflessly gave her life for him just a few months ago. The tears streamed endlessly down his cheeks. He tried to wipe them away with his paws, but the fur beneath his eyes only became raw and worn. One of the downsides of turning gray: the quality of his fur had declined quite a bit.

Without proper grooming, washing, and the medicinal treatments he received from Dr. MoonBloom—meant to help prevent both skin irritation and fur damage—his fur would eventually have worn down, and he would likely have ended up with severe irritation and infections in his skin.

Not that his current foster home would have let that happen. He had been lucky that King Peppy had found him very soon after Grandma Rosiepuff’s death. Many had heard the commotion, and no one had dared go outside for the rest of the day, afraid more would be taken. And it hadn’t even been Trollstice. But Peppy had heard his muffled wails and whimpers—the sounds troll cubs made to call for their caretakers. The elder troll hadn’t hesitated to go out and carry the little gray troll cub to safety. He had stayed with him for a few days, until his current caretaker, Sky Toronto, had volunteered to take over responsibility for the little gray troll. Sky Toronto and Rosiepuff, along with Peppy and several others from the older generation, had grown up together and were all close friends.

Sky hadn’t hesitated to take in the small, traumatized gray troll child, and Branch had lived under his roof ever since. But now that they were fleeing, he had snuck away to his old home—Grandma Rosiepuff’s pod. He couldn’t leave behind the last place that held memories of her. Even though the pod had stood empty for months now, it was—and would always be—his home.
Branch sniffled, once again trying to wipe away his tears with the soft pads of his paws. Fur came loose and scattered onto the dusty carpet. His ears twitched slightly as he heard the panicked calls of his caretaker outside, but he only curled up tighter, his tail wrapped around his body, now tucked into a small ball of gray fur.

"BRANCH? BRANCH?!" Sky called frantically as he searched for his missing foster cub. More than half of the trolls had already made their way down into the escape tunnels, moving through the dark passageways they had worked so hard to build. While he had been keeping count of the trolls with King Peppy, his little troublemaker had slipped away.

How could Branch do this now, right before they were all about to leave the tree?
He had searched their home and the plants around the tree’s roots without success. The last place he could think to look was Rosiepuff’s old pod. And the elder glitter troll had guessed right.
There, in the middle of the floor in his former friend’s living room, sat the little troll cub, smaller than Sky had ever seen him, crying his heart out. Soft, low whimpers came from the tiny creature, and the heart of the usually serious and tough troll melted for his foster cub.

Sky moved slowly and carefully toward the crying, trembling troll child. Gently, he knelt down beside Branch, wrapped his paws softly around him, and lifted the cub into his arms.
Branch didn’t resist, but through broken sobs he tried to tell Sky that he wanted to stay behind—that his brothers might never find him again if he left the tree.

Sky shushed him softly, trying in vain to comfort the hysterical troll cub. His eyes fell on an old family photo hanging on the wall. A picture of Rosiepuff with all her grandchildren.
He hadn’t been back here since her death. It was tradition to leave empty pods undisturbed.
Sky Toronto walked over to the wall and gently took the photo down. The motion caught the attention of the little troll pup in his arms. He handed the photo to Branch, who clutched it tightly to his chest, pressed between their two bodies.

Sky Toronto placed a paw gently under Branch’s chin and lifted it, hoping to catch the little pup’s attention. Tear-filled, silvery-gray eyes met deep, loving blue ones.

"Branch, I need you to hold on to me—no matter what happens, no matter what you hear or see, don’t let go of my fur. Do you understand?"

Branch stared at him for a moment, then nodded and tucked the photo into his hair. He shifted slightly so that his body lay flat against Sky’s chest. Tiny claws extended from his paws and hooked into the older troll’s sides.
Sky guided Branch’s long tail over his back and curled his own tail around it. He didn’t want to risk it getting hurt by dragging along the ground.
Once he was sure Branch had a firm grip, he dropped to all fours and bolted out through the opening of the pod.

Sky leapt out of the opening with a powerful push from his hind legs. With a flexibility that could rival a cat’s, he sprang forward and dug his curved claws into the bark of the troll tree, scaling it as effortlessly as a squirrel.
Pop trolls were built and adapted for climbing and balancing in trees. With slender bodies, well-balanced tails, and sharp claws, they were without a doubt the most dominant troll species living in the treetops.

Not that they knew there were other species out there.

Unfortunately, Sky wasn’t as young as he once was—but he wasn’t holding back today. He could rest, just like all the other trolls, once they had made it safely through to the other side of the escape tunnels. He was nearing the entrance to the tunnels when he saw Peppy guiding the last of the trolls inside. He could see the relief in his friend’s eyes as he spotted his old companion sprinting toward him, the little runaway clinging to his chest.

"Thank the Troll you found him," Peppy said with relief, gently brushing the mane of the still-crying troll pup.

Branch’s sobs were now quiet, muffled into Sky’s chest fur, where he had buried his face deep in the golden glitter troll’s coat. Sky met Peppy’s gaze, his usually stern brow drawn downward in sorrow.

"He was in Rosiepuff’s old pod."

No more needed to be said. Peppy’s expression fell with quiet sadness. He gently stroked Branch’s mane in a comforting gesture.

"Come. We can’t wait any longer. The sun is starting to rise—they’ll soon realize we’re missing."
Sky nodded gravely, wrapped his arms tighter around his small charge, and began jogging into the tunnel alongside Peppy and the last of the trolls.

Peppy asked Sky to keep moving forward while he and a few other trolls stayed behind to help the elderly and sick who were trailing at the back of the group.Sky had to make sure the little troll pup in his arms got out safely.

It didn’t take long before they heard a commotion above them—the tunnels shook, and dirt crumbled from the ceilings. The Bergeners were running overhead, trying to pick up sounds from below. They were listening, hoping to locate where the trolls were hiding underground.
And then, to everyone’s horror, it didn’t take long before shovels and pickaxes began slamming into the earth around them.

"Branch, hold on!" Sky shouted over the noise of screams and rumbling earth.

Branch dug his claws in as Sky once again dropped to all fours, several other trolls doing the same.
They sprinted through metal and dirt, while parts of the tunnel collapsed around them. Some trolls fell as the walls caved in.

Branch held on for dear life, doing exactly as Sky had told him earlier—he closed his eyes.
He heard the screams of trolls in distress, some who likely would never make it out of the tunnels.
The air was so thick it was almost impossible to breathe.

Branch tried to shut it all out—the sounds, the smells. He tried to seal himself inside his own little safe bubble. But that bubble shattered in an instant when he suddenly no longer felt the warm, safe fur of the older troll beneath his paws.

Branch felt the fear take hold as he hit the ground hard and tumbled several times across the rough tunnel floor.

He didn’t stop rolling until he crashed into one of the dirt walls. A sharp cry of pain escaped him as a stabbing sensation shot up one of his hind legs. Tears streamed from his eyes as he looked down and saw that his leg was trapped beneath dirt and stones that had fallen from the ceiling.

He whimpered even more when he realized his tail had also been caught under the collapse.
He tried to dig himself out, but his small, four-year-old paws couldn’t budge the debris. And every time he managed to move something even slightly, new waves of pain shot through his body.

The tears continued to flow uncontrollably down his cheeks as he lay down on his side.
This was it. This was where he would die—trapped and alone in the dark tunnels beneath Bergen town. He placed his paws over his face. He could no longer focus on the world around him.

His head throbbed, his ears drooped, and the little gray troll pup understood that this would be his final resting place.

Trolls continued to run down the tunnels, none of them noticing the small body trapped beneath the earth.

Sky’s voice could be heard further down the tunnel, calling frantically as he searched for the missing cub among the panicked trolls fleeing for their lives. He was being pushed forward by the dense wave of trolls, unable to spot the little gray cub anywhere.

Branch didn’t know how long he had been trapped under the dirt. Though it felt like an eternity to the suffering troll pup, it had likely only been a few minutes. The crowd of fleeing trolls began to thin. Branch no longer had the strength to cry out. He lay completely still, all hope drained, as he closed his eyes—believing it would be for the last time.

"Branch?"

His ears twitched ever so slightly at the faint sound of someone saying his name. But all energy had left the exhausted and injured troll pup, and he remained completely still.
He barely noticed as someone gently lifted away the dirt and stones that had trapped him.
Two careful, soft paws wrapped around him, and he felt himself being pulled against a warm, familiar body.

His senses weakly registered the familiar scent of the troll holding him, but his mind wouldn’t cooperate anymore—he couldn’t place a name to the one who had picked him up.

Sky Toronto stood in anguish, staring into the tunnel openings, desperately hoping to catch a glimpse of the little gray pup.

Trolls were still pouring out of the tunnels, some helping the injured escape.
There was no doubt that many lives had been lost during the escape. Sky had been stopped by several trolls when he tried to go back into the tunnels to search for his missing foster cub.

How could he have lost him so close to the exit?

The ceiling had collapsed right in front of him, and along with several other trolls, he had slammed into the debris and lost his balance.

Branch had been torn right off of him.

His fur still bore small patches of blood where the cub’s claws had clung to him.
The little troll had held on for dear life, yet was ripped away by the sheer force of the impact.
He hadn’t been able to find him again in the chaos—the flood of trolls had pushed him forward down the tunnels.

The normally stern troll felt his throat tighten as grief overtook him. Dr. MoonBloom was one of the trolls blocking the path back. She tried to explain that it was too dangerous to go in again, that there was nothing more they could do for those who didn’t make it out. Sky could see the tears welling in the eyes of the usually composed doctor.

