Hey all, thanks again for reading and reviewing! Special thanks to WhisperedMuse, because it was crazy cool to hear from someone who was reading this story back when it was first published six years ago.

I actually have a quick question for anyone who's read this from the beginning recently. Have you noticed any change in the writing style from the early chapters to now? It's just something I've been curious about, but I can't really tell for myself, I guess since it is still all my writing in the end. I was just wondering if it had changed at all over the years.

Well anyway, I don't think I'm super crazy about this chapter. It's more necessary to the plot than anything else, but writing it was a pain. Still, I hope you enjoy it. Either way the story should pick up a bit again after this.

Fiyero mentally kicked himself as he stared after Elphaba's retreating back. He shouldn't have kissed her. He should know Elphaba well enough by now to know that would have scared her away. He sighed. It was easy to spot that in retrospect, but in the heat of the moment he hadn't been able to help himself.

When Elphaba had vanished from sight around a corner, Fiyero pondered what he should do next. Perhaps it was better to give Elphaba some space for the time being. She clearly was still not quite sure what to make of Fiyero, and his unexpected kisses were certainly not helping matters. Hopefully he would get another chance to talk to her alone in the near future, but for now he decided to see about a meal and some rest before they left the camp at sundown.

Fiyero didn't know his way around, so he simply picked a random direction and began to walk. He was once again struck by the fact that places like these camps could exist so close to the Oz he knew. These Animals had been living out here for so long and most Ozians were oblivious. It was amazing how much ignorance had been bred by the Wizard's lies.

He wandered past a group of children playing with a slightly deflated ball. One of them was a Bear Cub, and Fiyero found his thoughts wandering to Lorgen and the other Animals at the first camp. He wondered how they were doing. That seemed like a lifetime ago now.

Fiyero watched their game for a few more moments before approaching them with the friendliest smile he could manage. Upon seeing him their giggles turned to silence, and they all watched him warily.

Fiyero gave a short wave and said, "Hi there, I was just looking for a place to get something to eat. Think any of you guys can help me out?"

There was a short pause, before a small Goat pointed shyly to a tent on Fiyero's left. Fiyero glanced over, then flashed another winning smile, thanked them and continued on his way.

Fiyero entered the small tent and looked around for signs of either Elphaba or Glinda, but neither woman was in sight. Fiyero supposed they had gone off in a different direction than he had. The inside of this tent appeared to be some sort of canteen. There were a few Animals scattered about at makeshift tables, some carrying on animated conversations as they ate.

Fiyero gratefully accepted a chunk of bread and an apple from the Cow behind the front counter. He was suddenly aware of how much time had passed since his last meal. He took a bite of his less than satisfying meal and sighed internally. The sooner they made it to Kiamo Ko, the sooner he would be able to get his life back to some semblance of a normalcy. At the very least, he would no longer have to spend the better part of his days traipsing through the woods.

Fiyero glanced around the room for a vacant seat, but he could already feel himself attracting unwanted stares. Not wanting to finish his meal under such scrutiny, he made his way back outside, biting into his apple as he went.

Fiyero glanced around again, not sure what to do with the remaining time he had to kill. It was only mid afternoon, and there was still a few hours before the sun went down. Fiyero decided the best course of action would be a quick nap, and had just set off to find himself some suitable accommodations, when he heard some rather loud and vaguely familiar sobbing coming from a nearby tent.

Perplexed, Fiyero followed the sound and poked his head in. As he'd expected, he was met with the sight of a rather distraught looking Lion. Startled by Fiyero's sudden appearance, the Lion yelped and toppled backwards off the stool on which he'd been perched.

"Lion?" Fiyero asked, somewhat confused as to why the large Cat was crying alone in his tent.

Oh, F-Fiyero," he stammered, looking abashed as he straightened up and replaced the toppled stool.

"Everything alright?" Fiyero asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow as he noticed the Lion had begun wringing his paws again.

The Lion paused for a moment, as though unsure as to whether or not he wanted to answer Fiyero's question, before he once again burst into loud and exaggerated sobs. "No everything's not alright," he choked, "I know you said that witch lady is your friend, but I can't help how s-scared I am. I've heard the stories they tell about her. They say she can kill you with a snap of her fingers! I've been jumping at every little sound. It's driving me out of my mind."

Fiyero shook his head, once again awed by the seemingly boundless scope of the Lion's cowardice. Although Fiyero could hardly fault him for being afraid of Elphaba. It was, after all, a fear Fiyero himself had suffered from only a short while ago.

In an attempt to calm the sobbing Cat, Fiyero said, "Well if it makes you feel any better, I don't think Elphaba's snaps are actually lethal. And anyway it doesn't really matter, we're going to be leaving at sundown and then you can relax."

Fiyero's words didn't seem to have the effect he'd intended. Upon hearing them, the Lion's head snapped up and he said quickly, "Wait, you're leaving already?"

