The sun was up again, though the shade of the forest canopy above provided some relief from the direct heat. Fiyero made sure he and the Lion stayed close to water at all times, eager to avoid problems like the ones he'd faced the day before. According to the Lion's slightly imperfect memory, they were only about a day's journey from the nearest Animal camp. The news had lightened Fiyero's spirit, and he hoped it meant that he'd been traveling in the right direction.

The two made small talk as they traveled. The Lion was a bit on the twitchy side, but Fiyero decided he was not the worst companion one could ask for. After they had been walking together for some time, a thought occurred to him.

"Hey, I just realized that I never even caught your name," Fiyero said.

The Lion seemed surprised by this comment. "Oh, well…I don't really have a proper one. I suppose you can just call me Lion."

"That's it? You don't have any other name you go by?" Fiyero asked.

The Lion looked slightly ashamed. "Not that I know of. I probably had one once, but if I did then I forgot it a long time ago."

Fiyero smiled sympathetically and responded, "Okay, Lion it is then. My name's Fiyero, by the way."

The Lion nodded. It appeared he hadn't thought to ask for a name either. The two walked on in silence for a bit longer, before the Lion spoke again. "So…this friend you're looking for. What happened to him?"

"Her, actually," Fiyero responded, choosing his words carefully. "We were…separated. She's gotten herself into some trouble. I wanted to help her, but we actually aren't on the best terms at the moment, and she wouldn't let me go with her."

The Lion looked nervous again. "Trouble? What kind of trouble?" he asked

Fiyero couldn't come up with a plausible lie, so instead he said, "Oh, it's nothing too serious, don't worry. But I would really like to find her before it gets any worse."

The Lion didn't seem entirely convinced by this, but he let it drop for the moment. "So why are you headed to this camp? Is your friend an Animal?"

"No, but she's been helping them out. I know she spends a lot of time at these camps, and I had a tip that this one might be her next stop," said Fiyero.

The Lion paused for a moment before he said, "It's funny. All of the gossip I've heard about these Animals from passersby seems to suggest that they're vicious troublemakers, not the type you'd want to associate yourself with."

Fiyero smiled bitterly and responded, "Well Lion, if I can give you some advice, you might not want to believe any of that gossip you've heard. The types of people spewing it are almost always misinformed. But you don't have to believe me. You'll see for yourself when we get there."

"But why would people be saying it if it wasn't true?" the Lion asked, clearly puzzled.

Fiyero let out a bitter laugh. "Wow, I guess you really don't get out much, huh?"

The Lion seemed a bit confused by Fiyero's reaction, but he said, "Well in truth, I guess I've always been curious about how they could all be so bad. After all, I'm an Animal and I'm not like that. I guess I wondered why there weren't more like me."

The conversation trailed off from there, and the two went back to discussing more trivial matters. They stopped to rest and eat two times throughout the day, and once to pick more fruit when the opportunity presented itself. When the sun began to go down the Lion became visibly more uncomfortable, jumping at every little sound, and Fiyero eventually became so frustrated that he suggested they stop for the night and get some rest.

This too, turned out to be a bit of an ordeal, as the Lion refused to sleep out in the open for fear of being ambushed. Fiyero, who had not seen evidence of man nor beast who could do them harm, was getting fed up. In the end, they agreed to sleep in shifts. Fiyero could only imagine the number of times the Lion had jumped out of his skin during his turn at watch, but he was grateful to have been unconscious for that.

The two set off again at first light, neither completely rested but not much worse for the wear. After only an hour more of walking, they passed out of the forest and began to see the ever-growing shapes of tents in the distance.

Fiyero could feel his heart lift at the sight, grateful to be literally out of the woods. Yet now he had his next problem to face. He knew from experience that these Animals would probably not take too kindly to his presence. He hoped that having the Lion with him would help his case a bit. It was another reason he'd been eager for the large Cat's company.

As they drew closer, Fiyero noticed the Lion's steps growing slower and slower, to the point where Fiyero had to grab the Cat's paw and half-drag him along. As they reached the edge of the camp, Fiyero could already begin to feel the distrustful gazes falling upon him.