He let his own tears fall freely.

MoonBloom stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the grieving troll.

"I'm so sorry, Sky. I wish there was more we could’ve done for him." She held the trembling body of the grieving glitter troll tightly.

"We were so close. I HAD HIM!" Sky couldn’t hold it in anymore—his legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed into the arms of the older doctor, screaming in grief.

Trolls around them stopped and watched in mourning. More sorrowful cries and weeping began to echo through the clearing as others started to grieve their own losses.
MoonBloom only held her longtime friend tighter, her own tears falling for the little troll they had lost.

Fewer and fewer trolls were coming out of the tunnels.
Around them, trolls mourned, but some gasped and ran forward in joy as those they thought had been lost emerged—injured, but alive.

A younger troll, Dr. MoonBloom’s apprentice, Plum Plimsy, approached the two grieving trolls carefully. Dr. MoonBloom met her gaze. Plum Plimsy’s eyes were brimming with tears.

"We have many injured trolls who need help… what should we do?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Dr. MoonBloom noticed that King Peppy had still not emerged from the tunnels. Taking a deep breath, still holding her grieving friend, she gave the order.

"Gather anyone with even basic medical knowledge. Move all the injured away from the tunnel entrances. We have to do what we can… with whatever we’ve got."

She helped move Sky over to the area where the other injured trolls were gathered and sat him down on a stone.
She didn’t have the heart to leave her broken friend, but she had to help organize medical care for the wounded trolls. Her throat tightened when she saw how dull the glitter troll’s fur had become.

"Sky—"

"I swore," he interrupted. "I swore I would take care of Branch."

He pulled his paws away from his face and met Dr. MoonBloom’s grieving eyes.

"I swore!" he said, desperate.

His entire body felt cold and hollow. It was like all his emotions had collapsed inside him.
His energy drained, and he barely felt the comforting paw that rested on his shoulder.
His own paws fell into his lap, and the only thing he could whisper was, "I failed him."

MoonBloom was just about to speak when they heard shouting.

"DR. MOONBLOOM!"

Out of the tunnel came a young troll with red fur and wild, flame-orange hair.
Her tail whipped behind her as she ran toward them. Not far behind her was King Peppy, leading the final group of surviving trolls. Poppy peeked out curiously from his hair.

There were cheers and cries of joy—but Sky Toronto and Dr. MoonBloom couldn’t take their eyes off the small figure being cradled carefully in the young troll’s arms.
Fire-Lilly, the young troll who had come running toward them, held something tightly and protectively in her paws.

Sky let out a slow breath before he whispered a name.
"Branch..."

Dr. MoonBloom had already taken the troll cub into her arms before he could even finish saying it.

Chapter Text

Dr. MoonBloom quickly laid Branch down on the grass to examine the small troll—and what she saw sent a chill down her spine.

At first glance, she could see his right hind leg was injured, along with his tail, and several areas on his body where fur was missing. Small wounds were scattered across his skin, slowly seeping blood, and a larger cut ran along his forehead near the hairline.

It wasn’t often that Dr. MoonBloom didn’t know where to start treatment, but with so many injuries bleeding at once, it was hard to focus under the pressure. Her paws could feel how cold the little cub was, and she feared his body had gone into shock from both the stress and the trauma he’d endured.

Fire-Lilly gently held Sky back to avoid interfering with Dr. MoonBloom’s examination. Just then, an older troll with dark green fur and a golden mane came jogging over.

Dr. MoonBloom looked up for a moment when she heard the grass beside her give way under the weight of someone sitting down. Her tail gave a thankful swish when she saw that it was Leafty.

He might not have been a doctor, but he was one of the few trolls who brewed medical potions and salves for them—a potion master, if you wanted to call it that. He was among those helping the injured, and when he’d heard Fire-Lilly’s shouting, he’d come over with one of the first-aid kits they’d brought to assist Dr. MoonBloom.

She offered him a grateful smile and nodded deeply in thanks before quickly instructing the other troll so they could begin working.

He dipped a cloth into the small bowl of water beside him and gently began to wash the blood from Branch’s face, trying to uncover the wound beneath. Dr. MoonBloom had insisted it was most important to stop the bleeding first, as it was still seeping out in troubling amounts. Sky quietly helped by changing the water whenever it grew too red. His paws trembled as he cast a worried glance at the motionless body of the pup he had cared for and bonded with over the past months. Branch had not made a sound or a single movement since they had started treating him, a silence that filled the elder trolls with dreadful concern.

After carefully examining the wound, once they had finally managed to wash Branch’s face and hair roots as best they could, there was no doubt that it needed stitches. It was deeper and went further up than they had thought — the wound reached almost to the middle of his skull. Dr. Moonbloom sighed, took out a needle and thread from the first aid kit, and hoped the world would show a little mercy to the poor, unlucky pup and let him stay unconscious through the entire process.

Leafty began cleaning the other wounds while Dr. Moonbloom started stitching the cut. Branch didn’t react to anything. Dr. Moonbloom had a sinking feeling that Branch’s body might give out — that the little pup was already too far gone from the world to survive. But she was determined to give it everything she had; she was a stubborn old lady and she wasn’t going to give up until the little gray pup drew his very last breath. As long as his chest kept rising and falling, they had to do everything they could to give him the best possible chance of survival. When she was finished, she carefully bandaged his head. As she tilted his head to wrap the bandage around, she made an even more tragic discovery: blood was dripping from his ears. She met Leafty’s eyes as he noticed it too. Unfortunately, there was a risk that Branch had suffered internal head injuries. Blood from the ears was an extremely bad sign — and, to their sorrow, there was nothing they could do about it. They had no equipment for internal examinations. Dr. Moonbloom let out a heavy sigh and finished the bandaging.

While Leafty treated the smaller wounds and gently cleaned his ears, Dr. Moonbloom moved on to Branch’s leg and tail. She bent and examined the leg, starting at his thigh and working her way down. His kneecap didn’t feel right, and she suspected it was probably shattered. It was hard to determine exactly how severe the injuries were, but she wrapped it tightly. They would likely have to splint it as soon as possible, but with the little time they had, she had to make do with the limited equipment available until they were on safer ground. The most important thing now was to get all the trolls stable enough so they could move farther away from Bergen Town.

She gently took hold of his unusually long tail and began feeling along each vertebra of the long limb. She remembered when Rosiepuff had first brought in the newly hatched pup, when he was only a few hours old. He had hatched more than a month too early — such a tiny, quiet little thing. He had struggled to feed and had been tired and weak for the first two months. It had been a very stressful time for both Rosiepuff and her older grandchildren. After Rosiepuff had lost her son and daughter-in-law — the boy’s parents — just weeks before little Branch hatched, the fear of losing him too had nearly broken the entire family. Fortunately, Branch had pulled through and had slowly begun to get better and stronger after those first anxious months. During the first month, he had to stay in the hospital pod for close monitoring and intravenous feeding. But eventually, he started eating on his own, and they were able to arrange a proper diet plan to make sure he got the nutrition he needed.

She also remembered how they had noticed, even back then, that his tail had been longer than the length of his entire body from nose to rump. She gave a faint smile as she looked down at the silent pup. You are so incredibly strong, she thought. If there is any troll who can survive this, it’s him. After carefully examining the tail, she couldn’t find anything apparently wrong with it, other than that it had taken quite a beating. She cleaned and dressed the small wounds and wrapped the swelling at the base of his tail — probably caused by a blow from something, perhaps a rock, or maybe from a fall.

Unfortunately, there was nothing more Dr. Moonbloom could do for him at that moment. If there were other injuries, they would have to find out when he woke up. If he woke up... She shook her head — she couldn’t think like that, not now. She looked over at Sky Toronto, who was waiting nervously but patiently for her and Leafty to finish treating Branch. She thanked Leafty for his help. He placed a paw on her shoulder, gave it a reassuring squeeze and a small smile before getting up and going to help more of the injured trolls.

She looked down at the cloth they had used to wash Branch and saw that, no matter how careful they had been, much of the delicate pup’s fur had come loose. She let out a sigh before carefully picking Branch up. Turning toward Sky, she saw him hesitate for barely a second before gathering the injured pup into his arms, holding him close against his chest. He gently ran a paw over the tuft of hair sticking out from beneath Branch’s bandages, tears still glistening in his eyes. He looked up at his old friend and gave her a worried glance.

“He’s so cold,” he murmured.

Branch had always been colder than the other trolls because of his gray state and got chilled much more easily, but this was a different kind of cold. Moonbloom took a deep breath, bracing herself to tell her old friend the seriousness of the situation — though judging by Sky’s expression, she was fairly sure he already knew.

“His body is probably in shock from everything that has happened and from what it’s endured. Sky…'” She hesitated, then let out another deep sigh.

“There’s no guarantee he’s going to wake up. We found blood in his ear canals, which can mean internal bleeding in the brain — and with all his other injuries, it might just be too much. I’m not saying we should give up on him — absolutely not! — but we have to be prepared, Sky. You understand that, don’t you?”

She looked at him with deep sorrow. Sky didn’t answer for a long moment, but when he finally did, Moonbloom was shocked by his response.

"I know.”

He let out a deep sigh — the kind that seemed to come from somewhere deep in his spine. He felt all the years of his life crashing into him at once, leaving him feeling truly old, down to his very bones. And yet, there was relief in having Branch back in his arms again. Even if it was only temporary, it meant he no longer had to imagine the terrified pup trapped in those tunnels alone — cold, lying in the darkness until it finally swallowed him and took him from the world.

