Trolls and the Search for the Missing Mom (rewrite rewrite)

Chapter 23

     "Mom!" Poppy yelled with pure joy, tears of excitement now flowing from the young queen's eyes as she quickly ran over to hug the troll she's never had the honor of knowing until now...

     Completely confused about what was going on, Branch looked on, watching the situation play out until he finally snapped back into reality, shaking his head in non-comprehension .

     "Wait, wait, wait... Poppy..." he started, quickly pulling his girlfriend away from this former threat so that she was looking at him. "This is your mom?"

"Yes," Poppy answered confidently, crying loudly with joy, a large smile on her face as the queen of pop stared straight at her loving boyfriend. "I've only ever seen pictures, but I would recognize her anywhere. This is my mom..."

     Slightly raising an eyebrow, Branch looked between Poppy and her mother in confusion. They certainly did look a like...

     "So... if this is your mom..." the little blue pop troll started in a soft tone. "Then... why did she try to kill us!?"

     Pansy looked over at Branch at the sound of his words, the old troll slowly pushing past her daughter to approach him, the young boy slightly backing away in worry....

     "I never tried to kill you..." the former queen stated in a firm but gentle tone, causing Branch's fear to immediately wash away as he looked at her, the survivalist still extremely skeptical about the situation he and Poppy had found themselves in. "What happened with you was an accident. I just wanted to move you away from my daughter, so I could get a better look at her..."
"Ok..." Branch said skeptically. "Than why'd you attack me out in the forest? Hugh? Explain that!"

     "Well... I didn't attack you..." Pansy explained. "I saw you two wondering through the forest, and I just couldn't believe my eyes... I couldn't believe I was actually seeing my daughter for the first time in so many years... I had to be sure it was her... so I followed you two... and once you both fell asleep... I brought her here..." She paused, sighing slightly before continuing. "Unfortunately... Poppy was was terrified, and wouldn't come anywhere near me... for good reason, I suppose... So I figure that if I went back for you... she'd feel safer... After all... you two are obviously good friends, and if you were here too... my daughter would have no reason to fear me. So... that's when I went back to get you..." the old queen continued. "When I returned and saw you stumbling around the forest... I knew something must of been wrong, so I approached you. At first... I just thought you couldn't see anything, like some other trolls I knew back in the Troll Tree... but when I heard you call me Poppy... I knew you could see... at-least my general shape... That could only really mean one thing. You fell into the river... right?"

     Still a bit skeptical, the young boy nodded slowly, still staring right at the former queen of trolls, the survivalist refusing to break eye contact in case she tried anything sneaky...

     "Y... yes. I... I did..." he finally admitted softly.

     "That river is enchanted," Pansy explained. "It is said to bring back the sight of those who have lost it. Weather they were born blind, or lost their sight to old age, an injury, or even an illness... if said troll put their face under the water of that special river, they will instantly be able to see again. Unfortunately... it has the opposite affect on trolls who still have their vision, blinding them, often permanently. Fortunately... I have the cure..."

     As she spoke, the old troll reached into her hair, pulling out a small bag filled with sparkling sand.

     "This sand comes from the bottom of the river," she informed, holding up the item for both Poppy and Branch to see. "It reverses the water's effects."