So as of posting this I'm about halfway through writing the final chapter. After that I just need to write an epilogue and then this thing will finally be finished. Writing this story had been a trip. I ended up scrapping the original ending I'd planned because I no longer liked it, so I've truly just been making it up as I go, but it's been a blast. Thanks to anyone who's read or reviewed! Always very much appreciated.

Fiyero awoke the next morning from the most restful sleep he'd had since his capture. He supposed it was due in part to the release of anxiety that came from knowing that the Witch, or Elphaba now, was not going to hex him to death while he slept. Stretching and yawning, he rolled over to find the boulder that blocked his cavern was still firmly in place, suggesting that Elphaba was not yet awake.

Pulling himself up into a sitting position, Fiyero wondered if she would keep her word and bring him along to the Animal camp today. In truth he was equal parts curious about the state of their living conditions and eager to see something other than the bleak walls of his prison. He wasn't entirely sure why Elphaba had agreed to his request, but he wasn't going to question it.

It was only a few more minutes before the boulder swung back from the doorway and Elphaba entered. He twisted his neck to look up at her as she stepped in, a fresh bowl of fruit clutched in her right hand. Her expression was unreadable and did not betray the conversation that had taken place the day before.

She moved across the cavern swiftly and replaced the empty plate from last night with the bowl of fruit. This time, Fiyero didn't scuttle out of the way as she passed, but rather just watched her with mild interest. Elphaba didn't seem as cold and confident as she normally did. In fact, she seemed a bit uncomfortable around him. It was as though she wasn't sure how to act without the protection of her Wicked Witch facade.

She turned to leave, and Fiyero spoke up. "Were you still planning to take me along today?"

She paused and answered without turning around, "I suppose so. Come on."

She continued into the main section of the cave and Fiyero stumbled along behind her as he scrambled to his feet. He could see that she was headed towards her spell book and felt a bit of apprehension in spite of himself. He still couldn't say that he was at all comfortable around Elphaba's magic, but he reluctantly stepped forward until he was standing only a few inches from her as she flipped through the book on the stone table. After a few moments she stopped, read something over, and then turned to Fiyero with a nod.

Fiyero swallowed hard as Elphaba glanced at the page once more for affirmation and then began to chant. Fiyero squeezed his eyes shut, not quite sure what to expect. After a moment, he felt something wrap around his waist and his eyes flew open, but there was nothing there when he looked down. Before he could question it, the sensation vanished. He looked up at Elphaba, awaiting an explanation.

She wasted no time in supplying one. "The spell I just cast has tied us together with invisible bonds," she said. "If you move more than ten feet away from me at any time, you'll begin to feel an uncomfortable tingling. The pain will get worse the further away you go and won't subside until you get back into range"

Fiyero nodded in understanding and then scrambled to stay close to Elphaba as she moved toward the main entrance to the cave. He already hadn't planned on making a bid for his freedom. He wasn't even entirely certain he even knew his way back to the Emerald City from here. It would take time for him to figure out the correct direction, and he was sure that Elphaba could easily recapture him in the meantime. With this spell in place, he was even less willing to leave her side, as he knew that she was most certainly not bluffing about any unpleasant side effects.

Elphaba managed to roll back the boulder with a quick chant and a sweep of her hands, and Fiyero marveled at the ease with which she accomplished this task. It would have taken at least ten of his men to roll the huge rock aside, but then he supposed that magic was a good deal stronger than brute force. He realized now that there had likely been no chance of taking Elphaba into custody with a force of twenty-five men. He wasn't sure if that made him feel better or worse about his current predicament.

The two stepped out into the main cave. It felt strange to leave the cramped living quarters after being cooped up for such a long time. It took every ounce of Fiyero's focus to stay close to Elphaba in the pitch blackness as they made their way to the entrance, and then he was nearly blinded as they rounded a corner and stepped out into the early morning sunlight.

Squinting and shielding his eyes with his forearm, Fiyero took his first look at the outside world in three days. The dazzling sunlight was such a contrast from the dimly lit cave that it seemed to take his eyes forever to adjust. He found himself thinking that colors had never seemed so vibrant.

