CHAPTER THREE

xxxxxxx

"Daniel?" Vala said calmly.

"Yeah?"

"I believe they have located us."

Daniel's head popped up to see the Apaches heading straight for them. "Damn! You better know how to tone down that bracelet; here they come. And try not to blow them up!"

Vala jumped up, hand straight out. From the reaction of the scouting party, they had not seen the two, and they practically skidded to an astonished halt.

One of them shouted something in a strange language, and another brought out his bow, whipping the arrow in place.

Daniel yelled, but Vala had already spotted the projectile. Using the Ribbon Device, she hit the beam dead center of the man's forehead, and he flew off the back of the horse, unconscious.

Three of the others grabbed their weapons, quickly taking aim, but Vala knocked them down in rapid succession, leaving one lone warrior sitting atop his mount, hands out to show he held no weapon. "Isdzán?" He said as if confused.

Daniel had rushed to stand beside Vala and the two exchanged a quick questioning look. "Isdzán?" Daniel repeated in inquiry.

The warrior pointed at Vala. "Isdzán." Then he cupped his chest.

"Woman! Isdzán." Daniel grabbed his pack, dug out his journal and leaded pencil and began to furiously write as though he stood safely in some eastern salon, with not a care.

"Daniel?"

Head down and scribbling away, he answered. "Hmm?"

"Please get two of those vehicles while I keep an eye on our friend here."

As if suddenly realizing what he was doing, he shoved the journal into the pack. Taking the rope leads of two of the horses, he swatted at the hind quarters of the other two and sent them off. "Horses."

Her head tilted and a brow rose. "What?"

"They're called horses, not vehicles."

"I specifically remember you saying vehicles."

He sighed heavily. "Well, they are not actually what one might refer to as a vehicle. They are animals. Horses in particular."

Hands slamming on her hips, she turned and glared at her frowning companion. "Did you or did you not say, when I asked you what you meant by horses…and I quote, "…a vehicle for travel?" From the corner of her eye she caught the warrior's movement. Without turning, her arm came up and she casually brought the bracelet forward in his direction, noting that he immediately stopped. "Were those people not sitting atop those animals, and were those animals not carrying those people forward?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So. They are a vehicle for travel."

"Fine." Disgusted, Daniel swung atop one of the horses with one fluid motion.

"Daniel."

"Now what?"

"Would you be so kind as to procure one of those nice propelling thingies and some of those projectiles while I keep an eye on this one?"

Once again he sighed. He dismounted and gathered a bow and a handful of arrows that lay scattered on the ground. "Bow." He held it aloft in one hand. "Arrows." He jerked them forward in the other. Taking a buckskin Quiver off one of the warriors, he shoved the arrows into it, tossing it across his shoulder. "Quiver for arrows." Grabbing the horse's mane, bow in hand; he swung up, frowning heatedly.

"Daniel."

"WHAT!?"

"Do you think you could point one of your nice little arrows at this person?"

He blinked. No way was he going to tell her he didn't have a notion as how to operate the bow and arrow. "Vala?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Why don't you just knock him out?"

"Oh! Good idea." She sent a wave at the warrior and he slumped forward, sliding from his mount. Grinning, she looked up at Daniel. "And darling?"

"Yes, Vala?"

"Would you come down here and help me up onto this vehicle?"

xxxxxx

Under the shade of the rock outcropping, Sam leaned back against the stone. "Where'd your other friend go?"

Passing the canteen to her, Jack shrugged. "Scouting around. Making sure we don't run into any unfriendlies."

"Jack." Jacob called out with a hint of concern from where he stood outside the overhang.

"Jacob?" Standing, Jack joined him, looking in the direction that the man stared. "It's Mitchell. Let's get ready to ride, he's coming in fast!"

xxxxxx

Cam Mitchell hung onto the saddle horn as if his life depended on it, which it did. Laying low over the horse, he felt the wind pulling against the arrow that stuck somewhere out of his back. War cries and the thunder of horses behind him filled his ears. Just keep ridin'.

Through bleary-eyed vision, he could just make out three figures waiting ahead for him. With effort he pushed himself up a bit and yelled, "Go! Get the hell outta here!"

As he caught up with them, Jack snatched the reins of Mitchell's mare and spurred his Bay forward. "God damn it, Mitchell, hold on!"

Cam grabbed a handful of the mare's mane. "Come on, Princess. You just keep runnin'. I'm stayin' right with you."

With the pack horse tied to her saddle and riding at breakneck speed, Sam pulled her pistol, twisted around and fired.