He gave a small, faint smile and met Moonbloom’s gaze once more.
“If he doesn’t wake up, at least I know he won’t die alone. And that means the world to me. Thank you, Moonbloom, for doing your best.”

Her eyes widened slightly before she smiled back and gave her old friend a gentle hug, careful not to disturb the precious bundle resting in his arms. Then they went their separate ways — Moonbloom to tend to the other injured, and Sky to find some of the blankets that had been packed during the escape. With one of the blankets, he fashioned a sturdy sling over his shoulders and placed Branch inside, making sure to wrap him up well so he would stay warm and comfortable. His ear twitched as he heard someone approaching from behind.

He turned around and saw Peppy approaching him, a sorrowful smile on his face.

"‘How is he?’ the King asked, glancing at the small bundle in the sling.

Sky let out a heavy sigh.

“Unfortunately, he hasn’t shown any signs of life besides still breathing. Not even a twitch, but Dr. Moonbloom stitched him up. She suspects brain damage, but only time will tell if he pulls through. I’m just glad he’s with me again.”

He looked back at his old friend.

“How are Viva and Poppy?” he asked, feeling a cold shiver run down his spine as the King drew a sharp, deep breath.

Peppy looked away before answering, sorrowful.

“Poppy is fine. Fire-Lilly came over and took over caring for her once she was sure everything was under control with you. Viva—.” He let out a sound full of grief.

“—she was lost when the tunnels collapsed.” He drew in even more air, trying to swallow the sorrow. “I found Branch under some rubble and got him out before sending him off with Fire-Lilly, but I couldn’t find Viva.”

Peppy felt the weight of grief pulling him down — until a hand landed on his shoulder and his gaze met Sky’s dark blue eyes.
Many decades of friendship between the two trolls had meant they didn’t need words to understand each other’s feelings, and in this situation, no words could change the terrible devastation that had unfolded that day. They stood together in silent mourning, but most of all, they supported each other through the grief for all the lives that had been lost. Now that they were finally free, they could begin to think about the future.

Once all the trolls had been seen to, treated as best as possible, and packed up, many flowers were placed in front of the tunnel entrance — a memorial for the lost souls. Peppy, Sky, and Moonbloom stood side by side. Peppy said his final farewell to his lost daughter, masking his grief with an expression of resolve and strength. He turned, giving the signal that they needed to move on, to a safer distance, and that everyone had to help the young, the old, the sick, and the injured.

Sky walked further back, his paws surrounding the little troll in the sling. With all his heart, after so many lives lost, he hoped that no more would be added to the count.

Chapter Text

It had now been three days since the traumatic escape from Bergen Town. Fortunately, no more lives had been lost, but several were still in danger — among them, little Branch.

To Dr. Moonbloom and Sky Toronto’s dismay, Branch had developed a terrible fever on top of all his other problems. Sky was endlessly grateful for all the help he received from Dr. Moonbloom and her apprentice, Plum Plimsy. It was difficult enough just to get fluids into Branch, as he still showed very few signs of life. It took two of them to get the little pup’s swallowing reflex to work enough for him to get down water and the small amount of broth they managed to feed him.

Branch’s breathing came in shallow gasps, as if it were an endless struggle just to get enough air. The sight shattered everyone around him — especially Sky. He wished there were more he could do for Branch; the stabbing guilt of having lost him in the tunnels would not let go of the older troll. He had failed to protect Branch as he had promised.

His tail dragged along the ground as they made their way deeper and deeper into the forest. He gently stroked Branch’s soft fur and hoped — prayed, really — that the little pup could feel that he was there. That at the very least, he felt safe in his deep sleep. Sky adjusted the damp cloth resting on Branch’s forehead. It would soon be time to soak it again, as it was beginning to warm from the heat radiating off the unconscious troll.

They traveled with many breaks throughout the day so they could treat those who needed it, and at night they took turns sleeping and using their hair as camouflage against predators. Everyone grew very tired, but at least it kept them safe.

Sky did his share of the camouflage duty, but the little sleep and the constant care Branch required were taking their toll on the older troll. He wasn’t ancient, of course, but at forty-five he no longer had the strength and energy he once did in his younger days. He was very grateful that so many young trolls were giving their all in these hard times.

He dampened the cloth with some water from his flask and carefully adjusted it once again on the lifeless troll’s forehead. He sighed. It hurt so much to see Branch like this — with one foot in the grave. His ears drooped as he gently ran his fingers through Branch’s thin fur, careful not to pull at the strands.

Lost in thought, he suddenly felt a small paw tap against his hip. Looking down, he saw a little shiny face staring up at him. The young glitter troll, Boom, gazed at him with wide, worried eyes. Just behind him jogged three other trollings Sky recognized as Ablaze, Hype, and Trickee. Sky slowed his pace so the young pups could keep up more easily.

“Mr. Toronto, is Branch okay? We haven’t seen him since the day before the escape. Dad said he was sick and couldn’t walk with the other pups. Can we see him?”

Sky felt his heart leap. Of course these pups would want to see Branch as soon as they had the chance. They had been Branch’s friends since he was barely a year old. It had never mattered to them that Branch was younger — they had clicked together like five drops of water. They had been a real support for Branch when his brothers had left him, even forming a little band that quickly became popular in the Troll Tree after BroZone broke up.

Even after Branch had turned gray, they still came to see him and kept him company, even though the pup had stopped singing and barely said a word. They had been there for him then, and to Sky’s great pride, the four trolls were here for him now — worried, and probably in a lot of trouble for sneaking away from their pup group. The adults rotated care duty for the group of young trolls, so the workload was always shared.

Sky gave Boom a sad smile.

“Branch is very sick, Boom,” Sky said gently. “He hasn’t woken up since we came out of the tunnel, and he had to be bandaged up in many places. But I’m very sure he’s glad that you all care so much.”

Sky kept his tone soft for the young trolls. He crouched down carefully and folded the edge of the sling so they could see their little friend hidden inside. They gazed at Branch with wide, worried eyes. Branch was now almost more white than gray, and his breathing was strange and shallow.

Ablaze, the oldest of them — nearly nine years old — reached out a paw and gently stroked Branch’s fur, feeling the burning fever radiating from the small troll’s body. He looked up at Sky, who gave him a tired smile, the dark circles under his eyes betraying just how exhausted and worried the older troll was.

Ablaze looked back down at Branch, and the others also reached out to gently run their paws over his fur. These five trolls saw each other as brothers in every way but blood. And if there was one thing brothers did, it was to help each other in times of need.

Ablaze looked seriously into Sky’s weary, tired eyes before saying, “I can carry him for a while.”

Sky looked surprised, struck by the gravity in the young troll’s voice.

"Sky smiled a little wider as he looked at the four brave, loyal pups. Ablaze’s tail was held high — a clear sign of how seriously the young troll was taking the task he was offering to help with. Branch was very small and light for his age, a result of his premature hatching and his gray state.

Sky looked down at Branch. There wasn’t much more he could do than keep the pup comfortable and hope for a miracle that he would pull through. Maybe it would do him good to feel more warm bodies and heartbeats around him — if only so he could feel even more loved by those around him.

He looked at the young troll standing before him, so eager to take on this precious responsibility, and gave a small nod. All four pups wagged their tails so hard that their rumps swayed in rhythm with them.

“But—" Sky began seriously. “—you’ll need to get permission from the adults watching you to come along with me. And if his condition gets worse, he must stay near me so I can help. Understood?”

All four little heads bobbed in unison before they ran off in the direction they had snuck from. Sky’s smile grew a little wider as he looked down at the small bundle in the sling and said softly, with deep affection, “You are so loved, Branch. Please, stay with us.”

He pressed a gentle kiss to the silent pup’s forehead.

And from that day on, the four of them walked together with Sky. They took turns carrying Branch, with a gentleness that could rival Sky’s own, and he was deeply impressed by these young trolls. They watched closely whenever Dr. Moonbloom or Plum Plimsy changed Branch’s bandages or tried to get him to drink. Ablaze and Hype even tried to help, and with success they managed to get a little soup into Branch — to the great joy of all the adults.

Boom’s father walked with them whenever he wasn’t occupied with other tasks, and he couldn’t have been prouder of his son and his friends. He had taken Hype in a few years earlier after his parents had been taken for trollstice, while Ablaze lived with his uncle and aunt. Trickee lived with his foster mother Teal and had been with her since he was very little.

They all stayed close to Sky whenever they weren’t on duty. Over the days of travel, the older trolls got to know each other better, and everyone took pride in the small group of trollings who had grown so close over the years.

The four trolls walked a little behind the older ones, talking quietly and smiling. This time it was Ablaze who had Branch’s sling secured safely over his shoulders. The little troll lay as motionless as he had for the past week. The fever still raged through his small body, and he gave faint little gasps with every breath.

A couple of nights earlier, the adults had told them that Branch might soon have to go somewhere they could no longer play together. That he might be too sick to come with them to what would become their new home — but that he would be safe and well in another place. That was not something they wanted to accept. Branch was their brother! Why should they end up in different homes? Branch had already been abandoned by his brothers once, and they would not make the same mistake his older brothers had.

But then Ablaze’s aunt had gently explained that this was something no one could control. When a troll’s body could no longer carry its soul and rhythm, that troll would travel to where all the other trolls who were no longer with them now lived. That was when it sank in for them — they were talking about him possibly dying.

