(Tin Woodman)

*June 5th, 1900*

*Forest*

*Day 1, Night*

Dorothy, Toto, and Scarecrow were walking across the last remnants of the farmland as they were slowly headed to a forest.

"Oh gosh, It seems we have to cross this forest if we wanna get to the Emerald City since the Yellow Brick Road also leads there.." Dorothy had spoken to the Scarecrow while staring at the forest.

"No worries, I'll protect you from any crows, beasts that might come your way! I'm a scarecrow for a reason so I might as well do my job" Scarecrow had responded back in a confident tone of voice as he, Toto, and Dorothy entered the dark forest as it was pretty dark due to the large trees as it was filled with many critters such as squirrels, mice, and everything in between.

"Scarecrow, are you sure you don't have a brain? You seem quite intelligent for such a scarecrow?" Dorothy had asked her new friend in a tone of curiosity as they continued to walk the forest as this question made Scarecrow shake his head.

"Nope, I'm only made of straw and wool, that's it, why do you ask? I'm quite curious" Scarecrow answered back as he waited for a response from Dorothy as she had spoken up.

"Well, you can ask questions which require you to think about them and you seem to know your way around here, well, at least back at your place" Dorothy had answered back as this made Scarecrow laugh at the answer.

"These are rather good points indeed but that doesn't mean I have a brain hence why I'm coming with you to see Oz so he can get me a brain" Scarecrow had answered back as Dorothy knew continuing the debate will be rather pointless so the young girl nodded her head.

"I see, anyway, we should find someplace to rest since It's getting late, I had such a long day.." Dorothy had advised Scarecrow as she yawned in the process before noticing a cabin house that was located just a few feet away from them.

"Oh yeah, I think it's called Sleep, right? Well, we may have just found our destination for the night" Scarecrow had spoken to Dorothy as the pair stared at the brown cabin house which made them smile.

"Absolutely and this seems like a wonderful place to stay for the night! I just hope there aren't any people living there.." Dorothy had spoken back as she picked up Toto and proceeded to run towards the cabin house alongside Scarecrow as they had finally reached the cabin house.

"This should be a wonderful place for us to stay for the rest of the night" Dorothy had spoken to Scarecrow as she opened the door to reveal a dark living room as she and Scarecrow walked around while observing the area.

"It's awfully dark in here so you go ahead and sleep while I scare off any crows or whatever might come your way" Scarecrow advised his young friend as he saw Dorothy and Toto making themselves comfortable on the bed as Dorothy began to speak.

"Are you gonna sleep as well? I don't want you getting tired in the morning since we have to do plenty of walking.." Dorothy had asked Scarecrow in a sleepy tone of voice as she yawned in the process while Scarecrow began to answer the question.

"Oh no, Scarecrows like me don't sleep, eat, or do anything else that people like you do but don't worry about me! Rest, I'll be watching you until then.." Scarecrow had answered back as Dorothy simply smiled back before falling asleep alongside Toto.

"I wonder what Oz is like, I just hope he gives me my brain…" Scarecrow had thought to himself as he continued to watch Dorothy and Toto sleep for the rest of the night to ensure that she was safe.

*Day 2, Morning*

The next morning had arrived as Dorothy had risen up from the bed while yawning softly to herself as she looked over to see Scarecrow staring at her with a smile on his face.

"Good Morning, how did you sleep? Should we continue with our journey?" Scarecrow had asked Dorothy as he saw the young girl jumping from the bed while Toto did the same thing as she began to speak.

"Good Morning, I've slept wonderfully. Thanks for looking out for me last night as well" Dorothy had answered back as she, Toto, and Scarecrow officially resumed their journey as they left the house and proceeded to follow the Yellow Brick Road once more as along the way, something had captured Dorothy's attention.

"Dorothy, is something the matter? You seem awfully awestruck.." Scarecrow asked Dorothy in a tone of curiosity as he looked over to see something marvelous.

"I think I see someone or rather something…" Dorothy had answered back as she saw Toto running towards that particular thing that had captured their attention as she and Scarecrow followed along and to their surprise it was a man who appeared to be made of tin.

The thing was made entirely of shiny hollow silver tin, and cleverly joined together, It also had a build similar to an average man.

"Oh gosh! I've never seen anything like this! I wonder who had left such a poor thing all by itself.." Dorothy had spoken out in awestruck while observing the man made of tin while Scarecrow was also observing as well.

"You're right, I think he might have been some protector of that house we were in cause I see his ax right over there and it seems he was trying to chop a tree down.." Scarecrow had spoken out while pointing at the ax which was stuck on a tree.

"You're right, maybe it's owner left or something but I'm afraid there's nothing we can do sadly so we must continue on.." Dorothy had spoken back to Scarecrow as all of a sudden, a faint voice was spoken from the tin man which alerted them.