Jack looked back in time to see one of their pursuers drop to the ground. "Niiccee!"

Jacob pulled his mount to a spin-around stop, yanked the heavy gun from the leather sheath, slammed it against his shoulder and pulled the trigger. Caboom! The thunderous report from the rifle echoed and the attackers hesitated, then they resumed their pursuit. Slamming the weapon back into its holster, Jacob reined the big mustang around and caught up with the others.

Screaming over the cacophony of noises, Jacob rode beside Jack. "I missed the son of a bitch!"

"Yeah, well, you scared the hell out of 'em!" Jack grinned as if he were enjoying this.

"It's a muzzle load, I'm done!" Jacob scowled, "hand me your rifle!"

"Sir! They're gaining on us!" Sam took another shot and missed this time. "Damn!"

Passing Mitchell's reins to Jacob instead, Jack pulled his rifle out, wrapping his own reins loosely around the saddle horn. Sitting tall in the saddle as the Bay galloped ahead, he turned and popped off two shots, both hitting targets. He grinned triumphantly at Carter.

"Still gaining." She admonished, but grinned anyway. "We may have to make a stand."

"I think not." Jack jerked his head back towards their pursuers and Sam spotted the lone rider, Teal'c, cutting between the two parties and stopping to face their assailants.

"What's he doing? He'll be killed!" Slowing, Sam rode back to where Jack and Jacob had stopped.

"Nope. He's lived with these people, and no one, but no one messes with the big guy."

Cam moaned, and Jacob turned to him. "We need to settle in somewhere so I can check him out before he ruptures something I can't fix."

"JacobCarter." Teal'c had the ghost of a smile on his lips as he rode up. "You have become a legend with your very loud weapon. My brothers were quite impressed." Uttering something in the Apache language, the others stared in question at him.

"Ya care to translate that T?" Jack squinted up at the sun a moment, before bringing his eyes back to Teal'c.

"They have named him Buffalo Thunder." Teal'c's vague smile disappeared quickly when he noticed Mitchell's injury. "Let us find shelter for the night and tend to CaptainMitchell's wounds." Riding ahead, face passive again, Teal'c led them towards a small stand of shrub and rock in the distance.

Riding close behind Teal'c, Jack mumbled, "wonder what they call me."

To which Teal'c responded. "It is not something that can be spoken in front of a lady."

xxxxxx

"I think that this vehicle needs some adjusting. I believe my insides have been rearranged, and by backside is bruised. Care to take a look?" Vala waggled her brows at her traveling companion, who glared in response.

"Be quiet!"

"I'm hot and miserable and chafed in places you'd be delighted to know about. Can't we stop? Does your planet have no water? I desperately need a bath! Please, Daniel?"

"Hot! Well what did you expect? You're encased in skin tight leather!"

"You noticed?"

He held up a hand to silence her. Quietly, he spoke. "There's a small camp up ahead." Sliding from the Indian pony, he threw the rope to Vala. "I'm going to check it out. Wait here."

"Are all the women on your planet useless, darling? Over-protected and simple?"

"Vala." He warned.

She shrugged. "Fine. Go. Get yourself killed. I don't care." Coming off her pony, gingerly, she winced and rubbed her butt. "It may never be the same again." She patted the horse's nose. "There, there, Adria, nice girl."

Walking away, Daniel hid the grin that graced his sun burned face.

Nearly thirty minutes passed before he returned to find her lying on the ground, knees bent and feet upon the earth, twirling a lock of hair indolently in her fingers.

"I'm bored." She lamented hearing his approach.

"We've been invited to dinner…or possibly as dinner. I'm really not sure." He reached for her and helped her up.

Groaning, Vala shut her eyes a moment. "I no longer care." She brushed the dust from her rear end with an unhappy grimace.

Daniel mounted his ride and turned to Vala with a raised brow. "Coming?"

"I'll walk."

xxxxxx

Dinner consisted of dried fruit, seeds and hard jerky, and thankfully not them. The setting sun cast the mountains in the distance in reds and golds, with the sky glowing pink around them.

The small gathering of Native Americans consisted mostly of women and children with a few elderly men. Both Daniel and Vala were amazed by their strength and the efficiency of their camp. As the sun set, Daniel was invited to the fire by the old men, and Vala was led off by the women towards one of the wickiups.

