//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Foraging and the Cowardly Lion // Story: My Little Wizard of Oz // by BlueBioWolf //------------------------------// All this time, Dorothy and her companions had been walking through the thick woods. The road was still paved with yellow brick, but, these were much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from the trees and the walking was not at all good. Dorothy, Spike, and some of the ponies helped to forage for food. “These should hold us for a while,” Spike said as he gathered some fruit. Suddenly, there came a deep growl. “Before anyone asks,” Spike said. “That was not my stomach.” “I can tell,” Fluttershy said, holding a hoof up to her ear. “It sounded more like a big feline than a dragon’s tummy.” These sounds made the little girl's heart beat fast, for she did not know what made them, but, Toto knew and he walked close to Dorothy's side and did not even bark in return. "How long will it be," the child asked of the tin woodman. "Before we are out of the forest?" "I cannot tell," was the answer. "For I have never been to the Emerald City. But, my father went there once when I was a boy and he said it was a long journey through a dangerous country, although, nearer to the city where Oz dwells, the country is beautiful. But, I am not afraid so long as I have my oil-can and nothing can hurt Bartleby while you bear upon your forehead the mark of the Good Witch's kiss and that will protect you from harm. I can tell that the ponies and dragon have a magic about them as well." Chapter 6: The Cowardly Lion, Sunset said internally. "But, Toto!" said the girl anxiously. "What will protect him?" "We must protect him ourselves if he is in danger," replied Nick. “With all of us,” Fluttershy said. “Toto is certainly going to be safe.” Just as she spoke, there came from the forest a terrible roar and the next moment, a great lion bounded into the road. With one blow of his paw, he sent Bartleby spinning over and over to the edge of the road and then, he struck at Nick with his sharp claws. But, to the lion's surprise, he could make no impression on the tin, although, the woodman fell over in the road and lay still. Spike and most of the ponies prepared to face this beast, but, Sunset held out a front hoof to signal them to stop. “Hold it!” Sunset said. “I may not have been there when you met Manny Roar, but, I don’t want a repeat of that.” Little Toto, now that he had an enemy to face, ran barking toward the lion and the great beast had opened his mouth to bite the dog. Dorothy, fearing Toto would be killed and heedless of danger, rushed forward and slapped the lion upon his nose as hard as she could while she cried out: "Don't you dare to bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog!" "I didn't bite him," said the lion in a sobbing nerdy voice as he rubbed his nose with his paw where Dorothy had hit it. "No, but you tried to," she retorted. "You are nothing but a big coward." "I know it," said the lion, hanging his head in shame. "I've always known it. But, how can I help it?" “Oh, you poor thing,” Fluttershy said sympathetically as she comforted the lion. "I don't know, I'm sure,” Dorothy said. “To think of your striking a stuffed man, like the poor scarecrow, Bartleby!" "Is he stuffed?" asked the lion in surprise, as he watched Applejack pick up Bartleby and set him upon his feet while she patted him into shape again. "Of course he's stuffed," replied Dorothy, who was still angry. "That's why he went over so easily," remarked the lion. "It astonished me to see him whirl around so. Is the other one stuffed also?" “No,” Spike said as he helped Nick up again. “He’s made of tin.” "That's why he nearly blunted my claws," said the lion. "When they scratched against the tin it made a cold shiver run down my back. What is that little animal you are so tender of?" “He’s my dog, Toto,” Dorothy answered. "Is he made of tin or stuffed?" asked the lion. "Neither. He's a--a--a meat dog," said the girl. “Organic,” Fluttershy said. “Just as you are, Mr. Lion.” "Oh! He's a curious animal and seems remarkably small, now that I look at him. No one would think of biting such a little thing, except a coward like me," continued the lion sadly. “What makes you a coward?” Pinkie asked. “You’re as big as a small horse. And we’re actual small horses, so, we know what we’re talking about.” "It's a mystery," replied the lion. "I suppose I was born that way. All the other animals in the forest naturally expect me to be brave, for the lion is everywhere thought to be the King of Beasts. I learned that if I roared very loudly, every living thing was frightened and got out of my way. Whenever I've met a man, I've been awfully scared, but, I