He was not left with much time to dwell on this, for Elphaba had not even paused in her stride upon exiting the cave. Fiyero began to experience an uncomfortable tingling under his skin, and hurried to catch up to her before the symptoms became more severe. She didn't pay him any mind as he fell into step just behind her.

After about ten minutes of walking, the Animal camp came into view. At the bottom of a sloping hill was a rather large group of tents set up in close proximity to each other. As they drew near, Fiyero could see Animals of every kind walking together and chatting amicably. He marveled at the sight.

Still, he thought it a bit odd that this settlement was completely out in the open. Turning to Elphaba, he said, "Is it really safe for them to be in plain sight like this? I would have thought they'd choose something more covert."

Elphaba turned to acknowledge him for the first time since they'd left the cave together. She scoffed at him as she replied, "Do you think the Wizard isn't aware of this settlement? He's known about it almost since the day it was founded. He knows about several others in the nearby area as well. He also knows that I'm the one watching over them. He won't dare to make a move against them unless he can get me out of the picture first."

Fiyero considered this new information with slight indignation as he walked. If what Elphaba was saying was true, then the Wizard had been keeping relevant information from the Gale Force. Fiyero had been told that there might be Animal settlements in this area, but was it possible the Wizard had known their exact locations all along?

As he and Elphaba entered the village, numerous heads swiveled in their direction. Fiyero felt a growing unease as several wary gazes fixed onto him. Elphaba seemed oblivious.

It wasn't long before a portly Sheep came racing up to them. She glanced at Fiyero, eyes lingering over his rumpled Gale Force uniform, before turning to Elphaba with a questioning gaze.

"He's a visitor, Calla," Elphaba said, as though that were a sufficient explanation. The Sheep did not seem satisfied by such a vague statement.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Elphaba," she said, wringing her hooves nervously, "but how can you be sure that he's not a threat? Where did he even come from?"

"Don't worry. He's under a spell and won't be causing any trouble. As for where he came from…." she trailed off for a moment before continuing, "He got too close to this place for comfort the other day. I had no choice but to keep him from returning to the Emerald City."

The Sheep looked incredulous."He's one of the Wizard's men, isn't he? Why on earth would you bring him here? Honestly, I thought you had more common sense than this!"

Elphaba dropped her eyes to the ground, looking for all the world like a child being reprimanded. "Calla, he won't be a threat. I swear," she said. "I'll keep a close eye on him. You know how careful I am when it comes to these sorts of things."

The Sheep's gaze seemed to soften a bit. "I know, Elphaba, but you know I feel about outsiders," she hardened her voice as she glanced towards Fiyero and said, "Especially humans. And this man is one of our enemies. I won't press the matter, but I hope you have a good reason for this. Just be careful."

Elphaba nodded and said, "I always am." The Sheep seemed satisfied with this and, with one last dubious glance in Fiyero's direction, she finally turned and walked away. It was obvious that she trusted Elphaba's judgment enough to drop the argument.

After witnessing the scene, the other Animals seemed more at ease and went back about their business. Elphaba continued walking as though nothing had happened. She still paid no mind to Fiyero, who was tagging along behind her like a small child. He was still thinking about the encounter, and he realized there was a question Elphaba had neglected to answer.

Gathering up his courage, he moved to fall into step beside her and said, "You know, that Sheep had a point. I mean, you obviously have no reason to trust me, and I am one of the Wizard's men. Why would you bring me here?" It was true that he was grateful for the chance to escape his prison for a few hours but, if he was honest with himself, it didn't make much sense that Elphaba had agreed to take him along.

She paused as if thinking it over, before she turned to him and said slowly, "I honestly have no idea." It wasn't a particularly informative response, but the sincerity in her eyes caught Fiyero off guard. In that moment, he realized that Elphaba seemed to be as confused by him as he was by her.

She held his gaze for only a split-second, and the moment was over before Fiyero could completely comprehend what he'd seen. Elphaba turned away and fixed her eyes on the path ahead once more, leaving a confused Fiyero stumbling along behind her.

The two continued to generate whispers and incredulous stares as they made their way through the camp. Elphaba was pointedly ignoring this, but Fiyero was having a bit more trouble. Each time he glanced at one of the Animals, they would quickly turn away just as his gaze fell on them. He supposed it was to be expected if the camp wasn't used to human visitors, but it was still unsettling.