The camp appeared to be recent and sat near a stand of small trees and a deep puddle of water, caught in the basin of well worn rock. Daniel removed his tattered suit coat in disgust and threw it towards the flames. A knurled hand reached out and caught it, and one of the elders slipped it on with a wide toothless grin. Nodding, Daniel smiled. The old man removed the jacket again then his deerskin shirt and tossed it to Daniel with a guttural word. The linguist in him wondered if it meant 'There'. 'Trade'. Or 'You're an idiot'.

Next Daniel offered up his vest and received a beautiful turquoise bracelet he was sure Vala would somehow manage to steal. Reluctantly, Daniel shucked out of his filthy shirt and pulled the snug-fitting replacement on. The V of the neck exposed a bit more chest than Daniel thought prudent. This time he did not attempt to burn the offending shirt, instead held it out. Another man offered a small pouch and Daniel made the trade. Inspecting the contents of the pouch he discovered a cache of edible fruit and seed mix and he smiled. "Good trade." The man seemed to understand.

What happened next shocked Daniel to the core. The youngest of the men, still looking older than God himself, stood and removed his buckskin pants, standing nakedly unconcerned and shoving the clothing in Daniel's chest. Okayyyy. Looking around to be sure none of the women, one in particular, were watching, he stood, removed his pants and quickly shimmied into the soft, comfortable ones.

Next, new boots for moccasins, then the last man held out a knife in its sheath. Daniel held his hands, palms up and empty, showing he had nothing left to trade. The man insisted, repeatedly offering the knife. Digging in his pack, Daniel searched for something he could live without. At the bottom of the pack was an Ankh necklace he'd bought in Cairo. Pulling it out, he let it dangle by its ribbon. The group of men responded with awed and amazed sounds. Eyes alight with wonder the man placed the knife in Daniel's hand and reverently adorned himself with the much envied object.

The man spoke and Daniel repeated the words –"Aoo, da' nzho. Yes, it is good."

xxxxxx

Late into the night, Daniel had to admit he was a bit worried about Vala. How long had she been gone? He searched his pack, looking for his gold watch only to discover it missing. "That damned thief!" He barked out and the men around him jumped in surprise at his outburst. "Where is she? The woman? The… Isdzán?"

The suit jacketed one responded with what Daniel quickly translated to mean 'Your woman?'

"Hell no!"

Twinkling old eyes smiled back as the elder pointed to the last wickiup at the end of the camp. Hopping up, Daniel stalked towards the structure. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he acknowledged the comfort of his newly acquired clothing.

The opening was small, and he ducked inside. When he stood up, head mere inches from the roof, he saw four grinning women standing in front of Vala, who appeared to tower over them. Stepping aside, they revealed their handiwork.

Annoyed by his own need to gasp, he managed to shove the reaction to her down. "Where the hell is my watch?"

"Watch? And that is?" Her soft, light colored deerskin shirt was belted over the equally soft skirt. High moccasins, laced up her shins, showed beneath the skirt that barely reached mid calf. The other women, dressed similarly, were particularly short and the native women's skirts reach their ankles. Vala's dark hair, pigtailed and wrapped in suede lacings, glistened in the firelight. It if wasn't for her height and her alabaster skin she could easily be mistaken for one of the tribe.

"Watch, timepiece, round, gold, on a chain. Where is…" He caught site of it dangling around the neck of a young woman.

Vala's eyes cut to the object. "Oh. That. Well, darling, I traded it for clothes! Whatever do you need a timepiece for? Have a date with someone? Are you late?"

He sighed and dropped his chin to his chest. There wasn't a damned thing he could do to get the watch back and she knew it. "Why would you need to trade my watch? You had your own clothes to trade. And god knows what else in that bag of yours." He looked up in time to see the women scurry out of the hut.

"Trade my clothes! Ha, never! They are safely tucked in my bag." She clenched her teeth and grinned.

"Sam gave me that watch!"

"Who's he?" Vala turned to arrange the furs and blankets left by the women.

"She. Samantha."

Popping up with a look of surprise, she whispered, "You have a girlfriend!? How terribly disturbing. I had such hopes…"

He chose not to correct her misguided conclusion. "What are you doing?"

Vala had turned back to arranging the buffalo furs and blankets. "Making our bed, I'm sure your Samantha won't mind."

"Our bed?"

"Yes. While I haven't an inkling of what was said, I was able to figure out that this is our homey hut for the evening."

Daniel snatched a fur from the pile. "Your hut. I'm sleeping outside!"

As he left, Vala huffed under her breath. "Well she must be special. I'm not quite sure I like that."