Brozone's Long Lost Family Member

Emergency Family Meeting

After getting Clay, the brothers went to Branch's bunker, where they had to discuss a dire topic.
Clay: So what was so important that we had to call a meeting?
JD: Branch got a letter.
Clay: So? Who was it from?
JD: Lilac.
Clay: Whaaat!!! What in the wide world of trolls does she want?! Did you burn the letter?! Step on it?! Rip it in a million pieces, never to be seen again?!
Floyd: We haven't decided what to do because Branch hasn't spoken a word since he read the letter.
Clay: What did she say?
Branch: She - she wants to arrange a meeting with me.
Bruce: Well, that's out of the question.
Branch: Why? I mean, she is our mother. I thought our parents had died after I was born?
JD: She might as well have.
Floyd: John.
Clay: Let's just do what we did to the other letters.
JD & Bruce: Shhhhhh!
Branch: What others?
Bruce: Nothing. Don't worry about it. It was just a slip of the tongue. Right Clay?
Clay: Yeah, totally.
Floyd: Maybe we should tell him guys. He's old enough to know.
JD: No! I'm the oldest! He shouldn't have to know!
Branch: JD, this was addressed to me. She's my mother too.
JD: We don't have a mother. I don't think we ever did...
The other brothers felt the sadness, too, as they remembered the brief moments their mother had spent with them, and even when she did, she barely acknowledged them. It was only when she had conceived Branch that she'd finally given up and left them in the care of Grandma Rosipuff.
Bruce: John's right, Branch. Our mother wants nothing to do with us. She didn't back then, so why would she want to now?
Branch: Maybe, but I've never seen her, I want to know what she looks like and who she came to be after she left. Maybe she regrets leaving.
Clay: (rolls eyes) Doubtful. She never mentioned it in any of the other letters.
JD: Clay! Zip your mouth!
Branch: Wait, what other letters? What aren't you guys telling me? (looks to Floyd) Floyd?
Floyd: A couple of years after Lilac left, she would leave a letter for each one of us. 2 years after she left, it was John Dory. 3 years later, it was Bruce. 1 year later, it was Clay. 6 months later, it was me. Then we waited for your turn, but it never came. In each letter, all she said was that she was doing fine and that she wished us well. We haven't seen her in 23 years. We just don't want you to get your hopes up.
JD: Exactly! She doesn't care about us! And of course, she put all the pressure on me about keeping you guys safe because she couldn't do it herself!
Branch: Mhm... alright.
Clay: Sorry, Branch, but it's just not worth it. We say this because we love you. Right, guys?
The others nodded. Branch looked at the envelope and sighed.
Branch: Ok. You win. It'll be a mistake.
JD: Good. Meeting adjourned.
As the brothers left, Branch still couldn't get this Lilac troll out of his head. If she truly meant what she said, she wouldn't have given her location to him in the letter. Then, going against his brothers words and warnings, he decided to go after her. Alone. As the brothers were walking back towards the village, Floyd had a gut feeling that Branch wouldn't listen to what they had told him about their mother, so he went to go see Poppy.
Floyd: Poppy? Can I speak with you?
Poppy: Of course! What's wrong? You look concerned.
Floyd: It's about Branch. He received a letter from our mother Lilac, and-
Poppy: You have a mother! Why didn't Branch say anything?! Why didn't you guys ever mention her?!
Floyd: Well, she wasn't the best parent, and Branch has never seen her before. She left before he hatched. Anyway, I have a feeling he won't listen to what we warned him about, so will you try to convince him that it's risky. Please?
Poppy: Of course I will. I care about him, too.
When Floyd left, Poppy couldn't help but wonder who Lilac was and why Branch's brothers were so worried about her?