It was a Panther who first approached them. Fiyero assumed he must be one of the camp's leaders and stood tall as the Panther drew near, trying not to seem in any way suspicious. The Lion seemed to be trying to disappear behind Fiyero, no small feat for a Cat his size.

The Panther stopped in front of Fiyero and looked him up and down. His voice betrayed his distrust as he asked, "What is your business here?"

Fiyero decided to take it slow and began with a less suspicious answer. "My friend here has heard of your camp and wanted to see it for himself. We've heard that you provide a place for refugee Animals," he said, gesturing to the Lion behind him.

The Lion gave Fiyero a look of confusion, no doubt wondering why Fiyero had opened with this explanation instead of mentioning his lost friend. Despite this, he said nothing, for which Fiyero was grateful.

The Panther did not seem entirely convinced, and he still clearly didn't trust Fiyero, but it seemed as though the Lion's presence had helped in exactly the way that Fiyero had hoped it would.

Turning his attention to the Lion, the Panther asked, "Is this true? You wish to join our camp?"

The Lion seemed panic stricken at suddenly having been addressed, but he managed to choke out, "Oh yes, sir. I've been wanting to visit this place for a long time, but I've been too afraid to come on my own. My friend Fiyero here offered to come with me."

The Panther's eyes narrowed at this, but if he didn't believe the Lion's explanation, he made no move to show it. Instead, he called to an Otter who was walking past.

"This is Shannah, she will show your friend around," the Panther said, gesturing to the Lion. The Otter nodded and motioned for him to follow her. The Lion looked from Fiyero to the Otter and back again, worry evident on his face. Fiyero nodded at him, and the Lion eventually went away with her.

Fiyero watched the pair retreat with a sneaking suspicion that he would not be let off the hook quite so easily. Sure enough, when the other two were out of earshot, the Panther turned to address him. "As for you, why don't you come with me? There are a few questions I would like to ask you."

Fiyero nodded, not letting his face betray any of the apprehension he was feeling. The Panther turned suddenly, his tail whipping behind him, and Fiyero followed. They passed by several tents of varying sizes, and Fiyero noted that this camp seemed slightly larger than the last one he'd been to. The memory inevitably summoned thoughts of Elphaba, but Fiyero pushed them down with determination.

They stopped in front of a tent that did not seem much different from any of the others. The Panther held the flap open and Fiyero ducked inside. The tent was sparsely furnished with a table and chairs, a small cot and a bookshelf. The Panther motioned for Fiyero to take one of the seats and then sat across from him.

After a moment, the Panther spoke, "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Filo."

Fiyero nodded and opened his mouth to speak, "I'm-"

Filo cut him off. "I believe I already know who you are. I heard your friend say that your name was Fiyero. You're here looking for Elphaba, correct?"

Fiyero was completely caught off guard by this. He sat gaping and unsure of how to respond. His silence seemed to confirm the Panther's suspicions, and after a moment Filo spoke again, "I don't know who you are or exactly what relationship you have with Elphaba, but she has done much for us. Since she seems to have at least some measure of trust in you, I will offer you the same courtesy."

Fiyero was surprised to hear that Elphaba supposedly trusted him. That hadn't seemed to be the case at all when last they'd parted ways. He set that aside for the moment and asked, "So she's been here, then? Is she still here?"

Filo's face betrayed no emotion as he answered, "She was here for two days, but she took off again last night. She received some news that caused her to leave rather abruptly, and I now suspect it was a false report intended to lure her into a trap.

Fiyero could feel fear constricting his chest. "Why do you say that? What was the news?"

The Panther's eyes bore into Fiyero's as he said, "That Fiyero Tigelaar had been taken into custody on charges of consorting with the Wicked Witch of the West and was to be tortured for information and then killed."

Fiyero felt his blood run cold. He couldn't quite wrap his head around what he'd just heard. He opened and closed his mouth a few times but found he could not remember how to produce sound. Filo watched him with a stony expression.

After a few moments, the Panther spoke again. "I take it from your reaction that my suspicions were correct, and you are indeed Fiyero Tigelaar?" he asked.