just roared at him and he has always run away as fast as he could go. If the elephants, the tigers, and the bears had ever tried to fight me, I should have run myself--I'm such a coward, but, just as soon as they hear me roar, they all try to get away from me and, of course, I let them go." Fluttershy, being kind towards animals, helped to calm the lion down. "But, that isn't right. The King of Beasts shouldn't be a coward," said Bartleby. "I know it," returned the lion, wiping a tear from his eye with the tip of his tail. "It is my great sorrow and makes my life very unhappy. But, whenever there is danger, my heart begins to beat fast." "Perhaps you have heart disease," said Nick. “I don’t think he means that,” Fluttershy said. “I can tell that his battles were fought for him when he was young.” “It’s true,” the lion said shamefully. "If you have heart disease," continued Nick. "You ought to be glad, for it proves you have a heart. For my part, I have no heart, so I cannot have heart disease." “Not helping, Nick,” Starlight said. “My apologies,” Nick said. "Perhaps," said the lion thoughtfully. "If I had no heart, I should not be a coward." “Without a heart, you won’t even be alive,” Rainbow said. “So, it wouldn’t matter if you were a coward or not.” "Have you brains?" asked Bartleby. "I suppose so. I've never looked to see," replied the lion. "I am going to the Great Oz to ask him to give me some," remarked Bartleby. "For my head is stuffed with straw." "And I am going to ask him to give me a heart," said Nick. "And I am going to ask him to send Toto and me back to Kansas," added Dorothy. “The rest of us are going so he can send us back to Equestria,” Sunset said. “I wonder if the wizard will help you, too,” Fluttershy said to the lion. “Help me?” he asked. “You would invite me even after the trouble I caused most of you?” “Well, ya are laughably pathetic,” Applejack said. “Even if Oz can’t give ya courage, ya sure as sugar won’t get none if’n ya stay in the same place.” “And on top of that,” Fluttershy said. “I can tell that you’re very sorry for what you tried to do.” The lion nodded. “I hate killing other animals,” he said. “But, if I didn’t, I’d die myself. I don’t want that, either. My life is simply unbearable without a bit of courage.” “Then,” Dorothy said. “You may come with us as well. You will help to keep away the other wild beasts. It seems to me they must be more cowardly than you are if they allow you to scare them so easily.” "They really are," said the lion. "But, that doesn't make me any braver and as long as I know myself to be a coward I shall be unhappy." “Do you have a name, by any chance?” Sunset asked. “Yes,” the lion answered. “My father named me–” He finished his answer with a roar. “Uh,” Trixie said. “That might be a little hard to pronounce.” “Is it okay if we call you, ‘Raw?’” Sunset asked. “For simplicity?” “Yes, that’s alright,” the lion replied. So, once more the little company set off upon the journey, Raw walking with stately strides at Dorothy's side. Toto did not approve of this new comrade at first, for he could not forget how nearly he had been crushed between the lion's great jaws. But, after a time he became more at ease and presently Toto and the cowardly lion had grown to be good friends. During the walk, there was a point when Nick suddenly stopped walking. He stepped back a bit and saw that he’d stepped on a beetle that was crawling along the road and killed the poor little thing. The tin woodman fell to his knees in grief and began crying tears of sorrow and regret. These tears ran slowly down his face and over the hinges of his jaw and there they rusted. Dorothy noticed and, with Sunset helping to give her a boost, used the oil can to lubricate the tin woodman. Fluttershy used her wing to dry Nick’s eyes. “What’s wrong, Nick?” the pegasus asked. “I stepped on a poor defenseless beetle,” Nick sobbed. "This will serve me a lesson to look where I step. For if I should kill another bug or beetle, I should surely cry again and crying rusts my jaws so that I cannot speak." Thereafter, he walked very carefully with his eyes on the road and when he saw a tiny ant toiling by he would step over it, so as not to harm it. Nick knew very well he had no heart and therefore, he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything. "You people with hearts," he said. "Have something to guide you and need never do wrong, but, I have no heart and so, I must be very careful. When Oz gives me a heart of course, I needn't mind so much." “Are we sure this guy doesn’t have a heart?” Spike asked the others. “That was a pretty emotional reaction over something like the death of a beetle.” “You’ll be surprised,” Sunset whispered to him. “And not just by Nick.”