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Hush winds swept by oak trees, lulled along thin leaves, and left only such peace that no troll would ever be able to believe. Tall on a high branch, sat magenta, criss-crossed legs. Yellow fabric lining around them increased and uncrinkled. Arms out and up, hands pinched perfectly in a crabish fashion. A soft hum came from the troll’s mouth, stopping every few seconds until repeating. His breathing was relaxed, yet focused.
“Creek!?” A voice shouted, high level and searching. And the once tranquil troll then peaked an eye open. Staring down from his high place.
“Creek!” Another one yelled, sounding more worrisome, but not intentionally so. A quick yet small “meep” coming after.
Soon others came. A deeper one, a chill one, an auto-tuned one, a funny one, and two that met each other at the same time.
“Now, now my friends. Yelling will only make more panic, calmness is the way to go. Come up.” Creek finally announced his presence, voice smooth and steady-yet curious.
Eight heads swiveled up, catching the colors of magenta and yellow in their vision. Swinging their hairs up and cautiously climbing after the other.
“Creek! We’ve finally found you, thought you might have gotten lost! Glad you didn’t.” Poppy was first to speak, sitting beside Creek and giving her friend a quick hug. Then turning back to the rest as they spoke amongst themselves.
Until one with a really long neck that colored of swirling pinks piped up. “Yeah Creek! Whatcha doing up her anyways?” Cooper asked. And he was quickly answered.
“Silence, my friends. Relaxing for the mind, releasing of all negative vibes.” Creek let out a breath as he ended his sentence. Though even with relaxation, calm curiosity soon followed.
“But why might you guys be here, my friends?” The meditating troll asked his companions, closing his eyes and going back to humming once more.
A shy voice came about, a shy voice coming from the biggest of them all. “Well. We were wondering if you could find something for us?” Biggie said softly, a much, more deeper and raspy voice calling out after. “Yeah, you’re always talking about vibes and stuff. So we thought you could help us with this.” Smidge hollered at the purple troll with teal hair.
Creek was intrigued, but didn’t let it show. Rather speaking calmly. “And what is it you're searching for, my comrades?” Peeling his eyes open once more, raising an eyebrow.
Poppy turned to look at Creek in the eye, taking a second to choose her wordings. “Well, Creek. We were wondering if you could find us…gentleness?” The pink troll spoke in a hush voice, a bright voice, but still a hushed one. Like a secret that was all too good not to say.
“Gentleness?” The yoga troll quirked, not have been asked such a thing before (surprisingly actually). But he wanted to see what he could do.
Soon enough, he eyed around. Taking in the environment, every sound, every sight. Everything he could feel amidst his mind. And very quickly, he spotted something.
“Ah, there is your answer for your worries. My friends.” Creek motioned down below, to a Cuddle Pup puppy. Blue, pink, and white in fur. Big, yellow, adorable eyes that seemed to shine with such warmth of innocence. Creek was sure he had found the thing they were looking for. But he was wrong.
“No. I don’t think so, Creek. It doesn’t feel quite right.”
Poppy had spoke, her bubbly voice indecisive and uncertain. The rest of the Snack Pack agreed as well, not so sure about the purple troll’s choice. Sure they found the small puppy cute, yet it wasn’t…gentleness.
The yoga troll muttered under his breath, brows furrowed as he scanned the scene once more. Yet nothing he found was functional, until a smudge of grey hit the light. And a close smirk came across Creek’s face. Then swiping away.
“Ah, I know exactly what you’re looking for. My confidants.” Having nothing more to say, Creek simply pointed down below and watched as all of his closed comrade’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
“BRANCH?!” They all shouted in unison, unbelievably surprised by the answer Creek had given them. Branch? Gentleness? Really?
“Shhhh, quiet now my friends. Yelling will only drive in toxic ways, let’s calm.” Deep breaths were taken and soon each troll became eased. But they still had questions to spare for the magenta troll.
“Branch? Where’s the gentleness in that guy?” An auto-tuned voice spoke up first, laced with genuine curiosity. Guy Diamond tilted his head.
“Yeah, in that brute?” A slow tone came after, more quick than usual. Suki must’ve definitely been surprised if so.
“Yeah! In that party-pooper?” Two sayings came, Satin’s and Chenille’s voices echoed together. In a piping rude manner, though not that they meant it…much.
Creek had listened to their bickering and questions, sensing their feelings. He waited for the right time, then spoke up.
“Well you see, my friends. There is a difference between being gentle and being harmless” The teal haired troll advised them to watch as he spoke. Turning his head down along to copy his expressions of words with the grey troll below.
Branch trudged under, feet dragging along with mud and clothes smudged with dirt. One arm lay to his side while the other carried an abundance of sharpened sticks. A brown back-pack rested on his shoulder. His eyes were sullen, caving in a grumpiness that no other troll could copy. Even if they tried. And a familiar, tight frown laid naturally on his lips.
“True gentleness is having the capacity to cause great harm,-” Creek spoke softly, just as Branch stopped in his tracks. Lips curling up to baring teeth, a quiet snarl as he looked around the forest for any dangers in hand. Eyebrows narrowing as pupils scavenged, it almost made the whole Snack Pack shiver.
Except for Poppy, who watched with silent awe. Eyes never leaving the dull troll below once.
Creek spoke up once more as Branch began to move again. “-but having the self-control not to.” The hermit troll’s baring soon came to a end, seeing no signs of danger. He turned his head to look back at a small bush, motioning for something to come out. And soonly, something did-or someone did.
A rather small trolling trotted out, looking around adventurous. He had light green skin, a dark green nose, and cream freckles that sprinkled his cheeks. Swift up with a neutral color of blue for hair, and having dark blue eyes that went the opposite ways. And he wore only purple shorts. Keith.
The Snack Pack was quite frankly shocked at the such scene. They never thought they would see Branch out in the forest with a trolling trailing behind him, and him caring enough to make sure the little guy wasn’t in any danger as well. They never thought Branch could be someone who…simply…cared. It declined their feelings they had about him, and brought up new ones to replace the old.
Yet Creek wasn’t finished with his speaking’s, finding a way to end it clearly.
“Therefore, this ‘gentleless, brute, party-pooper’-“ Down below it seemed Keith had gotten hungry, holding his small stomach and looking downwards at it. His expression came to one of sadness, as he had no food on hand. Yet Branch stopped in his way once again, taking a quick look back at the young trolling before pulling off his brown bag. Taking a knee and opening it up, he offered the light green kid a large blueberry, and Keith couldn’t look any more grateful that he was as he took it. Munching delightfully on the delicious, blue fruit with a bright, small smile. “-is actually one of the most gentle beings in the whole village.”
The whole group just stayed silent, contemplating on everything they’ve just learned. Everything they now knew. And everything they had to re-think about Branch.
It stayed quiet for a while, until Cooper finally piped up as the group saw Branch take a good glance up and spot ‘em. Giving them a harsh look. “He wouldn’t be very gentle to us though, huh?” The giraffe troll side-whispered to the rest. “Nope, he’d stomp on our heads if he could. We should better keep a safe distance.” Creek replied, ushering for the groups to make a good move to another location.
Yet only one stood behind for a moment, Poppy stared down at Branch and Keith for a flicker. Eyes brightening with compassion and a faint smile finding a way onto her face. Then she moved on with the others.
She knew he had some form of care in his heart. Some form of kindness. Some form of…gentleness. Just deep down below. But still a form.