Still time to message me your hybrid troll ocs before the next part! Just send me a picture or description of them and they will be added to the story.

This chapter is a bit short but the next one will be mush longer and worth the wait. In the meantime,

Enjoy!

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The next morning the four of them were lowered to the ground in bubbles as the funk trolls left the area. Branch hadn't been able to see Cooper before they left due to his distress over his parents. Branch understood why, it was hard enough to watch a leader lose their music and turn grey again, but to watch it happen to their parents... Branch hadn't pressed to see him but the disappointment was starting to show in Branch's expression. He must feel like he was slowly losing all his friends, first Poppy and now Cooper. Trollex just hoped he would be able to put his worry aside enough to stay focused on their goal. Thankfully Branch seemed to shake off his stress when he pulled the map Prince D had lent them from his hair and looked it over with intent. "Come on, we have a lot of ground to cover. It'll be faster if we build a raft and use the river." Branch suggested while gathering up sticks as if it was already decided.

Trollex was thrilled with the idea of traveling by river. Being on land for so long was starting to get uncomfortable with his skin drying out. Trollex hovered around searching for sticks as well and made a pile beside Branch's. After a moment of just watching, Trollzart sighs and started to help as well by locating some vines and tall grass to try it all together. Within the hour and with Branch's knack for building, they had constructed a raft.

Trollex swam happily beside the raft with BDB who was just as relieved to be back under the water. It felt like being back home swimming around with his trolls and singing without any nets or blank strings to worry about. Branch near the front of the raft busying himself with navigation which left Trollzart sitting near the edge of the raft alone, silently watching the landscape move past. He rested his head against his hands and let out a sigh. Trollex noticed and swims up beside him, popping his head up through the surface. "Hey, you ok?"

"Why couldn't things have just gone back to normal? Why did everything have to be threatened again?" He asked even though he sounded like he was talking with himself and not Trollex.

Trollex frowns slightly, realizing Trollzart was just as affected about what happened as he was. "Things couldn't stay the same forever. Change was always coming, we just didn't expect this kind of change. But even if...when we fix this, I doubt that things will ever go back to how it was before."

Trollzart was quiet for a moment before speaking. "...I couldn't protect my trolls, my music wasn't strong enough..."

Trollex gave his tail a hard swish to catch up with the raft's edge before pulling himself up to sit beside Trollzart. "I couldn't stop Barb or Poppy either. Our music may not have been enough to fight but that doesn't mean we gave up. Our music wasn't meant to fight, it was meant to bring us joy; and you could've hid away in your home but you chose to come after the string. Just like Branch and me, and you're doing it to help your trolls. That's what a leader does."

Trollzart looked up at Trollex and gave a small smile. "Thanks."

Trollex returned his smile. "Happy to help." In that moment BDB leaped from the water in Trollex's arms with a chuckle.

"You're lucky to have your friend with you. I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish Pennywhistle was here now."

"Heh. Couldn't leave him behind even if I wanted to." Trollex chuckles. BDB smiled up at him.

"We're coming up to the outskirts." Branch called back to them. Trollex leaned over the edge to get a view of their path. The river was opening up to open water. Their destination waited on the other side, lands unexplored by any of the tribes so far. At least that was what they used to believe. The currents became unsteady without the confines of the river walls. Trollex hops back into the water and pushes the raft back on course. It took a lot of effort but they finally made it to the other side. The raft bumped against the shore and Branch jumped off, leaving prints in sand as he explored. Trollex hovered after him with BDB in his arms and Trollzart behind him. "How do we find the hybrids? This place is huge and no one knows exactly where they live or if they live here."

Branch opened his mouth to speak but had no plan to utter.

Trollzart threw his arms in the air in frustration. "Just great, we're in the middle of nowhere with no plan."

"No no no I'll think of something, just give me a minute." Branch pulled out the map again desperately trying to find a direction.

Trollex hovered around the beach checking out the plant life. But something seemed off. The plants seemed to be almost bent purposefully. Trollex moved closer to investigate when he heard a loud crack and a net sprung up around him. "What the?!"

Branch heard him and quickly ran over to help. Trollex yanks at the net. "Again with the nets?! Get me down!"

Trollzart flew up and stopped Trollex from spinning while Branch used one of his sharpened sticks to cut him down. Once he was free footsteps sounded behind them. Branch looked up. "Uh, I don't think we have to worry about finding the hybrids."

The group was completely surrounded.