They had known Branch was sick, but it had never truly crossed their minds that he might leave them forever. They had clutched Branch close and cried their hearts out, while the adults around them did their best to comfort them. But all their focus had been on Branch — their little brother, whose eyes they would give anything to see open again.

"But Branch still clung to life a few days after that conversation, and that gave the young, innocent trolls a glimmer of hope. Their brother was still here with them — and that meant everything.

Boom began to hum a familiar melody, and the three other young trolls turned toward him, their tails swaying gently behind them.

“Isn’t that the song Branch taught us? The one one of his brothers used to sing to him?” Asked Ablaze mildly.

Hype’s face lit up. “Yeah — Floyd, I think he said it was! He taught it to us not long after the band broke up!”

Trickee smiled wide, his tail swishing faster. “Branch used to sing it whenever he missed him and his other brothers! Maybe we could sing it for him now?”

All four looked at each other before their eyes shifted down toward the sick figure nestled securely against Ablaze’s chest. Ablaze smiled softly before opening his mouth and letting the lyrics fill the air in soft, gentle tones:

I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, I’ll never let you go
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, don’t leave me here alone
But that’s dead and gone and passed tonight

The soft, noble tones caught the attention of all the trolls around them. Sky and their families had stopped and turned their attention toward the four young trolls who were singing for their sick little brother.

Ablaze’s voice carried gently across the plain where they had stopped, and more trolls began moving closer to listen. There hadn’t been any singing or music since they had escaped from the Troll Tree.

The lyrics and melody captured the hearts of many who were seeking comfort, and the music coming from the little band of young trolls gave them exactly that. All four sang together as the chorus began:

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You’ll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I’ll be safe and sound

Ablaze was getting ready to sing the next verse, completely unaware of the small movement that came from the sling hanging over his shoulders.

Don’t you dare look out your window
Darling, everything’s on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold on to this lullaby
Even when (the) music’s gone
Gone

The trolls around them had begun to sway gently to the rhythm of the song, some softly humming along to the melody in the background. Sky felt tears welling up and had to swallow back his sobs. What these boys were doing for Branch truly warmed his heart. And in an instant, it wasn’t just his heart they were warming.

All four prepared themselves for the chorus once again:

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You’ll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I’ll be safe and sound

For the final part of the song, all the trolls joined in, young and old, healthy and sick alike. Music was their strength, and it gave them hope and joy. After over a week without so much as a single note, this song healed all the wounded hearts.

King Peppy could do nothing but smile proudly at the young generation, who showed so much strength and vulnerability for their friend. His gaze met Sky’s for a brief moment, and they shared understanding, tearful smiles.

Poppy poked her head out from her father’s hair and began singing along with the other trolls. Peppy smiled up at his surviving daughter and started singing along with her as well. Maybe there was still hope for them all, as long as they remembered to keep the music close to their hearts.

Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Oh (Oh)
Oh (Oh)
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Oh
Oh

As Ablaze approached the end of the song, he felt a small, almost shadow-like paw gently press against his chest. He opened his eyes and looked down into the most beautiful light blue eyes in the world. They were barely visible between the eyelids. A tiny gray paw rested softly against his chest, and then a voice — too quiet for anyone else to hear — rasped out:

“Ab-e?”

Tears sprang to his eyes, and his smile threatened to split his face in two.

“Branch."

Chapter Text

The next few days passed like the wind. After Branch had woken up for just a moment, everyone had lit up with joy — the happiness of seeing that tiny spark of life was overwhelming. Sky had kept Branch close to him for the rest of the day. Ablaze, Hype, Trickee, and Boom didn’t mind, as they all understood how much this meant to Sky.

Branch woke several more times after that, but was rarely awake for more than a few minutes at a time, as his body was still fighting infections and severe loss of nourishment. Over the past two weeks, Branch had lost a great deal of weight, and he had already been small for his age. His skin clung to his ribs, his hip bones had started to jut out at his sides, and small hollows had formed in his cheeks where the little bit of baby fat had once been.

The poor pup still had a very long way to go before he was out of danger. Even though it was a bit easier to get fluids into him when he was awake, Branch was mostly so dazed from the pain that he only wanted to curl up at the bottom of the sling or in the nest of blankets they made for him when they stopped for breaks or for the night. He would start to shiver, his body tensing when the worst waves of pain surged through him, and there wasn’t much else they could do but comfort him through it and try to keep the little troll as comfortable as possible.

Kismet would very often curl around him like a protective ball of fur. The adults couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

Finally, as they neared the middle of their second week on the run, Branch’s fever began to break. Dr. Moonbloom was more hopeful that the worst of Branch’s condition was over. It was still difficult for her to make a clear diagnosis of the severity of the internal injuries to Branch’s brain, as he could barely focus during his waking periods. She was quite certain he had a severe concussion, judging by how dilated his pupils were. She would have preferred that he didn’t sleep so much, but unfortunately, his body simply wouldn’t allow him to spend the energy to stay awake when there was so much that still needed to heal. They had also given up trying to wake him up. It had become very clear after his first awakening that he only came back to consciousness when his own body allowed it.

She was sitting with Branch, changing his bandages again. She could see that the cut on his head had healed nicely, and after almost three weeks it had closed very well — soon they would be able to remove the stitches. Boom’s father was sitting with the boys while the other adults were out checking the area. They were still trying to find the perfect and safe place where they could settle down and finally rebuild Pop Village.

Branch whimpered a little as she secured the bandages again. She wished she could give him some painkillers, since the little pup was in constant pain. Unfortunately, his stomach had completely turned and emptied itself when they had tried to give him a small dose in his water after he had first woken up. His body simply wouldn’t hold on to the pain medication, and the vomiting episode had only caused the pup to spasm in pain for almost half an hour. Needless to say, they hadn’t tried again.

Thankfully, his pupils had started to shrink a little, so she was sure the concussion was getting better too. So even though the little troll pup was in a lot of pain, he was thankfully on the road to recovery. He had beaten all the odds once again, which made her smile a little as she looked down at the poor child.

Dr. Moonbloom gently tapped Branch’s little snout to see if she could get any response from the tiny pup curled up in her lap. His right leg was sticking out at an odd angle so he could lie comfortably and rest, since it was well splinted. He scrunched up his little nose before two sluggish, slightly dazed eyes shifted over to meet her gaze.

She gave a faint smile, both surprised and relieved that he was reacting. Leaning down closer so he wouldn’t have to strain his neck as much, she explained that she wanted to take a look at his tail to see how the swelling at the base had developed.

Branch perked his ears toward her and blinked questioningly. He hadn’t heard anything other than mumbling.

“Huh?” he mumbled, still staring at Dr. Moonbloom with half-lidded eyes.

She kept smiling patiently at the little battered pup.

“I’m going to examine your tail a bit now, Branch. It’s probably a little sore, but we need to check how it’s healing,” she explained gently once more.

Branch’s eyes widened slightly. This was the most awake and aware he had been in three weeks, so he was a little more attentive to what was happening around him. And yet, he still couldn’t make out the words coming from Dr. Moonbloom’s mouth — just mumbling. It was like hearing someone try to talk underwater.

He slowly sat up, startling Dr. Moonbloom and the others sitting nearby doing their own tasks. His eyes focused intently on her mouth before he slowly put a tiny paw over it. His ears stood straight forward, suddenly on full alert.

Ablaze, who had been sitting on Dr. Moonbloom’s right side, looked questioningly at the scene unfolding before them.

“Branch?” Dr. Moonbloom asked again. Branch’s paw was still resting over her mouth as she spoke. His eyes narrowed even more, focusing intensely on the movement of her lips and nothing else.

A sinking feeling formed in Dr. Moonbloom’s chest — she needed to confirm if her suspicions were correct. She gently tapped Ablaze with her paw to get the slightly older pup’s attention. He looked over at her.

“Ablaze, could you snap your fingers by his ear?”

He gave her a questioning look but did as she asked. Boom’s father and the three other pups watched closely.

Ablaze snapped next to Branch’s left ear. No reaction — Branch was still busy staring a hole through Dr. Moonbloom’s face.

“Okay, Boom, can you snap by his other ear?”

Boom did as asked. Still no reaction.

“Alright,” Dr. Moonbloom sighed. “Could you both clap softly next to his ears?” They obeyed.

“A little louder.” clap clap.
“Louder.” Clap Clap.
“Louder!” CLAP CLAP.

This time, his ears twitched slightly. He lost his intense focus and turned toward Ablaze, then glanced over at Boom — both of whom gave him encouraging smiles.

“Okay, so he’s not completely deaf,” Dr. Moonbloom murmured to herself before gently guiding Branch back into a resting position on her lap. She turned and began rummaging through her medical bag.

Boom’s father scooted a little closer, looking worriedly at Dr. Moonbloom.
“What’s going on?”

She found her otoscope and gently tilted Branch’s head to the side so she could get a good look down his ear canal. Branch weakly pushed at the paw she was resting softly against his cheek to keep his head steady. She gently rubbed his cheek with her front paw, hoping to comfort him a little, before answering Boom’s father.

“It looks like his hearing is severely reduced,” she explained to the five trolls sitting around her. “It could be because of the brain injury we suspected. There are areas in the brain that help us process sounds. If the nerve pathways to that connection are damaged, it can lead to temporary or even permanent hearing loss.”

She moved on to check Branch’s other ear. The little pup was starting to get tired and now lay completely still, his eyes almost closed.

