Find Me…I'm Lost

Okay. This is a unique take on Trolls. I wouldn't exactly call this an alternate universe, but it is a little different. Bear with me, but also tell me what you think…good or bad. This is a look into what could possibly be.

I own nothing. Nothing.

Chapter One

Branch pulled fretfully at the ropes that held his arms bound above his head to the small cave roof. The troll growled behind the gag tied over his lips as he slumped grumpily against the stone wall he was curled against with his feet bound as well. If he wasn't so fuzzy he might have been able to use his hair to reach something, anything to get him loose. What was going on?

"Keep still, Mate," a voice called as Branch glared angrily up at his captor, "If you move around too much the woolen head brew will make you even dizzier than you already are."

"Mfp gibma," Branch said as best he could through the cloth over his mouth, "Riek!"

"Let me get that for you," Creek said as he squatted to untie the gag from Branch's face, "Now, isn't that better?"

"What in the sacred Troll Tree are you doing?" Branch panted softly as his head continued to swirl in confusion and dizziness, "Why am I so weak? I can barely get my limbs to listen to me and why am I here?"

"Ah," Creek breathed softly as he went and sat across from the tied troll, "I've been keeping you drugged up on woolen head brew. Keeps a troll confused and unable to think well to escape or use their hair for defense. Probably why you can't move about as well either. You probably wouldn't be able to walk in a straight line if I allowed it as well. Carrying you has been hard, but what's a troll to do?"

Branch blinked at Creek sleepily before glaring once again at the traitor.

"Why am I here, Creek?" Branch demanded with an angry hiss.

"I need you for something," Creek admitted as Branch blinked at him once again, 'You see you ruined everything for me, Branch. You took my place by Poppy's side and now I'm not welcomed back among everyone. I know the 'not welcomed' part is my fault, but I needed to start over again so I sought out the ice troll tribe. I hoped they'd take me in, but I was considered too soft by the leaders. I tried to convince them otherwise and accidently discovered that the sibling king and queen were mighty interested in hearing about you, Mate."

"What? Why?" Branch sighed, feeling so tired and fuzzy.

"I just happened to mention how much you looked like one of their people. None in our tribe have ever had the coloring you do, Branch," Creek chuckled, "We've had dark blue manes, but never your unique shade. Such a dark mane of cobalt is unheard of in our tribe. Very exotic, don't you think, Branch? Almost like the rest of us are splashes of spring and summer, but you, Mate, you are like cool winter which has intrigued the king and queen of the ice trolls. You are my ticket into a new tribe."

"Need to be with Poppy," Branch moaned as he listed to the side, held up by only the ropes tied to his arms, "Let me go, Creek."

"Can't," Creek chirped as he suddenly reached and poured some more liquid down Branch's throat from a cup he forced to his captive's lips as the troll coughed and choked, "You took Poppy from me and now I'm taking you from her while getting a new tribe. Win-win situation for me. Sleep, Mate. We have a long way to travel before we reach our new home."

Branch fought feebly as Creek retied the gag over his mouth before his eyes slipped shut. He heard a sigh from the other troll while his bound hands were loosened enough for him to lay upon the cave floor. The blue troll felt a blanket draped over him before Branch knew no more.

oOo

"When I find him, I'll…I'll…," Poppy growled as she stomped through the old village with the Snack Pack following her, "I'm going to do really bad things to him!"

"Let's stay calm," Biggie offered as Poppy gave one of her best "Branch" eye rolls, "Poppy!"

"Stay calm?" Poppy huffed, "Creek was seen kidnapping Branch and you want me to calm down? That traitor took my lad! He…he did something to Branch because Glade said that Branch was unconscious and being carried! How am I going to stay calm when I don't know if Branch is hurt or what Creek is up to?!"

"Girlfriend, being like this won't help Branch," Satin insisted as her twin nodded, "It is just good that Branch has been teaching Biggie and Guy how to track so we can following Creek's trail. We need to be calm so we can sneak up on the rat before he knows we are near."

"True, but I feel that there is something wrong," Poppy whimpered as the crew all looked troubled since Poppy's feeling were usually right, "There is something wrong with Branch and whatever it is….that Creek is to blame for it. What is he doing? Where is Creek going?"

"Not sure where he is going, but I do know that this path leads out of the village," Guy groaned as the group continued forward, "He's heading north."

"That's cold country," DJ Suki mentioned as she stopped, "We need to plan this better or we won't be able to be of much help to Branch if we turn into troll ice cubes."

