Disclaimer you know.
As the sun began to rose Ellie and Alex gathered some fire wood for a quick cooking fire. As they sat around waiting for the cooking pot to produce something they discussed the plan.
"So, we'll continue to head westward, two more days and we'll been in the range of the palace, we can evade capture by finding the river, Tugg should still be there with any luck." Scarecrow said plotting things out in the air.
"And if any of us do manage to get captured?" Alex asked curiously.
"If any of us are captured, we should try to stall for time as long as possible, or better get him to lead us to Dorothy, I know she's a puppet right now and can't do anything but it's her that's given everyone the hope to fight and with any luck we can get her back before the war fully commences." Scarecrow replied.
Alex couldn't help but turn away from the group at this point, even mentioning Dorothy made him a bit upset. He walked back to the tent and found Toto curled up on his bed next to the cats. He sighed and walked over to the bed causing Toto to stir and wake up. Seconds later Ellie came in with a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, as well as a fork, which she handed to Alex without saying a word and she walked out saying nothing. Alex smiled and began to eat his food.
Meanwhile at the palace.
The jester had taken to napping in a chair by the crystal ball. Dorothy had her eyes fixed on the jester. Watching him. She was tempted to move but worried about stirring him.
"Rose" the jester said in a hushed tone as he slept.
"Rose." Dorothy found herself saying.
Rose? Who was Rose? Dorothy was curious about this. Did the jester have a love life? If she ever got out of this she decided she'd look into it. But it made her even more curious, was this the cause of his morality issues? She wondered. Her thoughts however were broken by the sound of Alex's voice coming from the crystal ball.
"Ellie could you take the satchel for a moment? I need to help pack up the tent." Came Alex's voice.
"Sure Alex." came Ellie's voice.
Dorothy would have let out a sigh but if her talking didn't wake up the jester an unknown sigh obviously would. She shifted her eyes to look straight forward so that the jester wouldn't notice if he woke up and continued to listen to the voices of her friends.
Meanwhile in the woods.
Once the camp had been packed up they started westward once more. Alex, Ellie, and Aislynn stuck next to scarecrow and Glinda at the front of the group.
"So, do we have a legitimate plan or are we just going to wait for a complete war to start?" Aislynn asked curiously.
"Keep moving, keep the triplets safe, and if possible sneak into the city, though scratch out that last part since it seems unlikely." Scarecrow said.
Alex sighed and looked at pockets who was sticking her head out of the satchel. Alex then looked down at Toto who appeared to be sniffing for something
"Something wrong boy?" Alex asked curiously looking at him
Toto didn't respond, he merely continued to sniff and eventually he strayed off the path and barked. Alex immediately unsheathed his sword. The rest of the group stopped as Alex followed after Toto. Soon after he was joined by Ellie, Aislynn, Glinda and Mr. Foreman.
"Alex, why are you following Toto, this could be a trap." Ellie said.
Alex opened his mouth to say something but Toto began barking loudly. Alex turned around to see the rest of the group watching them. Alex then turned back to Toto who was now barking up a tree. Alex looked up and saw something that made all of them gasp. The green orb, Dorothy's orb. In the middle glowing with its red hue in the center. Alex felt as he was almost compelled to grab it and tried to resist. However he simply jabbed at it with his sword. As it fell off the branches and onto the ground Glinda stared at it for a moment.
"It must have come here when Dorothy removed it from the scepter." Glinda said.
"How would you know?" Alex asked looking at it.
"Because that's what I enchanted it to do if the scepter fell into the jester's hands." Glinda said.
"I still think it's a trap." Ellie said.
"Ellie, I think we should take it with us." Aislynn said.
"I agree with ace on this one" Mr. Foreman said kneeling next to Alex
"And what if it is a trap?" Ellie asked curiously.
"Then we're one step closer to Dorothy." Alex said holding his hand over it.
Immediately the orb flew into his grasp and began glowing brighter and brighter. The next thing he knew he felt his wrist get grasped by Mr. Foreman. It was too late however as Alex felt himself lurch forward and they were all off. Meanwhile standing there having seen them vanish everyone was worried.
"Scarecrow, where did they go?" Annabella asked worriedly.
"With any luck, to Dorothy." Scarecrow said Toto ran back barking loudly.
Well, the trap is has been sprung, and the bunch are off to the jester, the brains, the leaders, the fighter, the magic. One of each group there. What will become of then.