Now Fiyero was genuinely confused. "I thought you just said-" he started, but the Lion cut him off.

"Well, I-I know. But just because I'm scared of the Witch doesn't mean I wanted you to leave so soon," he said.

Fiyero rolled his eyes at the Lion's insistence on referring to Elphaba as 'the Witch,' but gave up on trying to correct him. Instead he responded, "Well I went out of my way to find her, so I'm not exactly going to let her slip away again. We're going to be travelling together from now on."

The Lion began twisting his tail between his paws, looking as though he wanted to say something more. Fiyero waited a few moments to see if the Cat would work up the courage on his own, but when he remained silent Fiyero prodded, "Yes?"

"Well…I was wondering if you'd mind terribly if I left with you?" he stammered.

Fiyero had no clue how to react to that. He was finding the Lion to be a somewhat contradictory creature. "You were just moaning over how afraid Elphaba makes you, and now you want to travel with her?"

The Lion seemed embarrassed. He twisted his tail around a few more times before responding, "I don't think the other Animals like me very much. I hear them whispering about me behind my back when they don't think I'm paying attention. They think I'm too cowardly for my age, and they got angry when I was too afraid to go off into the woods to help gather food. I don't think I can pull my weight the way they want me to. I don't want to stay here."

Fiyero did feel a bit of sympathy for the Lion's plight. He might be an insufferable coward, but he'd grown up alone and isolated from his kind and couldn't really be faulted. Fiyero knew he should probably consult Elphaba first, but against his better judgment he said, "Well…I'm sure it wouldn't be too much of a problem is you came with us. But again, you are aware that this means travelling with Elphaba too?"

The Lion gulped and nodded reluctantly. Fiyero stared at him for another moment before saying, "Well, alright then. We're going to be leaving at sundown. You might want to pack some supplies, because I think Elphaba's only gathering enough for three. I'm going to find somewhere to get some rest and I'll meet up with you again before we head out."

The Lion seemed nervous at the prospect of Fiyero leaving. "You can sleep here if you want. I don't mind," he said.

Fiyero glanced at the small cot in the corner, then back at the Lion before giving a tired shrug. He supposed it was easier than searching out an alternative. Without another word Fiyero climbed into the cot, sighing in relief at the much needed rest for his aching muscles. He dozed off as the Lion began busying himself with packing supplies.

By the time Fiyero awoke again the sky had begun to grow dark. He'd forgotten where he was, and started as he noticed the Lion sitting a few feet away, which in turn caused the Lion to jump at Fiyero's sudden movement.

Fiyero shook his head slightly and stretched his aching muscles. The Lion's makeshift bed might not have been Fiyero's ideal accommodations, but it was still worlds better than dozing in a pile of dried leaves. Still slightly groggy, he poked his head out of the tent and took a brief look around. He noted that it would most likely be time to leave soon, and that he should head out and find Elphaba and Glinda.

"We should get going," he said, voicing his thoughts aloud to the Lion before strolling out into the cool dusk air. The sound of footsteps behind him confirmed that the Lion had followed him with some measure of reluctance.

It only took Fiyero a few moments to spot Elphaba and Glinda. They had clearly been in the process of looking for him too. Each was carrying a small satchel, and Fiyero noted that Glinda had traded the slippers she'd been wearing for a pair of more practical hiking boots. If Fiyero hadn't already been certain that the blond woman in front of him, wearing baggy clothes, hiking boots and no make up, was the Glinda he'd known for years, he wouldn't have believed it. Still, he chose not to comment on it as he greeted the two.

"Are you ready to go?" Elphaba asked, slinging her satchel over her shoulder. She cast a slightly confused look somewhere to Fiyero's right.

Following her gaze, Fiyero turned and remembered that the Lion was standing behind him. He was standing a bit too close for comfort actually, and his large frame was shaking slightly. Fiyero supposed there was no hope that the Cat would actually speak up for himself.

"The Lion has asked to accompany us," Fiyero offered.

Elphaba seemed a bit taken aback, but she recovered quickly. For a moment it seemed as though she wanted to question the Lion, but she seemed to think better of it and simply said, "Well, I suppose one more can't make much of a difference."

With that she brushed past Fiyero and began to say her goodbyes to the Animals that had gathered to see her off. As they set off toward Kiami Ko, the Lion stayed pressed nearly against Fiyero's back, whimpering to himself all the while. Elphaba was out in front, leading the part as she always did. Glinda had fallen slightly behind. It seemed she had not yet figured out how to walk properly in her new, bulky footgear. Fiyero took a glance around at the lot of them and shook his head, wondering how in Oz he'd found himself in such strange company.

And that's all for now! I have been making pretty decent progress lately, so I should have the next one up fairly soon. Til then.

S.P.