“And unfortunately, it seems my suspicion was correct. I don’t see any damage in any part of the ear canal. Of course, the problem could be deeper inside, but unfortunately, I don’t have the equipment needed to do a more thorough examination.” She sighed in frustration.

Ablaze looked up at Dr. Moonbloom, frustration in his eyes.

“But… does this mean Branch will never be able to hear again? He woke up when we sang to him! He must be able to hear!”

Emotion flared hotly in Ablaze’s chest. Hadn’t their little brother already been through enough? Before his feelings completely took over, a paw landed gently on his shoulder. He looked up and met Boom’s father’s gaze. The older troll smiled softly down at him.

“We all agree with you, Ablaze. Unfortunately, we knew there could be hidden complications that wouldn’t show until Branch woke up. The only right thing we can do now is help him through them.”

Ablaze kept staring into Booms father’s eyes for a moment longer before his gaze moved to the others. Trickee, Hype, and Boom were all watching him with determined expressions. Dr. Moonbloom also gave him a gentle smile as she calmly stroked the fur of the now-sleeping gray pup.

He nodded to his brothers. The decision was made. This was just another challenge — one they would face together. They were going to help their brother through this too!

Dr. Moonbloom carefully moved to Branch’s tail and removed the bandage. The swelling was almost completely gone. She gently squeezed around the base before she spoke again.
“You’re absolutely right, Ablaze. Branch came back because you sang for him,” she said softly. Everyone’s attention turned fully to her.

“But Branch probably didn’t hear the words — he felt them. You must remember that music comes from within us. It doesn’t have to be heard to be felt.”

When she was finished with the examination, she gently transferred the sleeping pup into Ablaze’s arms. He quickly made his little brother comfortable in his lap and tucked the blanket securely around him to keep him warm.

Dr. Moonbloom packed up her things and slowly stood. Boom’s father gave her a grateful smile, and she smiled back.

“I’ll keep a closer watch on him for a while. Hopefully, the deafness is temporary. The brain’s ability to heal is truly incredible. And if it isn’t… then we’ll help Branch through this too. He’s strong — we just have to keep his hope, and ours, alive.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, and both adults smiled wider at how seriously the four boys were taking the situation.

Dr. Moonbloom said her goodbyes and moved on to her next task.

When Sky returned from patrol, Dr. Moonbloom managed to speak with him about the situation before he rejoined Boom’s father and the pups. The news made his tail curl between his legs. As hard as it was to receive yet another round of bad news about his beloved adopted pup’s health, it was, unfortunately, to be expected.

They all hoped there wouldn’t be too many more bad updates now that Branch was finally starting to be more awake and alert.

Sky walked back with heavy steps toward the little group sitting close together among several resting trolls. Boom’s father was the first to notice him and gave Sky an understanding smile, immediately recognizing from his body language that Moonbloom had already informed him of the latest update on Branch’s condition.
Sky sat down next to him and listened as the four young trollings sang “Safe & Sound” for Branch again. He gave the pups a soft smile, then nervously began twisting his tail in his hands.

After a short while, he felt a pair of paws gently free his tail from his grip. His eyes met those of Boom’s father, Troy, who smiled softly as he carefully laid Sky’s tail back down on the ground.

“You’re going to wear the fur right off your tail if you keep doing that,” he said gently.

Then, trying to change the subject a little to ease the older troll’s stress, he asked:

“So, did you find a usable spot?”

Sky let out a low hum.

“We found a nice clearing with thick vegetation around it and a river running not too far away. There are some sturdy trees there with good branches for hanging pods. It seems dense enough to keep us hidden, so Peppy and a few of the others went to investigate further.”

He gave a faint smile, then pulled his knees up and wrapped his arms around them, resting his head against them. His tail swished gently at his side. His gaze never left the pups singing softly in front of them.

Then he felt an arm slide over his shoulders, pulling him into a side hug from Troy. Troy rested his head against Sky’s before murmuring,

“Maybe we’ve finally found home?”

With a soft sigh and a smile, Sky nodded.

Chapter Text

They had finally found the perfect place to build their new home. They focused on putting up sleeping pods for the pups, the elderly, and the hospital pod before starting to plan each individual pod. Even though they were exhausted after three long weeks of traveling, the pop trolls had never felt more hopeful than they did now. Free, and in what would become their forever home, far away from all sorrow and death.

In the middle of the clearing, the trolls who couldn’t build pods cared for the pups and the sick. Every troll carried out their assigned tasks with vibrating joy. The mood and atmosphere among the trolls was finally lifting. Well, everyone except one small gray trolling who was curled up in a little nest of blankets and quilts in the clearing, next to Fire-Lilly, who was still too young to help with the heaviest lifting. But she was very happy to help by watching over the pups.

Because of Branch’s still delicate condition, a troll always had to stay by his side, and now it was Fire-Lilly keeping an extra eye on him, very glad to see a livelier pup than the one she had carried out of the tunnels. Branch wasn’t interested in interacting with her, but from what she had been told, it wasn’t easy for Branch to communicate anyway, since his hearing still hadn’t improved much after it had been discovered that the pup could barely hear anything at all.

But Fire-Lilly sat close to the resting pup, hidden under all the fabric he had bundled himself in, only his long tail sticking out, swishing slowly behind him.

Fire-Lilly had had to shoo away Ablaze, Hype, Trickee, and Boom from Branch so the trollings could go out and play with the other pups. They had done an extremely good job of looking after Branch and truly deserved to get out, relax, and play the way trollings were meant to. She had promised she would take good care of Branch in the meantime.

She looked down at the little bundle beside her and carefully reached out a paw, trying to open a small gap into Branch’s blanket nest. She heard a small, irritated grunt before a tiny paw swatted her away. She laughed softly and poked a finger against the little gray paw sticking out, letting Branch catch it. She smiled as a small face peeked out for a moment before disappearing under the blankets again.

She had a feeling that Branch constantly needed to check if someone was nearby. Smiling softly, she pulled some crochet supplies from her hair and began working on a scarf she planned to give to the little princess who would soon be turning three.

Fire-Lilly shifted her tail closer to Branch when she noticed his tail reaching for her several times — probably to reassure him that she hadn’t gone anywhere, since he unfortunately wouldn’t have heard if she had stood up and left him alone. The thought alone made her sad, that the little pup could never find any peace from pain and stress. That new troubles would just keep piling up. But she was determined to do everything she could to make the little pup feel safe and cared for.

As they sat together in quiet companionship, a small, sneaky figure crept up behind them. Tiny pink paws moved silently over the grass, the little figure crawling with her belly pressed to the ground and her tail low. Her eyes were locked on the gray, twitching tail sticking out of the fabric nest. Poppy’s head moved in sync with the swish of Branch’s tail. She tucked her legs under herself like a cat preparing to pounce on its prey. With a few wiggles of her rump, she sprang forward, her little back legs shooting her into the air before she landed on her target and caught it between two small paws.

Branch’s reaction was immediate. He let out a sharp yelp before bolting upright, blankets and quilts flying in every direction, and Fire-Lilly jumped so hard that her crochet work flew out of her paws. Without putting weight on his still-sensitive right leg, he spun around abruptly and hissed like an angry kitten at whatever had grabbed — and was STILL holding — his tail.

Two big pink eyes stared back at him. His fur was puffed out in every direction, and his hair stood on end in alarm, making the usually unexpressive trolling look both comical and adorable at the same time. When their eyes met, a huge grin spread across Poppy’s face, and her tail wagged so fast it was nearly a blur.

Branch snapped out of his shock and reached forward, batting at Poppy’s paws until she let go of his tail. He quickly flicked it behind him, out of reach of the slightly younger pup. Poppy stood up on all fours and leaned toward Branch, completely unfazed by his warning body language. She pressed her nose closer to him.

His eyes went wide as she invaded his personal bubble, and he leapt backward, tucking his right hind leg up against his belly as he backed away on three paws. Then he started scrambling up onto Fire-Lilly while the little pink fluffball followed right after him.

“HEY!” squeaked Fire-Lilly before she burst out laughing at the tiny scrambling paws climbing all over her.

The commotion caught the attention of many of the trolls nearby, who smiled, and some even began to laugh at the scene playing out before them. Branch tried to hide in Fire-Lilly’s hair, only for little Poppy to crawl in after him. It ended with him climbing back out over Fire-Lilly, with Poppy right on his tail, before he tried once more to hide in her hair.

This repeated again and again, while Fire-Lilly tried in vain to catch the two pups through her fits of laughter. Ablaze and Hype came running over with huge grins, trying to rescue both Branch and Fire-Lilly from the glowing pink ball of joy.

Branch leapt into Fire-Lilly’s lap and looked around desperately to find out where the pink puffball had gone. He squeaked when a weight landed on top of him, and the two of them tumbled out of Fire-Lilly’s lap in a blur of gray and pink fur, leaving her breathless with laughter.

They only stopped rolling when they bumped into the legs of a purple troll. Poppy stood over Branch with her front paws planted on his chest, her tail wagging behind her. She laughed loudly, full of joy after the fun chase game.

Branch looked up at her with wide, bloodshot eyes — a result of several weeks of poor health. He was a bit smaller than Poppy, almost half a head shorter when standing on two feet, so it wasn’t hard for the younger troll to overpower him — especially considering his weakened body.

But even after the rather rough play, Poppy had somehow been careful enough not to aggravate Branch’s injuries. Branch tore his gaze away from the smiling face above him and looked up at the troll they had crashed into, meeting Ablaze’s big grin as he looked down at them.

Branch lifted his little paws in a grabbing motion before quietly and hoarsely saying, “Help?” — the first word he had spoken since waking up.

