A/N: In my SGA/SG1 crossover fic "Secrets", Sam Carter and Laura Cadman swap mission stories. I wrote the drabble for Laura's story about Rodney and the purple pigeons so here is the drabble for Sam's story about Daniel and the antlered dog-thing. Disclaimer - I don't own, feedback makes me happy and flamers will be fed to Odie for breakfast.
Daniel darted to the left and jumped backwards, hiding himself behind Teal'c. The yellow doglike thing tilted its head curiously and sniffed its way around Teal'c, wagging its three tails when it found Daniel again.
"I think he likes you," Sam said helpfully as she reached down to pet the dog between its antlers. Sitting down abruptly, the dog leaned into her touch and purred loudly.
"Great," Mitchell sighed, eying Daniel's new friend warily. "Lets take it home and make it part of the team. It can have my job."
Vala bent down and began stroking the soft fur down the dog's back. "Aren't we Mr Sarcastic today?" she crooned as if talking to the dog. "Ignore him Odie, he's just jealous coz you get more attention from the ladies."
"Odie?" Daniel was slowly sidling behind Teal'c again as if he hoped the same trick would work the second time. Odie stood up and barked happily before bounding over to where the archaeologist hid. He reared up on his hind legs and put his paws on Daniel's chest.
"I believe Vala refers to the dog in the Garfield comics," Teal'c offered. To his left, Mitchell was sitting on the ground, muttering under his breath about women and their attachment to dumb animals and "this so wasn't what I signed on for."
"Is it really wise to be naming it?" Daniel asked as he pried Odie's paws loose and gave him a gentle push backwards. The dog landed back on all fours and stared up at him with big brown eyes, tails wagging so fast they were a blur. "Go home!" Daniel commanded, waving his hands encouragingly.
"Perhaps if I fire at the canine it will be deterred from following us further," Teal'c suggested.
"No no no no, you are not firing at Odie!" Vala shrieked, throwing herself between Teal'c and the dog. "What's he ever done to you?"
"Uh…" Sam stepped forward and laid a hand gently on Teal'c right arm. "Maybe we should save that as a last resort. I'm sure we'll think of a way to make Od – the animal stop following us."
"It's not following us, it's following me!" Daniel corrected. He backed away and Odie took two steps forward. He sidestepped and Odie quickly caught up. "See?"
"Maybe he thinks you're his daddy," Vala suggested, getting up from her position on the ground now that she was sure Teal'c wouldn't shoot the doggy and dusting herself off.
"…can't just shoot the damn things, now animals have feelings too…" Mitchell muttered.
"Well I'm not, so… wait a minute, his family must be around here somewhere, right?"
Vala nodded encouragingly, noting that Daniel had started calling Odie "he" instead of "it". "All we have to do is find them and we can go home without worrying about Odie's safety."
"…now the crazy girl thinks we gotta worry 'bout the stupid thing's safety…"
"Get up Cam, we've got a family of doggies to find!" Vala announced cheerfully as she grabbed one of Mitchell's arms and Sam grabbed the other. Together they pulled the reluctant Colonel up and prodded him in the right direction.
Daniel led the team, followed closely behind by Odie and then Teal'c, who kept his weapon trained on the dog in case he made any sudden move to attack. The two women kept Mitchell in front of them to make sure he didn't wander off in boredom or exasperation.
"Thought I was the leader of this team," Mitchell protested.
Up front, Daniel had slowed slightly to allow Odie to catch up and walk at his heel and was explaining to the dog in great length why the Egyptian pyramids were actually landing pads for Goa'uld spaceships.
"Don't worry boy," he told the dog, "We won't leave until we've found your family."
"I believe the dog to be female, Daniel Jackson."
Sam and Vala exchanged smiling glances.
"Silly man," Vala told Mitchell, winking at the other woman. "Where would you get that idea?"
