Authors notes:
First of all I'd like to thank all of you have been patiently waiting for this story to be finished and I apologize again for the delay. A series of small disasters, work and family commitments and over 6 months without internet (shock horror) have made it nearly impossible for me to get any writing done, and after such a long time away from this story I really wanted to go back and rewrite it.
However, luckily for you guys (not so lucky for me) my appendix and I had a disagreement and it had to be removed. Surgery, a following infection and a nasty case of flu (I strongly advise against trying to cough, sneeze, or blow your nose with seven stitches in your belly), kept me of my feet for nearly 5 weeks, with only my trusty laptop as company. So I managed to re-write this story, finish another that was still waiting in the side lines, and make a start on my muse's new plaything. So please enjoy.
P.S I know Jack/other stories aren't every bodies thing, but even if it's not your style, please have a read and any feedback on my writing style and prose are very welcome.
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Colonel Jack O'Neill pulled his cap down tighter over his head and shielded his eyes from the glint of sun on the freshly fallen snow as the gate whooshed closed behind. He grimaced slightly; he would never admit that he still had a thing about snow after the whole Antarctic incident, but give him a sunny, tropical planet any day. However the fresh green buds that were fighting their way bravely through the heavy crust, and the warm rays of sunshine that slanted through the trees, strongly suggested that this planet was throwing off the grips of winter and spring was making its debut.
His team had already fanned out across the clearing, leaving trails of footprints in the virgin snow. Daniel had his digital camera in his hands and was snapping away at some rock or other at the edge of the clearing. Jack looked up at the mountain range that could be seen peeking over the tips of the trees and the column of smoke that rose into the crystal blue sky. He sighed, smoke meant people and people generally meant trouble. Sure they had met a nice native village or two, but even the nice ones were normally more trouble than they were worth.
"Okay kids, let's get a move on. Teal'c take point"
Daniel lifted his head from the rocks his was examining and threw Jack a petulant glance.
"But Jack….."
Jack pointed the horizon "People"
Daniel followed his gaze and eagerly packed his camera into his pack and fell into step behind Teal'c. Carter smirked and followed Daniel into the trees.
Jack took up the rear, it had become custom over the years for him and Teal'c to form a protective scientist sandwich. Not that Jack had any doubt over Carter's ability to protect herself, but Daniel was another matter. The younger man had a habit of getting into trouble, or dying. Jack shuddered and cast a quick glance into the darkness of the forest. At least something close to a path led away from the gate and towards the village to the north, he was not in the mood to be fighting his way through snow covered branches.
They soon left the trees behind and the column of smoke was getting clearer. The forest gave way to the slopes of the ice tipped mountain that had been visible from Stargate. A few hundred meters after the trees thinned so did the path. The steep slopes of the mountain rose up to the right and a deep crevice had opened up to the left. As the path thinned more and swerved slightly to hug the edge of the cliff Jack glanced with interest over the abyss. Some distance below water surged blackly to the south, the flow was quick and whipped into white foam as it devoured half submerged rocks and debris. He leaned further over edge, it looked deep.
"I wouldn't do that Sir" Carter called.
He glanced at her; she was crouched somewhat further away from the edge than he, a soil sample in her hands.
"I've never seen rock like this, but it's extremely brittle. That ledge could give way at any time"
She snorted with barely hidden laughter as Jack jumped away from the edge. Stowing the sample in her pack to hide her grin, she moved after Daniel and Teal'c leaving Jack to contemplate the water from a safer distance.
"Very funny" he muttered under his breath and rejoined the path, casting one last glance over his shoulder at the darkness of the trees. Why did he get the feeling that they were being watched?
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They reached the large flat clearing where the village was situated a little after mid day and the villagers met them with curiosity and friendliness. Preparations for the mid day meal were being made and the whole village was alive with activity. The whole settlement was primitive, and Jack relaxed slightly as they were led into one of the smoky round houses, primitive natives were much less likely to cause problems.
They were presented to the village elder, who was a well set man in his early fifties named Dajain, who invited them to join him to eat. A low table in the centre of the round house was already laid with various kinds of meat and vegetables, still steaming hot, and jugs of spicy mulled wine. He and his team accepted and joined the kind faced man and his wife, Lareya, on the cushions that were placed on the floor around the table, although they all ate and drank little. They had learned from bitter experience that foreign food was not to be lightly trusted. Soon they were joined by Dajain and Lareya's three strapping young sons. Each bigger and more muscled than the next, the eldest reminded Jack of an olive skinned Teal'c.
The conversation was easy and Dajain was obviously curios about them and asked a good number of questions, until Lareya laid a hand on his arm, quieting him somewhat.
"Dajain" Jack asked suddenly "Are there more people living nearby. I had the feeling that were being watched in the forest"
Teal'c raised his eyebrows slightly "I too felt the sensation of being watched"
Dajain shook his head sadly. "There are many other villages further north" he answered "But our closest neighbors are the people who live to the south of the stone ring. We were one people many eons ago, but they are makers of war. A cruel people who gain not by farming and hunting, but by stealing and killing. The legends tell of a disagreement which separated our people from them, we have been at war for as long as my people can remember. We have lost many cattle, horses and daughters to them, but the great mountain protects us as much as is possible. We have learned to be at one with the elements, with the ice and snow. They live further to the south where it is warmer and the weather is not so harsh, they too loose many men if they venture into the mountains."
Jack glanced at Daniel who was busy making notes, drinking in all the details.
"Will we have any problems on our way back through the forest?" Jack asked.
Dajain shook his head "It would be unusual for the southerners to have come this far north. They come often when the weather is more bearable, but not in the ice and snow. I cannot explain why you had these feelings"
Dajain's youngest son, Dajin, looked up suddenly from his meal, his eyes sharp.
"It was the witch. She's been seen this far north"
"Dajin!" Lareya snapped.
Dajain smiled patiently at his son before returning his eyes to Jack.
"The hunters tell stories of a witch that lives farther to the south, a green eyed she-devil who rides a ghost stallion through the thickest, darkest, places in the forest. Some of my men claim to have seen her this far north, but I must admit that I have not." He shrugged slightly and smiled "Perhaps she was watching you in the forest, but more likely it was just the leones"