"O-Oil.." The Tin Man had quietly spoken out in a low voice as Dorothy and Scarecrow had trouble hearing him.

"W-Whoa! It can talk but we can't understand what it's saying…" Scarecrow had spoken out while Dorothy nodded her head in agreement.

"You're right" Dorothy simply responded back as the pair heard the tin man speak once more but in a more clear but still quiet tone of voice as it appeared his mouth was frozen along with his body.

"Oil, feed me some oil, please…" The Tin Man had spoken out and to his luck, the command was understood by Dorothy and Scarecrow.

"Oil! He wants some Oil but where could we even find oil.." Dorothy had spoken out while looking in all directions before eventually looking back at the house which wasn't that far.

"Scarecrow, you keep an eye out on Toto and the man while I go to the house to get some oil, okay?" Dorothy advised Scarecrow as he nodded his head in agreement as the young girl quickly ran back to the cabin house.

"T-Thank you.." The Tin Man had quietly spoken out while struggling to complete his thanks while Scarecrow smiled at him.

"Of course, we're very nice people. There's no way that was gonna leave you here in this condition" Scarecrow had spoken back as he looked over to see Dorothy running back with a can of oil in her hand which made him jump in excitement.

"I got the oil and it looks like there's plenty as well!" Dorothy had spoken out and finally arrived back at the scene as this was seen by the Tin Man.

"N-Now p-put the o-oil a-around m-me…" The Tin Man had quietly spoken out as Dorothy did just that as she squeezed the oil throughout his body as this slowly made his joints move.

"Wow! He's slowly moving! Keep putting more oil in his body! This could work" Scarecrow commanded Dorothy in an excited tone of voice as the young girl did just that as eventually the Tin Man was able to move and speak clearly.

"Ah, It's been years since I was able to move and speak to the fullest. I give you two my thanks, My name is Tin Woodman, how do you do?" Tin Woodman had spoken out in a polite tone of voice.

"My name is Dorothy Gale, It's a pleasure to meet you and you're welcome. We didn't want to leave you stuck or anything" Dorothy had spoken back as she had shaken Tin Woodman's metal hand as it was rather cold which made Dorothy shiver for a second.

"And my name is Scarecrow, pleased to be at your service" Scarecrow had spoken back as he tipped his hat in respect as this made Tin Woodman smile.

"Wonderful, It's nice to meet new faces but I must ask, what brings you guys to this forest? If you aren't careful then a Kalidah might get you" Tin Woodman had spoken back in a concerned tone of voice while Dorothy began to speak.

"Well, me and Scarecrow are following the Yellow Brick Road to see Oz and once we see him, he'll send me back to Kansas which is my home and give my friend, Scarecrow some brains" Dorothy had answered back as this made Tin Woodman's eyes widen in fascination.

"Oz, now that is quite the answer. I heard he's very powerful indeed and quite mysterious. If there's one thing I want from him is a heart so I can feel love once more…" Tin Woodman had spoken back in a more sad tone of voice as this made Scarecrow curious to know why.

"Wait, you don't have a heart? How come? Did your master forget to give you one like my master did with my brain?" Scarecrow had asked as his question was met with Tin Woodman shaking his head.

"No, I was actually made of flesh and bone like the young girl over there…" Tin Woodman had started to explain as he looked over at Dorothy before resuming his story.

"Twenty years ago, I was a man who went by Nick Chopper. I was an expert in cutting trees and that had captured the attention of a beautiful woman, the love of my life. We've gone on many dates and I've proposed to her but one day, I was walking with my wife and this evil witch came, no other than the Wicked Witch of the East! She laughed like a mad woman before cursing me into what I'm today and to make matters worse, I couldn't feel love anymore so I left my wife.." Tin Woodman explained in a sad tone of voice as Dorothy gave him a hug since she was sad as well.

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that, It's truly awful that that witch has done that to you but you won't have to worry about that anymore since she's dead, my house fell on her…" Dorothy had spoken to her new friend as this revelation made his spirits lift up.

"Really?! The witch of the east is dead?! You are a hero! She was terrible" Tin Woodman had spoken back as he got up and walked over to retrieve his ax that was stuck on a tree.

"I wouldn't call myself a hero since I didn't kill her directly but I'm glad that more people won't be terrorized by her" Dorothy had spoken back while seeing Tin Woodman approaching them.

"Well, you're a hero in my book and we should hurry and follow the Yellow Brick Road cause I'm coming with you guys so I can get a heart and feel love once more!" Tin Woodman had cried out in a motivated tone of voice as this made Dorothy and Scarecrow smile as the gang had resumed their journey.

What exactly lurks behind the dark forest that could hinder our heroes' journey to see the great and powerful Oz..