The sky had grown dark some time ago, and the three travelers were now setting up a sort of makeshift camp for the night. Dorothy, being the only one who actually needed to sleep, was already out cold, curled up comfortably on the soft grass with Toto asleep beside her. Boq had made a fire, and Fiyero was sitting as far away from it as possible. While Boq stoked the flames he allowed his mind to wander.

His head was still reeling from the events that had taken place earlier. He couldn't get over how different Elphaba had seemed. She'd seemed so…menacing; not at all like the -at times sarcastic- but overall kind and passionate Elphaba he had fallen in love with. He felt so bad for her, and even worse was the fact that he couldn't do anything about it. She believed that she'd lost everything. Her sister was gone, she thought Fiyero had been killed, and her best and only friend had turned against her. He supposed that was what had driven her to this. She thought that the only people who actually thought of her as Elphaba were gone, and now all that was left was the Wicked Witch of the West. He knew he had to get to her and explain what had happened as soon as possible. He couldn't let her do something she'd regret later.

Fiyero's train of thought was interrupted as Boq stepped away from the flames and moved to join him. He sat down next to Fiyero, but neither man seemed to know how to break the awkward silence. It was Boq who finally spoke after a few moments of awkward tension.

"Do you really think any of us will have a chance to see the Wizard?" he asked suddenly, turning his gaze toward Fiyero. Fiyero could tell by Boq's face that he'd been thinking on this subject for a while.

"I don't know. I'm not really sure how many guests the Wizard sees, or what you have to do to get in," he answered. He could not tell Boq the truth. He knew he should hate the man for the horrible things he said and believed about Elphaba, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry with Boq. After all, Boq was simply as misinformed as everyone else in Oz. Boq didn't know the whole story, and so he just took his anger out on Elphaba. Fiyero knew that Boq and Dorothy's hopes would be dashed once they reached the Wizard anyway.

"That's just it," said Boq, looking down at his tin hand, "I don't the Wizard takes any guests. I don't think anyone has ever had an audience with him, and with the Witch after us…"

"Hey, we're not going to let some wicked witch stop us," said Fiyero, trying with all of his might to sound casual. He could not think of Elphaba that way, no matter how she was currently acting.

"I'm just worried for this kid you know? She can't be more than twelve years old. She has no clue what she's getting into here. She has no clue what kind of danger she's in," Boq answered, pulling his knees up into his chest.

"She'll be fine. We'll get her there safely, I'm sure of it," Fiyero relied, trying to sound confident.

Boq nodded unsurely but said nothing else on the subject. The two did not speak for the rest of the night, each too absorbed in his own thoughts. After what felt like an eternity, the first rays of dawn shone through as the sun appeared on the horizon. Dorothy stirred and sat up, yawning.

"Oh hello," she said, seeing that Fiyero and Boq were awake and sitting nearby, "I suppose we should be going then"

The two men nodded in agreement and pulled themselves out of the positions they'd been sitting in all night. The three travelers stepped back on to the yellow brick road, but after about an hour of walking they found that the path up ahead disappeared into a dark forest. As they entered among the dark, rather sinister looking trees Fiyero could tell Dorothy was terrified. She picked Toto up and clutched him close to her chest.

"I don't like this forest," she stated nervously, moving closer to Fiyero instinctively, "Do you think there are any wild animals in here?"

Boq, although he was made of tin, also seemed a bit nervous, "I-I don't know. There could be lions…and tigers…and bears." Fiyero could practically hear Boq's joints rattling. Fiyero glared at him. Boq certainly wasn't doing much to ease Dorothy's fear.

"Oh my," Dorothy whimpered, glancing around warily as if expecting to be devoured at any moment, and she clung on to one of Fiyero's arms for dear life. They had made it about half way through the forest without incident when suddenly something large and furry jumped out at them with a deafening roar.

"Come on, come on! I'll fight all of ya! Let's go," he roared, pumping his paws in front of him as he bounced up and down on two legs.

Fiyero was shocked to realize that the creature that had leapt at them was a rather large Lion. It was surprising to see any Animals that still retained their power of speech in Oz these days; the Wizard had certainly seen to that.

Suddenly Toto leapt from Dorothy's arms and began yapping madly, snapping at the Lion's heels. The large Beast cried out and cowered back in fear. Dorothy moved forward to pick up her dog, looking a bit amused, "Why you're just a big coward!" she said, watching as the Lion whimpered in fear.

"You're right, I am a coward," he wailed, suddenly sobbing into his tail, "I have been ever since I was just a little Cub!"

"But why are you such a coward?" asked Boq, taking a step closer, "I thought Lions were supposed to be courageous."

"Well you see, something happened to me when I was very young. I don't remember it very well and the details are kind of fuzzy, but I think I basically know what happened. I had been separated from my mother, and I was taken by some humans put into a sort of metal box. I think it was called a catch or a cage or something like that. I was brought into a room full of people, and all I can remember is that I was very frightened," Fiyero gaped as the Lion told his story. All of this sounded disconcertingly familiar, "Before I knew what was happening there was a crash and sparks began flying. Then suddenly someone grabbed my cage and started running. It was two people if I remember correctly; a young man and a green girl I believe

"A green girl?" Boq exclaimed as the Lion finished his story, "Why that's the Wicked Witch of the West!"

"I managed to escape somehow, but ever since that day I've been afraid of everything," the Lion finished, wringing his tail between his paws.

Now Fiyero knew exactly who this Lion was. It was the Cub he and Elphaba had rescued the day back at Shiz. That was one day Fiyero would never forget. It was the day he'd realized there was so much more to Elphaba than just green skin and a fiery temper. He knew that the Lion didn't remember correctly at all. He hadn't escaped, Elphaba and Fiyero had released him. They'd rescued him from a life of imprisonment and he still blamed Elphaba for his lack of courage. He supposed that was the way things worked in Oz. When in doubt, blame Elphaba. However, he was once again forced to hold his tongue and could not correct the Lion for fear of blowing his cover.

"That's terrible," Dorothy said, "You know, the three of us are going to see the Wizard. The Scarecrow wants a brain, the Tin Man wants a heart, and I need a way to get home. Why don't you come with us and ask him to grant you courage?"

"I'd be too scared to ask him," the Lion said sadly, turning away.

"We could ask for you if you want! Please come with us. You'll be a coward forever if you don't at least try," said Dorothy, trying to convince him. The Lion turned back around to face her,

"Well…I guess if you could ask for me I could come with you. I really would like to be courageous," the Lion answered unsurely.

"It's settled then! We're off to see the Wizard!" said Dorothy excitedly. And with one more member in their party the travelers set off down the road again.

Thanks for reading.

S.P.