Okay folks I'm sorry once more for the delay (Real life takes precedence and I appreciate your patience) but I finally managed to finished the chapter that will answer the question every one has been asking, 'what happened to Poppy?'

Enjoy my dear readers and thank you all for you comments, fav's follows and kudos, it really means the world to me!

And just a heads up if any of you out there are interested, I've got a oneshot Broppy story in the works, no release time yet as I'm wrapping up the ending but just to make you all aware. Keep your eyes peeled! :D

Anyway, I've rambled on enough on with the story :D

*SFFY*

Chapter 6 Lucky Escape?

Drip! Drip! Drip! Bloop! Drip! Drip! Drip! Bloop!

A low groan echoed from a patch of damp lichen and fuzzy moss, moisture dribbled down the shadowed walls and plopped into a small pool close by continuing its monotonous rhythm.

Drip! Drip! Drip! Bloop! Drip! Drip! Drip! Bloop!

"Mmmmmm," a pink shadow roused themselves in the murky light, groaning as they raised a hand to their head and hissed in pain. "OW! That really hurts," fingers were dropped and glittering rainbow blood caught in the glowing subterranean light. A shocked gasp fell from the fallen troll's lips and frightened magenta eyes were hurriedly cast about her.

"Branch?" Poppy called out tentatively. "BRANCH!" she then shouted, her mind still a muddle. Where was she? What had even happened? One minute she was walking the next….

A chill streaked down the troll queen's spine as the memory speared through her like a bad dream. The ground had cracked under her toes, she remembered Branch staring back at her earnestly and then the earth itself had fallen away beneath her. She fell, the blackness swallowing her up almost immediately, her voice screaming for Branch lost to the shadows that swiftly engulfed her. She reached out desperately to save herself, feeling nothing by air. Then she was abruptly jolted as her backpack caught on something. However her velocity was so strong that the straps almost immediately snapped. That's when Poppy's instincts had kicked in and she snapped out her hair to grab the protruding ledge her bag had snagged. She remembered the elation as she caught a grip but that quickly faded into fear as she realised that it wasn't enough. She was falling too fast and before that magic elasticity had a chance to stop her descent, Poppy suffered a stomach churning half second just as her hair reached its physical limit. A scream tore anew from her throat as the most agonising pain she had ever experienced seared through the very core of her being as a segment of her mane ripped itself clear of her scalp, no doubt rupturing her skin in the process. The pain must have been too much because that was the last thing that poor Poppy remembered.

The pink troll sat herself upright, wincing at the bumps, scrapes and bruises that made themselves known. Poppy squinted, now aware of the naturally fluorescent moss that glowed a distinctive blue green. It was quite pretty actually. Her eyes roved and caught sight of a massive mushroom not too far away, it was a little hard to tell but Poppy swore it looked damaged. It must have broken her dizzying fall. A quick check confirmed it was the only mushroom in that side of the cavern. If she had missed, well, Poppy shuddered to even think about it. It was a lucky escape she had had that was in no doubt.

Well, she was alive, she was breathing, she might as well start trying to find a way out of this place. Poppy made to stand and let out a pained cry when a splinter of pain shot through her left leg. She fell back onto her bottom, unwanted tears moistening her eyes as she reached out trembling fingers. Her injured leg curved at a slightly unnatural angle and she didn't need a doctor to tell her that it was broken.

Well, she wasn't climbing out anytime soon. Poppy nipped her bottom lip and looked about, maybe she could find something to splint it. Aaaaand then what? She still couldn't climb out! Hmmmm, wait a moment! Maybe she could use her hair as a rope! Poppy attempted to stretch out her mane and squeaked in pain as it snapped back into place. Oh. Yeah. She'd inadvertently scalped a part of herself. Normally if troll hair got cut or accidentally chopped it grew back almost immediately on command of its owner but hair that had been yanked out by the roots would take a while a recover. She wouldn't using her mane for a few days at least either. Poppy sighed, trying to find some positivity for her current situation.

Welllllll, she wasn't in complete blackness, there was plenty of pretty glowy moss on the walls and stray rocks. The drip, drip, dripping drew her attention as Poppy saw the glimmering pool of water, which shimmered enchantingly in the blue green light. So, she had water and the scene was lovely to look at. Okay, those were all good points, sooooo, what was she meant to do? Think Poppy, think! What did Branch tell her to do if they were lost and wounded? Umm, well as long as your surroundings were safe, you stayed where you were until you were rescued.

Of course! Branch would find her! He was probably formulating a rescue plan right now! And then it hit her, like a bucket of icy water. The look on his face just before the ground disappeared beneath her. What she had said to him down in the bunker. What, what had she been thinking? His emotional state was currently resting on a knife edge and she had the audacity to question when he'd exactly fallen in love with her? What did it matter? He'd explained the mended invitations, he'd explained it all, actually spilled his heart out to her. And what had she done? Turned her back on him. He'd must have been crushed. Why had she done that?

Poppy paused considering it. She guessed it was a bit of a shock to find out that Branch had cared about her for as long as he had. Mending all those invitations she should had been flattered at the very least. So why did she…? Then she realised what it was, deep down inside it wasn't Branch she was actually cross with. It was herself. Why hadn't she seen it before? She should have seen! True Branch was a private troll and still kept many things close to his chest (the invitations were a prime example of that). That was an obvious truth, he had been a bit of an expert at hiding his feelings too. Poppy guessed that the more she had pushed to include him in everything in Troll Village, the more walls he threw up. Maybe it was her own fault that Branch had been so guarded of his feelings around her. She never backed off, never relented, never gave up because he was the one troll she had truly wanted to see happy. Well in the long run her persistence had finally paid off.

Poppy sighed long and low. She needed to apologise to him. She was suddenly so disappointed in herself. What must he be feeling right now? The young Troll Queen didn't even want to think about.

Poppy dragged herself across to the pool adjacent to her, wincing with every tug to her injured leg and peered into the reflective surface of the gently rippling water. Well, she had definitely looked better. Rainbow streaks matted her hair and her mane itself seemed to flop to the sides. It was clear that she had obviously seriously sprained her hair as well. She should really wash it out but she hadn't the energy and she felt too sore. Poppy slumped back and stared back at the glowing scene before her. She'd do anything to be with Branch right now, look deep into his eyes and tell him how sorry she was.

Poppy flopped back on to the mossy ground and shut her eyes. She needed to rest. Maybe after a reasonable sleep she could re-evaluate her situation and see if there was anything she had missed. A refreshed mind was better than a tired one. She brushed her hands lightly over the cool moss beneath her and listening to the lulling sound of the dribbling water Poppy soon drifted off to sleep.

*SFFY*

Unbeknown to the pink troll queen a shadow watched her from a distance, their eyes widening not able to believe their luck.

"Poppy," the being breathed, before checking their surroundings and creeping toward the sleeping troll's form heart hammering in their breast. "Today is my lucky day."

*SFFY*