Ablaze beamed, scooped Poppy up, and handed her over to Hype before picking up Branch and rubbing their noses together. Branch pushed him away with his paws, not interested in any more overwhelming contact. Ablaze just laughed.

Sky stood on the sidelines and watched, unable to keep from smiling broadly. This was the first time he had seen Branch so full of energy since they had come out of the tunnels. Even after a few weeks here, and with most of Branch’s wounds healed, the little gray pup had unfortunately been completely drained of energy. He hadn’t been interested in company and mostly kept to himself — though always near another troll. They concluded that it was because he didn’t like being alone.

He had several handicaps that made the traumatized pup very clingy and at times inconsolably afraid. He would hide under things or constantly curl up in the lap or hair of whichever troll was watching him. Of course, no one minded — it was a natural instinct for a trolling — but it was still sad that this was constant, day and night, something that was NOT normal for a healthy trolling.

Branch had also shown signs of what Moonbloom called depression, which had gotten worse after they discovered that Branch had lost the picture of his family he had hidden in his hair before the escape. He had been heartbroken. It had taken both Sky Toronto and his brothers in all but blood hours to calm the grieving pup.

It felt so good to see how much Branch had healed since then, and Sky grinned even wider when Poppy somehow managed to slip free from Hype and pounced on a startled Ablaze — who now had two little trollings climbing all over him in every direction.

Hype tried to catch them between his laughter, and Trickee and Boom came running to help. Fire-Lilly also tried to catch hold of Branch so he wouldn’t accidentally strain his injuries. The sight warmed Sky’s heart, and he could feel that with every little thing that got better for Branch, a bit more glitter and color returned to his fur. His tail wagged contentedly behind him.

“Well now, is my daughter out there causing trouble?” rumbled a voice beside him, and Sky gave Peppy a bright smile.

“Your daughter is an exceptionally unique troll, Peppy. No doubt she’s going to make a formidable queen one day,” Sky concluded proudly.

Peppy hummed in agreement beside him. They stood and watched the trollings play for a moment before Peppy cleared his throat to recapture Sky’s attention. Sky turned to him, giving the king — and his friend — his full focus, his ears perked forward.

“I actually came over to share some news with you — something I hope might help Branch in the future.”

This piqued Sky’s interest. Peppy made a ‘follow me’ gesture with his paw, and Sky let him lead him to wherever he was planning to take him.

“I heard from Dr. Moonbloom that his hearing hasn’t improved much, am I correct?”

Sky sighed. “No, unfortunately not. He can hear sharp sounds a little better, but he still can’t hear words or certain… um, sound frequencies, I think she called it? She suspects that with so little improvement, it’s sadly safe to conclude that it’s permanent.”
Sky drew in a breath, feeling a pang of sympathy for the loss of his beloved pup’s senses. “Unfortunately, his knee hasn’t healed properly either, so he’ll likely always have a limp and struggle to put full weight on it again.”

Peppy nodded sadly. Branch had injuries that would make both music and dance a lifelong challenge — two things deeply important to their kind’s happiness. Peppy sighed as they walked toward the back of what would soon be their new Troll Tree.

“It’s heartbreaking to think of all the challenges such a young troll has to face,” Peppy said, tilting his head toward Sky so their eyes met. “But he truly has the best trolls around him to help.”

Sky smiled. “And there’s one more troll I think could help Branch — and the rest of the village — learn to communicate again.”

Sky looked surprised. “What do you mean?”

Peppy’s mouth curved into a sly smile as he stopped in front of some trolls working on a pod that would hang from the side of the tree.

“Eldur?”

A young, sky-blue troll with white hair and the most golden eyes you could imagine looked up when he heard the king call his name. He smiled, set down what he was holding, and came over to them.

“King Peppy! Sky,” he said respectfully.

Sky nodded back before glancing questioningly at Peppy. Peppy walked over to Eldur and put an arm around him.

“Eldur had a sister who was deaf, and he communicated with her through sign language!” Peppy said proudly. Eldur’s cheeks darkened at the king’s praise.

Sky blinked. “Sign language?”

Eldur cleared his throat. “Well, sign language is a way to communicate with trolls who can’t hear — whether from birth or for other reasons. You speak with your hands, like this!”

He demonstrated a few signs, explaining to Sky what they meant. Both Sky and Peppy were completely absorbed in what he was showing them.

“My sister was born without hearing because her egg fell to the ground when a Bergen bumped into our pod during Trollstice once. My parents learned sign language, and later taught it to me and my sister so we could communicate easily!”

He smiled broadly before his smile faded a little and his eyes grew misty. “Sadly, trolls with that kind of handicap didn’t survive long in the Troll Tree.”

They both understood what he meant, and Peppy pulled him into a comforting hug. Eldur took a small breath and straightened before meeting Sky’s gaze again.

“I heard from Peppy earlier that Branch lost his hearing in an accident, and I would very much like to offer to help him — and the other trolls — learn sign language!”

His tail wagged enthusiastically behind him, and Peppy had to stifle a laugh. Eldur was always eager to help however he could.

“I still remember most of what I learned, and I have plenty of copies of the books I studied with my sister! I’d really love to help!”

He grew a little calmer, smiling softly. “It would also help me feel closer to my little sister again.”

Sky placed a paw on Eldur’s shoulder. The younger troll met his gaze and jumped slightly in surprise when he saw tears in Sky’s eyes.

“I’ll be forever grateful if you’ll do this — for him, for us.”

All three trolls smiled at each other, their tails wagging gently behind them.

Chapter Text

After months of building and hard work, the new Pop Village was finally up and running! They had set up all the pods — both family pods and private pods. Branch, Ablaze, Hype, Trickee, and Boom’s pods had been placed close to each other on the south side of the tree. They were all very happy that they had ended up as neighbors.

The market had also slowly started to put up stands where food was made and flowers were gathered. There had even been a celebration for the little Pop princess, who had now turned three years old. There had been singing, music, and dancing, and the mood had been high. They had kept the party at a lower level than usual, still nervous about being discovered by Bergens or other dangers, but the atmosphere had still been bright and cheerful.

Sky and Branch had stopped by to give Poppy a gift but hadn’t stayed long, as Branch had gotten stressed by all the activity.

The sign language lessons with Eldur had also been a great success. Branch had more or less finished learning within the first few weeks, soaking up all the information like a sponge. The other trollings had also managed to learn to use sign language fluently. Some groups of trolls found it more difficult, but they learned the most important signs and how to hold short conversations.

Fortunately for them, Branch quickly learned to lip-read as well and would answer those trolls verbally instead. As long as they spoke slowly and clearly and didn’t move around too much, he could catch most of what was being said.

It was impressive how quickly Branch learned to live with and adapt to his disabilities. Together with Dr. Moonbloom, he had also created a stronger bandage that he used to support his knee. Even though he still limped a little, the support bandage allowed him to put some weight on his right leg so that he could stand on two feet without using crutches.

The support bandage had actually been Branch’s idea after watching the nurses make bandages during one of his many follow-up appointments with Dr. Moonbloom. The idea had been so impressive that it had since helped many trolls with knee and joint problems.

There was no question that Branch was a thinker — a very intelligent young troll. Sky was incredibly proud of his son. The adoption had now been made official, and under Pop Troll law, Branch was now his son.

Even though Branch didn’t call Sky ‘Dad,’ Sky knew that when the adoption papers had finally been signed, Branch had lit up with joy. For just a moment, Sky could almost imagine he saw a hint of blue in his son’s eyes — just for a second — but it was enough to know that this had been the right choice for both of them.

Sky was busy rebuilding his Fun Factory, so Branch had been given permission to go with Ablaze, Hype, Trickee, Boom, and the other trollings down to the river to play.

Branch sat on the riverbank while the other trollings played in the water. He wasn’t very fond of getting his fur wet, since the quality of his coat was so poor that water soaked straight through to his skin instead of the undercoat keeping him warm. It also took forever for him to dry, so he avoided water as much as he could.

The only time he accepted getting wet was when he was forced to take baths at home — where he could finally use the healing shampoos and soaps again that helped keep his fur and skin in good condition.

Unfortunately, he had several bald patches where his fur simply wouldn’t grow back. Among them was the scar on his head that stretched almost from between his eyes to the middle of his skull. His hair covered part of it, but the fur on that part of his face never grew back. He also had a scar at the base of his tail where fur didn’t grow, the same with his knee, and a few smaller spots scattered across his body.

On top of that were his bloodshot eyes, the dark circles under them, and his thin, frail body — all things that made him dislike seeing his reflection in the water. Every time he leaned forward and caught a glimpse of himself, he quickly turned away.

Thankfully, he had slowly started to put on some weight again, thanks to Dr. Moonbloom’s strict diet plan, but it would still take a long time before he was completely healthy again.

Branch let out a deep sigh before glancing out at the other trollings playing together in the water. He could see Kismet fully engaged in a water fight with some of the other pups their age. The younger ones stayed in the shallows — some played and squealed at the strange sensation of water, while a few were being helped by older trolls as they practiced swimming.

The atmosphere was playful and bright, full of sound and joy. But for Branch, the world was so quiet, so colorless. He was grateful for how patient and helpful everyone was with his conditions, but even though many efforts had been made to help him feel more included and “normal,” he was still trapped in a world of negative emotions.

He sighed again before sitting up, licking his forepaws and then carefully running them over his face and mane, grooming his fur a little just to pass the time.