Fiyero followed behind Elphaba as she made her way past several identical tents with a determined stride. The settlement was larger than it had appeared from the outside and he marveled that she was able to navigate it so easily. They stopped before a tent that was slightly larger than the others and Fiyero, who had been staring off into the distance, walked directly into Elphaba. She shot him an annoyed glare but said nothing as the two proceeded inside.

The tent turned out to be some sort of learning facility that was occupied almost to capacity with Animals of all ages and species. There were two bookshelves along the far wall, each half filled with tattered books that looked worn from use. The first shelf was stocked with brightly colored children's books, while the second held larger, more substantial looking novels and manuscripts. There were a few tables and chairs scattered about, at which a number of the older Animals were seated. The younger ones seemed content to sit on the floor, some playing with whatever simple toys were available while others read picture books. There were a few Animals moving around the room to interact with the others, and Fiyero assumed these were the teachers. He watched the scene with interest, not sure what to make of it.

Elphaba saw the look on his face and turned to explain as they walked further in. "This serves as the school building for the community. The children come here to learn to read and speak properly, and older Animals who have lost the ability come here to try and gain it back. A few of the older Animals who were educated before the Animal bans were instituted serve as the teachers and pass their knowledge on to the next generation."

Fiyero simply stared ahead, only half taking in what Elphaba was saying. Any remaining doubts he'd had about the intelligence of Animals were rapidly evaporating from his mind. He watched as a young Cheetah handed off a doll to the Antelope sitting next to her and marveled at the strange sight.

Elphaba continued on, ignoring the fact that Fiyero was only half paying attention. She gestured to the meager collection of books and said, "All of the books and toys were donated by Animals who took their belongings with them when they moved out here. They were the smart ones who got out as soon as the bans started. That's how they managed to preserve their powers of speech."

Fiyero wasn't sure what to say. He knew what had happened to the Animals who hadn't left the cities in time. He'd been down to the dungeons where those poor souls were kept crammed into tight cages. He'd seen the forlorn faces of so many different species and had personally ignored their pleading eyes and silent cries for help. They had been nothing but stupid beasts and not worth his time. He could feel the shame burning on his face and glanced down at his feet, suddenly feeling like a traitor even though he'd never officially subscribed to the cause.

He kept his eyes trained on the floor, even as Elphaba marched up to a young-looking Gazelle and said, "Hello, Sentra, I trust you're well. How is progress today?"

The Gazelle, who had been stacking a pile of wooden blocks, started and turned quickly as Elphaba spoke. "Oh, goodness, Miss Elphaba, I didn't see you come in," she said. Her gaze lingered on Fiyero, but she clearly didn't have the authority to question his presence. Instead, she turned back to Elphaba and continued, "Nothing very new to report. The children are learning as quickly as ever, and the elders are making as much progress as can be expected."

Elphaba nodded, her gaze sweeping over the room before returning to the Gazelle once more. "Has the Wolf who was brought in last week made any progress yet?"

The Gazelle shook her head. "No, still nothing. We have at least one teacher working with him constantly, but there hasn't been any coherent speech yet."

Elphaba sighed. "I suppose that's to be expected. How long did you say he was caged before you found him?"

"Well, there's obviously no way to be certain, but based on the severity of his regression, we've estimated that it was most likely two years or more," the Gazelle said, her eyes hardening.

Elphaba nodded again. "Thank you, Sentra. Be sure to notify me immediately if anything comes up."

The Gazelle nodded quickly before moving to assist a small Fawn who was holding her picture book upside down. Fiyero glanced over at Elphaba, who once again began to explain as the two made their way toward the door. "This village is not only home to the Animals who live here, but also any escapees who need help," she said. "There was an elderly Wolf who was found wandering around by the camp last week. We know he's an Animal, but he was in a cage for so long that he's almost completely reverted into an animal. We fear the damage may be permanent, but we're not entirely sure because we've never seen a case this severe."

Fiyero nodded, still in awe of everything that was going on in the room. He had never known that there could be entire communities of Animals living together and helping each other like this. He didn't understand how the misunderstandings about them could run so deep. He was starting to lend more credence to the information Elphaba had given him.

Fiyero found himself wondering what he would do in the event that he was able to return home. With everything he'd learned, how could he continue to lead the hunt for the Witch and attempt to stomp out bands of Animals who were just trying to survive?