"Branch's bunker," Poppy blurted as everyone froze, "He and I have been storing emergency supplies in there for just in case over the past few months. There are warm clothes and travel gear in there that we can use. Everything was placed there in case we ever needed to retreat to a colder area without much warning."

"Branch rubbing off on you?" Chenille chuckled as Poppy flashed a brief smile.

"He's a planner, but we didn't plan for this," Poppy whispered as she led the way to the bunker, "What does he want with my Branch?"

"And why is he going to cold country?" Cooper sniffed, "There isn't anything there, but snow and ice."

A thought shifted in Poppy's mind as old tales flitted through her memory. Could that be the answer?

"And the ice trolls!" Poppy gasped as the Snack Pack shuddered at the memory of old legends passed down about the gruff trolls from the ice, "Maybe…maybe Creek is seeking a new tribe since he's been exiled from ours."

"And that involves Branch how?" Biggie questioned.

"I don't know, but we are going to find out," Poppy hissed, "Let's go."

Poppy was doing a mean Branch impression with how stern she looked. The rest of the pack looked at one another uncomfortably. This wasn't the usual bubbly, pink troll that they all knew and loved.

"Guys," Poppy sighed once she turned around and saw their moods, "I'm sorry. It's just…Creek's got my Branch. The Branch that helped me save all of you when I was about to give up despite his fears of singing and being near other trolls. The very lad who means the world to me and now he's been kidnapped and I know that something is wrong. Creek has had him for over two days and…and…."

Poppy trailed off in despair as she remembered back to that horrible day...

"Queen Poppy!" a tiny, green child cried as Poppy turned to see Glade scampering over, looking upset, "He took him! I saw it! He just ran away!"

"Glade, whatever has you so panicked?" Poppy called since this particular lad was known for being overly dramatic at the best of times, "Did someone take one of your toys again?"

"No! He took him!" Glade whimpered as Poppy realized that the child was really scared as she made her way towards him, "H-he was showing me all the different berries and then that mean troll did something and carried him away and I tried to chase them, but he was too fast and the mean troll must have done something bad because he was still like he was sleeping, but he didn't look right and I'm scared for him."

All the pronouns were making Poppy dizzy, but something clicked quickly into her mind. Branch had said just that morning that he was taking Glade on a nature walk to help the scamp calm down and find a hobby. The lad couldn't be talking about…no!

"He?" Poppy gasped, kneeling quickly to place a hand on the child's shoulder as the Snack Pack gathered close, "Branch? Are you saying that someone took Branch?"

"He took him away," Glade sobbed as Poppy's mouth dropped open in horror, "He made Branch go all still and then flipped him over his shoulder and ran away so fast. He's a mean, mean troll!"

"Who did that to Branch, Glade?" Poppy whispered as the child hiccupped, "Who was the mean troll?"

Glade mournfully sighed before uttering one word that made Poppy's blood run cold.

"Creek."

It had taken hours for Glade to find his way back to the Troll Tree that day so Creek had quite a head start. Poppy remembered charging off blindly as her friends followed her two days ago. Creek had her lad. He had Branch and she needed to get him back.

"And, what, Poppy?" Biggie asked as the queen focused back on her friends.

"And I'm…I'm really scared here," Poppy admitted as she drooped in despair, "Please forgive me, my rotten temper at the moment."

Poppy sniffled when she found herself surrounded by her best friends in a group hug. She didn't feel better. Creek had Branch and was traveling with her lad fast. Where was he going and why did he decide to take Branch with him? What was this cold dread she was feeling? She hadn't even been this scared to try and rescue her friends from the Bergens.

"We're coming, Branch," Poppy thought as she wiped away a tear and set her face in determination, "Just hold on. I'm coming to find you."

oOo

Creek sighed as he trudged forward. They'd soon reach the snow judging by the crispness of the air that he was breathing in. He glanced down at the troll he was cradling in his arms. Branch's bound hands rested against Creek's chest as he remained passive and still. Judging by the half-lidded eyes, Branch was still drugged heavily and probably barely knew what was going on around him.

"We'll stop for a rest, Mate," Creek decided as he found a large rock that he could settle Branch against, 'Whoa there, Branch."

The drugged troll groaned softly as he was righted from the tumble he was about to take to the side. Creek tugged off his pack and pulled out some blankets to tuck behind Branch's head so he'd be able to remain upright.

"There we go," Creek said as he untied the gag while Branch's eyes rolled to look up at him, "Let's get some water in you. Come on."