The gears in Fiyero's brain began to turn again, and he managed to respond, "Y-yes, that's me."

"Then, as I said, it would seem that this piece of news was fictitious. The only reason I can think of for fabricating such a story would be to lure Elphaba back to the city," said Filo.

Fiyero sank back into his chair, his head swimming. He wanted to believe that Elphaba wouldn't have taken any crazy risks on his account, especially when she wasn't exactly thrilled with him. Surely she wouldn't risk being captured to save his sorry hide.

But a nagging voice in the back of his head told him otherwise. Though Fiyero admitted he had only spent a short time with Elphaba, rushing headlong into danger to rescue someone else seemed like exactly the sort of thing she would do. Even if Elphaba believed that Fiyero had betrayed her, something told him she still wouldn't want to see him tortured and killed on her account. Whoever had spread this rumor knew exactly what buttons to push. Fiyero only hoped he wasn't too late to stop her from falling for it.

Suddenly panicked, Fiyero sprung from his chair and said, "Please, tell me whatever you know. I have to stop her before it's too late!"

Filo looked Fiyero up and down once more, his face still an emotionless mask. It was beginning to grate on Fiyero's nerves that the Cat could be so composed at a time like this.

Finally, Filo stood and nodded. "I do believe you are being sincere," he said, "and I will try to help you to the best of my ability. As I told you earlier, Elphaba left early last night, just as the sun went down."

Fiyero didn't like the sound of that. "Was she planning to travel on foot, or did she have her broomstick with her?" he asked, hoping it was the former. If she'd gone by air, he would have little to no way of catching her.

"I believe her plan was to fly through the forest, where she could use the cover of the trees to avoid being spotted. From there she would continue on foot. Knowing Elphaba, I can almost guarantee she will not act until the sun sets tonight. She will want the cover of darkness."

Fiyero's heart dropped. "It's no good then. It took me more than a day's walk just to make it through the forest and find this place. It's an additional half day's journey to the Emerald City from there. There's no way I'll be able to make it by tonight on foot." he said

Filo nodded and was silent for a moment, clearly lost in thought. After a moment he replied, "On foot no, but I do think there may be a way we can help you."

Filo made his way towards the entrance of the tent, motioning for Fiyero to follow, and he did so without a second thought. They weaved their way through more rows of tents, and Fiyero wasn't quite sure how to keep track of where they were going. He wondered briefly how the Lion was making out, but his train of thought was cut short when Filo motioned for him to stop.

Fiyero was told to wait outside while Filo entered a nearby tent. Unsure of what to do with himself, Fiyero rocked nervously on his heels and stared down at his hands, trying to ignore the strange looks he was receiving from passersby. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Filo emerged from the tent, followed by a young, chestnut colored Horse. Fiyero had never seen a Horse before, and he marveled at how tall the creature was when it stood up on its hind legs.

Fiyero understood immediately, though he felt a bit abashed at the concept. Sure enough, Filo said, "This is Taison. He has agreed to help you reach the Emerald City by nightfall. We Animals know this area well, and Taison is fast. He will be able to get you there in time."

Fiyero wasn't sure what the implications of this were for the Horse. Turning to face Taison, he said, "I thank you for the offer, but are you sure you're okay with this?"

Taison nodded and waved his hoof. "Absolutely. I've already agreed to help you for Miss Elphaba's sake."

Fiyero was once again taken aback at how much love Elphaba seemed to have garnered in the Animal community. It was astounding what dichotomous opinions of the woman could be found among the different factions in Oz.

Having heard the Horse's agreement for himself, Fiyero nodded gratefully. Filo disappeared into Taison's tent once more and returned a few moments later holding a leather saddle. Taison dropped to all fours and allowed it to be fastened to his back. He seemed less than happy with the arrangement, but said nothing.

Once the saddle was firmly in place, Taison turned to Fiyero and said, "I'll be carrying you on my back, but I won't have you digging your heels into my side. You just sit tight, and I'll do the steering. I also won't be wearing reins, so you're just going to have to hold on as best you can.

Fiyero nodded his understanding, confident that he wouldn't have a problem. He was more than comfortable on horseback. He had learned to ride as a boy and had often been mounted on Gale Force missions.

