"What's this mean," Jennifer asked one day as she was checking a large burn Ronon had gotten on his most recent mission. "This tattoo? I mean, I know about the one on your arm, but..." As the Satedan turned his head to look at her, wondering what she meant, she lifted her hand, tapping a fingertip against the dark marks on his neck. "That one," she clarified, glancing up at him briefly before she kept working.
Ronon nodded, now knowing which one she meant...at least she wasn't asking about the stupid one John had convinced him to get the last time they were on earth..."Back home, it was a rite of passage, I guess," he shrugged, wincing as he felt cold metal against his back. "Dragged kids out of the village blindfolded, with nothing but a knife, and if you survived for a month on your own, you were made into a warrior." As Jennifer finished her work, he scooted around on the bed until he was facing her, continuing his story. "What mark you got depended on how you survived, too. This one means I survived by killing and eating animals most of the others weren't likely to go near."
As he hopped off the bed, towering over her, Jennifer gave a small nod, putting away her instruments. "So, like tigers and things," she asked curiously, knowing Rodney had shown him pictures of the animals they had back on Earth, adding comments about how dangerous they were, and how even a 'caveman' like Ronon wouldn't be able to go up against them.
"Why don't you come have lunch with me and I'll tell you about it," Ronon suggested, slinging an arm around her shoulders and leading her towards the door when she nodded. "So, anyway, there I was in the woods, on my own..."