And yet, he felt a pit of guilt settle into his stomach as he realized there was a likelihood he would return to his old post. What else could he do? Fiyero wasn't sure that he had the courage to oppose everything he'd ever known. Maybe Elphaba was brave enough to keep her head up with all of Oz against her, but Fiyero was used to having people admire and respect him. For the first time, Fiyero found himself grappling with the fact that he was not a very good person.

He continued to trail behind Elphaba, trying his best to conceal his inner turmoil. For a moment it appeared as though she planned to leave, but she instead veered in the direction of a group of younger children who called out enthusiastically as she approached. Elphaba bid them all hello, then took a seat in a blue plastic chair as they hastily crowded around her. One of them, a young Zebra, approached her and handed over a thin children's book. Fiyero stood on the outside of their little circle, looking on awkwardly.

Elphaba opened the book and began to read, capturing the children's attention instantly. Fiyero was quite surprised by the easy, almost motherly tone her voice took on as she told the story, even changing her voice a bit for each character. Fiyero soon found himself just as entranced as the children, though he didn't catch a word of the actual story.

Soon enough she'd finished with a firm 'The End', and she snapped the book closed with a flourish. The children gave a polite round of applause, expressed their thanks, and moved on to other activities. Fiyero got the feeling that Elphaba did this sort of thing quite often. She stopped to talk to a few of the children before she finally stood and turned to leave, motioning for Fiyero to follow. She didn't look at him as she passed, but Fiyero could have sworn he'd seen a smile grace her features as he caught a glimpse of her face. A smile which, he noted, was actually quite lovely.

The thought came to him so suddenly that it struck Fiyero like a freight train. He stopped in his tracks, startled, before he shook his head and jogged ahead to catch back up with Elphaba. He decided it must be the shock of the past few days finally catching up with him. Surely he had not just noticed something attractive about Elphaba, of all people. She had green skin for Oz's sake, and he was engaged to Glinda the Good, a woman known far and wide as the most beautiful in the Emerald City. Sure, Fiyero had fooled around a bit in college, but he'd been completely faithful to Glinda ever since they'd become engaged. He shook his head again, chalking it up to temporary insanity or some kind of warped reaction to Elphaba being his captor.

Fiyero forcefully shoved the strange thoughts from his mind and raised an arm to shield his eyes once more as he and Elphaba exited the large tent and stepped back into the sunlight. He wasn't sure where they were headed now, but his curiosity was most certainly piqued. They had just begun to walk when a small, but vaguely familiar voice called out from behind them.

"Miss Elphaba!"

Fiyero turned to identify the source of the voice and recognized the Bear Cub that Elphaba had tended to the day before. Elphaba bent down and scooped the Bear up as the Cub ran straight into her arms.

"Hello there, Lorgen," Elphaba said, her voice light. "How are you feeling today?" She was smiling again. Fiyero forced himself to ignore this.

"I'm fine! I wanted to go to school, but mama wanted me to stay home," the Cub replied, bouncing slightly in Elphaba's arms. Her expression grew concerned as she asked, "Did I miss story time?"

"I'm afraid you did," Elphaba responded. "But I'll tell you what. I'll let you pick the story tomorrow."

The Bear's eyes lit up almost instantly as she said, "Okay! I already know which one I want to hear!" She clapped her paws together for emphasis, as though this was the most exciting thing that could possibly happen to her. Her gaze fell on Fiyero, and she seemed to perk up even more. "Oh, hello Mister Fiyero!" she said with a cheerful grin. "It's nice to see you again!"

Fiyero smiled back and waved at her in acknowledgment. There was a short pause, before Lorgen's ears twitched and she spoke again, "Oh, I have to go. I hear my mama calling me. I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Elphaba. Mister Fiyero."

With that, the cub leapt from Elphaba's arms, bounding off back in the direction she'd come. Elphaba stared after her, still smiling as she watched the cub's retreating back.

Fiyero cleared his throat and said, with some uncertainty, "You know, it really is amazing. What you do for these Animals, I mean."

Elphaba said nothing in response, but looked away as Fiyero spoke. It could have been a trick of the light, but Fiyero could have sworn he saw her cheeks flush deep green as she turned away.