With that, Fiyero placed his feet in the stirrups and pulled himself up onto Taison's back. He marveled at how this felt exactly like riding a regular horse, though he knew better than to voice the thought aloud.

He was about to tell Taison he was ready to leave, when he remembered the Lion once more. He didn't want to waste time going to find the Cat himself, so instead he turned to Filo and said, "The Lion I came here with earlier, can you tell him I've gone to find my missing friend? Don't give him more information than that for now. He's only heard the Wizard's propaganda about Elphaba, and he believes the stories about the Wicked Witch of the West. Just tell him I wish him luck, and that I hope to see him again soon if I'm able."

Fiyero felt bad to leave the Lion on his own in a new place like this, but he'd feel even worse about dragging him along to the Emerald City and putting him in danger. It would be better if the Cat stayed behind at the camp and began to socialize with his own kind.

That taken care of, Fiyero let Taison know he was ready to go, and the Horse took off at a cantor. As they made their way through the camp, Animals who didn't know what was going on stared open-mouthed at the pair as they went by. They made their way out of the camp, and Taison shouted a quick "Hang on!" before taking off into a gallop that nearly sent Fiyero flying off the Horse's back. He made a wild grab for Taison's neck and held on for dear life until he could adjust to the new speed.

After a few moments, Fiyero regained his bearings and shifted into a more manageable position. Taison had not opted to go through the forest but had chosen a different route that Fiyero didn't recognize. He was grateful for this decision, as it would have been difficult to maintain their current speed while trying not to flatten themselves against a tree.

They carried on at a brisk pace for the better part of the afternoon, before Taison slowed his gait a bit. A short while later they took a rest, during which Fiyero finished what was left of his provisions and Taison ate some oats from a sack strapped to his saddle.

Once they'd regained their strength, the pair continued their journey. As the sky began to lose its first bit of light, the Emerald City skyline appeared on the horizon. Fiyero could feel the cold weight of apprehension sitting in his gut, but he tried not to think about it as the shining green buildings loomed ever closer.

Just before the city gates, Fiyero dismounted and nodded his thanks to Taison. It wouldn't be safe for the Horse within the city, even if he did remain as inconspicuous as possible. He couldn't enter the palace with Fiyero, and once the prince went in, there was no telling whether he'd be coming out alive again.

Still, the Horse protested. "Let me take you as far as the palace at least."

Fiyero shook his head and said, "No. You've been a greater help than I could have asked for. Thank you, but I need to go alone from here."

After a moment the Horse nodded and said, "All right then. Good luck to both of you."

With that, Taison turned back the way he'd come and set off again. Fiyero watched him retreat until he was out of sight, and then turned back to the task at hand. He briefly worried that he might be recognized within the city, but he was currently more grimy, disheveled and unshaven than he'd even dared to appear in public before, and he was also not in uniform. He doubted he would be recognized by anyone who happened to take a passing glance. With a deep breath, he made his way into the city he'd once called home with a level of apprehension he'd never before experienced.

The last of the sunlight was draining now, and Fiyero was truly beginning to worry. If Elphaba had come to the city to attempt a rescue, then she was going to begin putting her plans into action soon. He had a fairly good idea where he would find her, but he truly hoped he'd be wrong. He hoped that Elphaba had ignored the news of his capture and hadn't come to his aid.

As expected, no one paid Fiyero any mind as he walked briskly down the city streets. He would have preferred to run flat out, but refrained lest he attract unwanted attention. He went around the palace from the back way, secure in the knowledge that the guards' shifts would be changing soon. There would be a small window, when the new guard came to take his post, where they wouldn't be paying as much attention to their surroundings. Fiyero waited for this and then, seizing his moment, scrambled over the green brick wall at the back of the palace, barely managing to keep his grip and avoid falling flat on his back.

Once he was over the gate, he was reliant on the darkness and his own skills as a Gale Forcer to hide him. One of the benefits of having been trained to hunt the Wicked Witch of the West was the wide variety of stealth training that he was now putting to good use. Once he was sure the coast was clear, Fiyero began to make his way towards the dungeons.