The purple troll frowned when Branch turned his head away from the water bottle. He'd done the same with all food too. Branch was no fool and had fought every time Creek administered the next drought of woolen head brew, but was too weak to fend Creek off thanks to being drugged. Liquid, was easy to get into Branch, but the troll refused the food and spat it back at Creek each time.

"So stubborn," Creek huffed as he held Branch's nose closed until finally he could get the troll to open his mouth to get some water in him, "You need this. Stop fighting me."

Branch coughed hard as he turned his head away from the tormenting troll. How much he wished he could throttle Creek, no troll would ever know.

"You don't care," Branch accused suddenly as Creek startled, "Only think of yourself…not of me, tribe. Selfish troll. Selfish."

Creek swallowed uncomfortably as Branch's eyes closed and he panted softly against the pallet he leaned against.

"Shut up," Creek retorted as Branch's eyes cracked open, "You, who lived only for yourself for so long. You have no right to judge me!"

"Lived to protect you," Branch whispered as Creek blinked, "Tried…tried to not hurt others like I'd done to Grandma. Didn't want to make people hurt…cause of me. Needed to keep everyone safe. Keep Poppy…safe. Thought doing right thing. Thought was a…a curse to everyone. That scared me so stayed away. Poppy say no. Not curse, not be scared."

Creek reeled at the information. The words were stilted and almost childlike, thanks to the woolen head brew messing with Branch's mind, but spoken honestly. Creek shook his head, watching as Branch slipped into another drugged sleep.

"Not fair, Mate," Creek huffed, sitting next to the sleeping troll, "Martyring yourself to make me look bad. I'm not selfish. You stole her. You stole Poppy from me so you have to be punished for that. Everything is your fault. All of it."

However, Creek felt guilt prick at him when he gazed at his captive. Branch was pale and beginning to show signs that the brew he was drugged with was building up too much in his system. His refusal to eat was also beginning to affect the troll too, judging by Branch's haggard appearance. Then there was the niggling voice in the back of Creek's mind. The one pointing out the true facts. Nothing was Branch's fault…nothing.

"You'll be fine, Mate," Creek assured his captive as he began pulling on his snow gear, "You and I will start over together in our new tribe. You and me, Branch. If I can't have Poppy, then neither can you, but we'll be together like we were when we were tiny, remember? We were happy then. Let's get you in some warmer clothes now. Here we go."

Creek made sure that Branch was fully out before he untied the troll's arms and began to help him into a thicker, long-sleeved shirt. Unfortunately, Creek hadn't thought about snow clothes or boots for Branch when he took off on this hair-brained scheme of his so he was loaning the other troll a shirt of his own.

"I'll just wrap you in a blanket," Creek snorted as he bond Branch's wrist once again, "You'll be fine."

But Branch wasn't fine. The land finally turned to white a day later as Creek's boot-covered feet pushed through the thick snow. The freezing cold penetrated the layers of blankets that Creek had wrapped around his captive. Branch shivered hard and became even more lethargic. Creek didn't even bother with the gag anymore since the blue-skinned troll was hardly lucid most times. Danger came on the third day's journey through the snow and ice

"Wake up. Wake up, Mate," Creek ordered as Branch's eyes began to droop closed as the purple-skinned troll bounced his captive a bit to rouse him, "You'll fall asleep and not wake again. Come on, Branch, wake up. Mate, I need you to stay awake. Bergen dung! Okay. Fire. We need a fire."

Creek cursed lightly as he searched for some shelter. Luckily there was some scraggly trees nearby with thick bark bits that had fallen around the trunk base so that the troll could kick some of the pieces together to lay Branch on something drier than cold snow.

"Wake up," Creek ordered again as he patted Branch's cheek so that the troll would look up at him, "Stay awake while I light a fire. Talk to me. Come on, Branch, wake up."

Branch grunted with the patting and shook his head as his eyes flickered open. Hopeful eyes grew dull when the blue troll looked up at Creek.

"Hate you," Branch sighed, looking away, "Poppy."

"Yeah, yeah. Poppy," Creek spat as he stood and hurriedly tried to gather some bits of wood to light the needed fire, "Forget about her. We're moving on, Mate."

Creek glanced over his shoulder and cursed aloud when he saw Branch's eyes closed again.

"No, Branch. Stay awake," Creek growled as he strode over before drawing up short as a sharp blade was held to his throat from behind him, "What?"

"Who are you?" a voice said as Creek was spun around to see a fur clad person with nothing showing, but blue eyes, "You!"

To be continued…