Ev was beautiful, admittedly Linny wasn't sure if that was an inherent quality of the land or if it was sense of freedom of no longer having to keep her head down and pretend she couldn't speak
Regardless, it was the perfect place to start her new life away from Oz.
And she wasn't alone! As the caravan reached Ev she found many familiar faces, an Ox she shared a stable with once, a Fox she last seen fleeing Munchkinland, that weird Robin who kept announcing Ozma's return; and incredibly, almost miraculously Quattro and Semper. The Donkey and the Raccoon were all the Mule had left from their home in Gillikin, and they were here, she almost cried when she reunited with her family (not that they weren't doing much better)
"What news do you have from Oz?" Semper asked eventually, and Linny felt a pang, crap, they would have to know about the Witch; it would be very hard for Quattro to hear, her cousin had always admired her.
Thankfully she was spared of being the bearer of bad news, as the Chicken that had ended as leader of the caravan took the unpleasant role the sharing the news with the welcoming committee:
"I'm afraid we brought tragic news from Oz; the Green Witch, protector of Animals" her voice broke a little "has been killed by agents of the Wizard and a young witch native from his homeland"
The reaction was more subdued that what Linny expected; the Ev residents looked at each other in awkward silence before Quattro said:
"Actually, I think the Witch faked her death"
"The witch is here" a Cat said
"Here in Ev?" Linny asked in disbelief
"Actually, she's right over there" Semper added pointing to one side; and indeed, the Green Witch of Oz, the only human who ever stepped forward to defend Animals (and as a result was called "the Wicked Witch of the West") was there, alive and well, tending to the Ocelot that had overheated on the way
Linny was too shocked to react, and was dragged by the mob practically rushing the Witch.
"You're alive!" "I can't believe it!" "I knew the water thing was nonsense!" the crowd was saying in shock and awe, it was like a miracle, but then then someone stepped between the overwhelmed Witch and the group
"Please, give the lady some space!"
It was... a living scarecrow?
"Wait, aren't you the Scarecrow that supposedly helped kill the Green Witch?" Kamila the Goat asked confused
The Scarecrow and the Witch looked at each other for a moment before the Witch responded:
"You shouldn't believe everything that comes from Oz"
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