Chapter Two - Papay, Rocks, and Pepper Spray OH MY! PRT. 2

Summary:A old friend of DGs slips over from the Other Side and stays with the Royal Family. When a party celebrating a holiday comes up DG and her Friend show the OZ how to really get down and Party.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Tin Man although I do wish I had Cain or Jeb tied to my Bed.

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In a baren field of rows of trees that were greening and sprouting and beginning to bear fruit and leaves a girl laid on the dirt and around her some scattered debry that had came through with her. The Suns where still high in the sky as the girl began stirring.

Dani moaned and her hand flew to her head as she sat up slowly and looked around. She was confused beyond anything. Her Surroundings were odd. At the sight of the sky she let out a squeak and backed up. Tripping over some roots. Her foot catching in them and she let out a small gasp as she scurried backwards and tried to stand.

Great just great.

Dani thought as she looked at her now sprained ankle. Using the tree for support she stood slowly and hobbled into a standing position

"Where am I?"

She asked herself as she looked around. Although the sound of some sort of animal call behind her caused her to turn and her eyes go wide. There were a few creatures that were creepy looking that seemed to come out of a scifi movie or something. Hobbling away from the seemingly carnivorous creatures she tripped and fell.

Jeb Cain had been riding on his solid bay colored Morgan. He had been given a break from guard duty at the Palace and had taken off to go riding. As he rode through the Field of the Papay, his horse in a slow walk he heard a scream.

Detecting the direction it came from he put his horse into a run and galloped towards the scream.

Dani has backed into a tree and the three creatures advanced leaving no room for her to escape. Shaking slightly she slid her backpack off her shoulders and dug through it for something. Finally her hand came into contact with what she was looking for and she pulled it out. It was pepper spray. She was about to spray the creatures in what she presumed was their eyes she heard the stomping of hooves and a whinny as the horse was pulled to a stop.

Jeb got off his horse and shot at the Papay, They dispersed one of them wounded. He turned and seen Dani who was backing away from him now that she had gotten her back from against the tree. The can of Pepper Spray still in her hand.

She was watching him and then turned and looked in the direction the papay had left in before looking back to him. Jeb looked at her and then walked towards her,

"You okay?"

He asked in concerned. She began standing,

"I'm fine!" She snapped. "I could have handled it."

She said stubbornly as she began walking away with a limp before stepping on her foot the wrong way and falling with a gasp of pain and a yelp. Jeb sighed and walked over to her again,

"Let me help you."

Just then a rock was chucked at him,

"Hey! Whats the big idea? I'm going to help you. I won't hurt you."

He yelled as she readied her can of pepper spray in her hand behind her back as she got to her feet and leaned against the tree and tried walking again. Jeb walked over and said,

"Your hurt. Let me help you."

He went to pick her up bridal style to put her on the horse when she yelled at him and sprayed him in the eyes with the pepper spray.

Thankfully he hadn't gotten her in his arms yet so he didn't drop her. Jeb let out a howl of pain and his hands flew to his eyes and rubbed them. They were wattering and burning and his vision was blury.

"What the hell did you spray in my face?"

He asked as he looked at her through squinted eyes. Stumbling back to his horse he began rinsing his eyes with water from his cantene.

She was backed against a tree again. Watching him. She didn't know him, she couldn't trust him.

"Pepper Spray, or Mace." What ever you want to call it."

She said with a smug expression.

"Renders people blind. for a few hours sometime a day."

She said as she watched him. He scrunched his face up, eyes closed they wouldn't stop burning. Sighing he looked in her direction.

"Look I didn't mean to startle you or scare you, But I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to help you. Well I was but I might be on the end of needing help now."

He said as he washed his eyes out with more water. Dani looked at him and down at the ground feeling a bit guilty. Last time she had pepper sprayed someone the guy had put his hands where they didn't belong.

"What were those things, and where the hell am I?"

She asked as she bit her lip

"Those? Those were Papay. Once fruit eaters but after the famine spread through these fields they became carnivorous. Winter just finished so the trees are just coming back into bloom so some Papay are still carnivorous from the long famine that lasted for several years. I heard you scream so I came to help you....As to where you are, Your in the O.Z. The Outer Zone."

Jeb explained as he blinked and continued washing his eyes out. She cocked her head to the side,

"Oh boy. I'm not in Kansas anymore."

Dani said a bit shocked as she looked around. Jeb looked at her questioningly,

"Kansas?"

he asked, his eyes still burned and watered but the severeity had gone down that he was able to see blury spots of colors and figures. Spotting her he shook his head slightly and closed his cantene,

"I know we didn't get off on the best foot but lets try this again. Let me help you... My name is Jeb. Whats yours?"

He asked. Dani looked at him and spoke,

"Danielle. Everyone calls me Dani though."

She said as he walked over,

"Thats nice. Now are you going to let me help you or are you going to throw rocks at me or spray me again?"

He asked with a slight smile. Although the fact he was still in pain from his burning eyes he couldn't help but laugh at the situation. Dani thought for a moment.

"Where are we going?"

She asked as she stood and let him help her over to the horse. He mounted his horse and then helped her on.

"I'm taking you to Finaqua. Its where the Royal Family is. I'm posted there on protection detail."

He explained. Dani looked at him,

"Finaqua? Royal Family?"

She questioned with a quizzical look,

Please don't let this be a place where if you fall somewhere randomly with no explanation your considered evil and a witch and the want to burn you at the stake.

She thought to herself before asking,

"Uh, Jeb right?"

"Yeah."

He responded before she continued,

"Can you tell me how exactly I wound up here in this Outer Zone. All I remember is riding my dirt bike and stopping for a rest and then taking cover when a twister came through."

Jeb put his horse into a trot and looked at her over his shoulder,

"Sometimes twisters where you are from, which we call the Other Side are called travel storms which are connected to here. If you get caught in one you get thrown here to the O.Z. Its rare though."

He explained to Dani. Her mouth formed and 'o' shape as she nodded in slight understanding. This was all a bit much to take in, and her ankle was starting to throb.

A/U: Please Read/Review - It enspires me to continue my writing. Whether it be bad or good critism even the simple words of "good job" or "please continue" inspires me to continue with my stories.

TERMS: (1) Morgan - Breed of Horse. They Originated in North America, Today, the Morgan excels in western and English disciplines as well as competitive trail riding and driving. Traditional colors are bay, black and chestnut, but all colors are accepted by the registry. They stand at 14.1 to 15.2 Hands.