Branch squirmed a little before he began grooming his long tail. With careful licks and gentle nibbling, he slowly but surely cleaned the fur of dust and dirt. He froze mid-groom when his eyes caught movement farther down the river where the current grew a little stronger. His gaze locked onto something small and round drifting downstream, and his curiosity only grew.

He quickly glanced around and saw that no one was paying direct attention to him at that moment. Slowly, he pulled himself up onto all fours and padded along the riverbank in the direction of the object he had spotted. He often preferred moving on four legs rather than two, since it took much of the strain off his injured right hind leg and was also a faster way of getting around.

Over the months, he had cautiously dared to wander a little farther away from the other trolls, making a habit of slipping off to hide in quiet places. This had both pleased and frustrated the older trolls. On the one hand, it meant he was growing braver again and dared to explore. On the other hand, it made it harder to keep track of him — especially since calling out to him would do little good anyway.

Branch had come to the conclusion that he liked being independent — well, as independent as a four-year-old could be. It made him feel less like a burden on others.

He trotted down the riverbank, where the rapids grew stronger the further he went. His eyes scanned the rushing water intently, searching for the object he had seen earlier. Then they landed on something colorful caught on the leaves of some water lilies near the bank.

‘There!’ he thought, galloping the last stretch toward it.

He positioned himself at the edge of the bank and tried to reach the mysterious object. His paws just weren’t quite long enough, and with a frustrated snort he sat back on his haunches again, lips pressed out in a sulky pout. His tail lashed irritably behind him.

Catching sight of his tail in the corner of his eye, he tilted his head and got an idea. Turning around, he stretched his long tail toward the floating object, carefully coiled it around it, and lifted it back onto solid ground.

He brought the thing over to his front paws and finally got a good look at what he had retrieved.

It was oval-shaped, covered in a wavy pattern of purple, pink, and gold with a dusting of blue… hair? on top.

Branch’s eyes went wide. It was a troll egg!

Branch was so fascinated by his discovery that he almost dropped the egg when someone suddenly scooped him up from the ground. He squeaked and clutched the egg tighter, pressing it against his chest so it wouldn’t slip from his paws by accident.

He was turned around and placed against a chest, one paw supporting his back and haunches while another tapped his snout firmly to catch his attention. His eyes lifted and met the stern gaze of Ablaze looking down at him. Branch’s ears pressed flat against his head and he curled up as small as he could.

Ablaze pointed to his lips—a signal for Branch to pay close attention, since it was difficult for him to sign while holding the little pup. When he saw Branch’s eyes shift to his mouth, Ablaze began speaking slowly, clearly, and firmly to the young troll.

“YOU do not wander off alone along the rapids, Branch!”

Branch’s ears drooped even more as he realized he was in trouble for his little adventure.

“What if you had fallen in?! You can’t swim, Branch! What if no one had seen you? The river could have taken you from us!” Ablaze couldn’t stress it enough.

When he and Hype had noticed Branch was no longer by the riverbank, they had swum across to search for him. But after not finding him for several minutes, they began to worry and split up. Thankfully, Ablaze had chosen to head further downstream while Hype went back toward the village. When Ablaze had finally spotted the little pup sitting by the river with his back turned, a mix of anger and overprotectiveness had flared inside him.

Branch knew he wasn’t allowed to wander by the river alone. The fact that the usually rule-abiding pup had disobeyed shocked him deeply. Ablaze continued to stare down at the seemingly remorseful pup in his arms. He should be ashamed!

“You’re on lap arrest for the rest of the morning!” Ablaze said firmly. “We’ll take turns keeping watch over you until we head back to the village. I also want you to apologize to the others for worrying them, and think carefully about what you’ve done while you’re in timeout. Understood?”

He raised a stern eyebrow as he waited for Branch’s answer. The little pup looked shamefully down at his paws.

“Understood.”

Ablaze nodded in approval before relenting and licking the little pup on the forehead, earning a whiny squeak in return. Relief washed over him—Branch was safe.

He glanced down at the pup in his arms… and then his eyes landed on something colorful in Branch’s paws. His brows shot up. Tapping Branch again to bring his attention back, he asked:

“What’s that?” he said, pointing at the object in his paws.

But before Branch had the chance to answer, they both heard a cracking sound, and their eyes snapped down to the egg in Branch’s paws. Ablaze’s eyes widened in astonishment, while Branch’s blinked in wonder.

The shell began to split open, flaking away onto Branch’s belly, and out of the egg crawled a tiny, strange-looking troll. They had never seen a troll with such an appearance before—long neck, rough blue hair, and a reddish-pink stripped fur. Two bright blue eyes stared back at the shocked trolls.

The little troll… pup? shook its small ears before giving the duo a cheerful, “Hi!”

Branch held onto the newly hatched troll extra tightly as Ablaze collapsed beneath them. Branch sat up carefully, shaking himself a little, before both he and the tiny troll looked down in shock at the now-unconscious Ablaze.

Chapter Text

Hype, Trickee, and Boom had found the trio just as Ablaze was starting to come to. To say they were shocked would be a massive understatement when their eyes landed on the strange little figure sitting safely in Branch’s paws.

The newly hatched troll was almost one-third of Branch’s size, but Branch didn’t seem to have much trouble holding the little one’s weight. Trickee carefully helped Ablaze to his feet and handed him a bottle of water to help him recover. Hype crouched down in front of the small duo, Boom following his lead.

Hype glanced at Branch before slowly forming words with his hands.
‘Branch? Who do you have there?’

The tiny troll, safely pressed against Branch’s gray chest, watched curiously as Hype moved his hands. Branch slowly opened his mouth, his soft voice barely above a whisper. Speaking still felt strange to him — it was hard to tell how loud he was.

“I found an egg in the river. Then it hatched… and he came out!”

He carefully held the small troll out toward Hype and Boom so they could get a proper look. The little troll’s ears twitched happily. “HI!” he chirped cheerfully at the duo, soon joined by Ablaze and Trickee.

Hype raised a paw and waved a greeting, smiling warmly. The little troll vibrated with excitement. Boom chuckled beside him.
“Pretty cute little guy.”

Ablaze straightened up, nervously running a paw through his hair.
“We need to tell King Peppy. He has to know we found a trolling out here.”

The others nodded in agreement. In the end, Ablaze ended up carrying both Branch and the newly hatched trolling, since the gray pup refused to let go of the little one he had just rescued.

It didn’t take long before the attention of the other trolls around them was drawn to the group. Curious eyes landed on the cheerful little troll sitting in Branch’s paws. A few young trolls moved closer to get a better look.

“What is that?” one of them asked.
Ablaze glanced down at Branch and the newly hatched troll, not slowing his pace as he kept heading toward King Peppy’s pod.

“It’s a troll, obviously,” he replied. “Branch found him in the river, so we’re taking him to King Peppy.”

More trolls began to follow behind them, murmuring curiously to each other. Questions quickly started flying their way — why did he have such a long neck? Why was his hair hanging down like that? Where were his baby claws? And why didn’t he have any canine teeth?

The barrage of questions became a bit overwhelming for Ablaze, Hype, Trickee, and Boom — they didn’t have any answers themselves. Pop trolls were naturally very curious creatures. There were many different kinds of pop trolls: some big and strong, others small and fast, some with hair growing all over their upper bodies from the hips and up — and many more variations.

But this little one didn’t have any of the usual traits that marked someone as a pop troll, which of course only made everyone more curious.

Branch didn’t even notice the growing crowd forming around them — he was too busy grooming the little troll he had found. It wasn’t easy, though; the tiny troll squirmed and giggled every time Branch licked his fur or tried to pick out dust and dirt from his thick, fluffy coat.

Ablaze just shook his head, leaning down to nuzzle his snout between the two trolls. The youngest burst into laughter, while Branch wrinkled his nose in annoyance and tapped Ablaze with his paws, clearly irritated at being interrupted. Ablaze only chuckled at his reaction.

He quickly straightened up again when he heard the familiar voice of the troll they had been looking for.

“What’s going on here, my dear trolls?” Peppy asked curiously as he saw the large group approaching and went to meet them.

Boom bounded up to him, his tail wagging rapidly.
“King Peppy! King Peppy! We found a trolling!” he shouted, hopping up and down in front of the confused king, whose eyes widened.

“What?”

Ablaze walked up to Peppy, and the king’s gaze immediately fell on the small, cheerful pink-and-purple ball of fur sitting in Branch’s paws. Ablaze set Branch down on the ground and began explaining what had happened by the riverbank.

Branch placed the squirming little troll on the ground so he could burn off some energy.

Poppy, who had been resting in Peppy’s hair, poked her head out when she heard Ablaze speaking. Her eyes quickly landed on her favorite little gray playmate, and they lit up with joy. She scrambled down and scooped Branch up into a big hug.

Branch let out a squeak as his feet left the ground again—curse his small size and light weight! Before he could even start protesting, Poppy had already set him back down on his feet. He turned to give her a look that clearly showed how irritated he was.

She just smiled back and started signing quickly with her paws.

Among the young trolls, she was one of those who had learned sign language incredibly fast—she wanted to be able to communicate fully with Branch. The young princess was deeply dedicated to always doing her best to support and care for all her friends— even at the tender age of almost four!

“Branch! Shall we—” She stopped abruptly when she felt a weight lean against her side. She looked down, and her eyes widened when she saw a tiny, adorable little trolling peeking up at her with big eyes and a wide smile. A small, sheep-like tail wagged quickly behind him.

Poppy slapped her hands to each side of her cheeks and squealed at how cute the unusual little trolling was! The sound she made caught the attention of the other trolls. Ablaze stopped his explanation and looked down at her, along with Peppy and the others nearby.

Peppy’s eyes began to study the little troll’s appearance closely — he had a feeling he’d seen similar trolls before. It had been a long time since he’d revisited the old stories of troll history. While the king tried to recall what this little troll reminded him of, the others watched Branch, Poppy, and the tiny trolling curiously.

Poppy picked up the giggling hatchling and gave him a big hug, squealing again over how adorable he was. Branch felt the fur on his back stand on end — a flicker of jealousy sparked in the back of his mind. He didn’t want to share the little troll! He snatched the trolling out of Poppy’s grasp, and she let out a small whine.

“Aw! Branch! You have to share!”

Branch’s ears drooped at her words. He shook his head, turned tail, and darted behind Ablaze to hide. Poppy tried to move around him — she really wanted to get to know the new troll too! Ablaze just smiled and shook his head.

“What’s going on here?” said a familiar voice.

Ablaze looked up and saw Sky walking toward them. Peppy gave his old friend a warm smile.

“Sky, how’s the construction of your factory going?”

Sky smiled back. “It’s coming along now. A few more weeks and we can start working on the interior, then get the machinery and equipment set up so we can begin production. I was on my way to the river to bring Branch one of his protein drinks — but I see you’re all done there. What’s going on?”

He looked around curiously at all the trolls gathered in the middle of the village. Peppy chuckled softly before pointing toward Branch, who was still trying to avoid Poppy.

“Your son found a very special friend down by the river today.”

Sky’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline as he tried to get a better look at what Branch was holding so tightly.

Branch’s eyes never left Poppy’s movements as she hopped from side to side around Ablaze. He followed her every move closely and mirrored them perfectly — successfully keeping the little troll all to himself. After all, he had just rescued the tiny hatchling from a watery grave, no one could expect him to share it right away, right? Nope, nope!

The little trolling just laughed, thinking the whole thing was a fun game, while Poppy grew increasingly frustrated that she couldn’t pet the newcomer’s soft fur.

Branch caught sight of something golden as he leapt to one side of Ablaze’s legs — once again out of Poppy’s reach.

“SKY!” he squeaked, darting toward his father, who instinctively bent down and picked up the little troll. Sky was careful, making sure not to harm the precious bundle Branch was protectively clutching.

He glanced over at Peppy once he got a good look at the tiny troll.
“Is that… a baby troll?”

Peppy cleared his throat, his tail giving a quick flick.
“Yes, according to Ablaze, young Branch here picked an egg up from the water, it hatched very shortly after and this little wonder popped out.”

Sky looked down once more at the little trolling, who smiled up at him before letting out a sweet, tiny yawn. Its eyelids grew heavy, and before long, the newly hatched troll had fallen asleep in the safety of his son’s embrace.

Sky flinched a little when Branch suddenly let out an aggressive hiss, waking the hatchling slightly. Branch glanced to the side, hissed again, then twitched his hindquarters as he tried to wriggle around in Sky’s arms.

Sky and Peppy looked down — and saw Poppy clinging to Branch’s tail, trying to climb up it.

Peppy laughed, then quickly scooped up Poppy, saving the poor gray trolling’s tail. Branch lifted his long tail and curled it around Sky’s arm to keep it safe from the wild pink furball.

“Poppy, you little rascal,” Peppy scolded gently. “We don’t pull on other trolls’ tails — that can hurt.”

“But Daddy, he won’t share his new friend with me!” she whined.

Peppy smiled softly down at his daughter.
“Give him some time, Poppy. You know Branch needs to work through things at his own pace.”

Poppy sighed and crossed her arms with a small pout.

Sky gently smoothed out the fur on Branch’s tail with careful strokes, his gaze never leaving the sleeping hatchling.

“Peppy? He’s a very unusual little troll, isn’t he?”

Concern flickered in Sky’s eyes as he lifted one of the tiny troll’s small paws — noticing the absence of baby claws and pads. Sky’s ears tilted back. Had the little one hatched with deformities? Shouldn’t he be taken to Dr. Moonbloom right away?

Peppy caught the worried look on Sky’s face and quickly remembered what it was he should check. With one arm cradling Poppy close to him, he reached up with his free hand to his hair and began pulling out an old scrape book — one he hadn’t gone through since he himself was a teenager, back when he was being taught about his royal duties.

“Don’t worry, Sky. I believe his appearance is perfectly normal for his kind of troll.”

Peppy opened the scrapbook and began flipping through the old troll histories, not noticing the questioning and curious looks that began landing on him. Ablaze, Hype, Trickee, and Boom exchanged glances.

Trickee gently tugged on the paw holding Poppy, hoping to get the king’s attention. Peppy lifted his gaze from the book and looked down at the young troll, who asked the question everyone else was wondering.

“What do you mean, his kind of troll?”

Several voices murmured around them, echoing the same confusion.

Oh. It dawned on Peppy then — this information had only ever been passed down within the royal family. Not because it was a secret, but simply because it had never been necessary to share beyond the royal line. After all, there had been little chance of encountering other kinds of trolls while they were in captivity.

Well, now that they were free and living in a world shared with other troll nations, Peppy realized it was time to share this knowledge with his people. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much left — just the scrapbook he held, a centuries-old map, and the String that was under his protection. So much history had been lost during their long imprisonment under the Bergens, and Peppy was fairly certain that much of what he still had was outdated. The other nations had likely developed quite a bit since the books and maps were first made.

Still, he could at least share what little knowledge remained. It was important that if they ever encountered other troll species, they would be as prepared and cautious as possible — just in case such encounters led to trouble.

He flipped through a few more pages until he found what he was looking for, then finally spoke.

“Well, my dear trolls… it so happens that there are other kinds of trolls out there — besides us. We are one of six main troll nations. You all know, of course, that we call ourselves the Pop Trolls, yes?”

He looked around and saw several heads nodding, which he took as a sign that they were following so far.

“Among the other main nations, we have Classic, Country, Techno, Rock, and Funk.”

He lifted the book to show the pictures of each troll type. Branch’s eyes landed on the image of a Funk Troll. Peppy caught his gaze and smiled.

“That’s right, dear Branch. I believe the little egg you found is a young Funk Troll.”

Branch’s ears perked up as he looked down at the tiny baby sleeping safely in his arms.

Peppy began to share what little information he still had about the Strings. All the trolls listened intently as their king told the story of how music came to be, how the Strings were discovered, and how disagreements among the nations had led them to separate — each taking their own String with them.

Peppy kept speaking in Branch’s direction, making sure the little one could catch everything too.

“Sadly, much of this history has been lost over the years, so there are many gaps in what we know. This is, unfortunately, all I have — but I can have copies of our history made for the library, for anyone who wishes to learn what we still know. And once our kindergartens and schools are up and running, we can include history lessons as well, so our young trolls won’t grow up unaware of the world beyond our village.

After all, we never know — some of these trolls may have become nomads over the years and might just stumble upon us one day.”

Almost every troll brightened at their king’s suggestion, growing increasingly eager to learn about the world around them — and about the trolls who lived within it.

Some of the trolls looked a little worried and asked their king what they should do if a strange troll ever happened to find their village.

Peppy smiled warmly.
“We will be cautious and alert — but as friendly as we are known to be. We’ll keep our little ones at a safe distance while we get to know any newcomers and determine whether they are friendly or hostile. I’ll take this matter to the other elders so we can discuss it further and ensure we’re not caught off guard.”

This reassured the trolls. Peppy handed the scrapbook to one of the trolls who worked at the library so they could begin making copies. The crowd slowly began to disperse, everyone heading back to their daily routines — though their minds were now full of new information to think about.

Sky still watched Peppy with concern, until the king gave him a small motion with his paw, signaling him to speak his mind. Sky handed Branch his protein drink, reminding him to finish it before he started speaking.

“Peppy, if this really is a Funk troll, and Branch found him in the water… don’t you think he might be missing? Shouldn’t we return him?”

Peppy rubbed his chin thoughtfully with one paw.
“That would indeed be for the best, but we don’t know where the Funk trolls currently reside. Even with the map, they may have relocated long ago. Unfortunately, it would be far too dangerous.”

This time, Hype spoke up.
“But… what do we do with him, then?”

Peppy gave the young troll a kind smile.
“Why, we take care of him, of course. No troll child will ever be left alone, no matter their origin. I’ll make sure he’s placed with the perfect family who will love him as their own. That shouldn’t be too difficult, considering how naturally protective Pop Trolls are toward little ones.”

He cast a knowing glance at Sky, who blushed.

Branch had been watching Peppy’s lips carefully, and his eyes widened as he looked up at his father.
“Can we keep him? He can be my new little brother!”

Sky’s eyes widened in shock, and he let out a startled snort — which made the other trolls burst out laughing at his expression. He quickly tried to collect himself before answering his little one.

“Branch, I’m not a young troll anymore. I already have to take care of you and your health — and with the factory to run, I won’t have much time for a tiny hatchling. It would be better for him to be placed with another family who can give him all the attention he deserves,” he tried to explain gently.

Branch’s ears drooped, and tears of disappointment began to gather in the corners of his eyes.
“I can help take care of him! I’ll be the best big brother ever!”

Sky felt his heart ache at the sight of his little troll trying so hard to convince him to take in the hatchling he had rescued.

“Branch—”

“Please, Papa?”

And that’s how Sky Toronto ended up becoming a father of two.