Crossings
Sam and the children looked at the ravine in front of them. They could possibly climb down it and back to the top on the other side, but that would take several hours. From where they stood, she couldn't see a bridge of any sort to the east or the west. We can't have come this far only to have to turn around again? Sam thought to herself.
"Stay here everyone. I'm going to go closer to the edge and see if I can find a way over to the other side." With those words, Sam slowly edged her way to the side of the ravine and looked down. It was a long way down...about 15 meters. She noticed something unusual to her left. Down about 3 meters was ledge that ran along this side of the ravine for about a meter and then extended out and across the ravine. It appeared to be about two feet wide and reached to the other side. It looked like a naturally made bridge. There just might be a way to get across!
Sam came back to the children and told them what she had found. "I am going to go down there and check out the ledge to see if it is stable enough for us to go across. I want you all to stay right here until I get back OK? Josef, I'd like you to come with and wait at the top for me. Kiera, you're in charge of the rest of the children. We'll be back soon," she assured the remaining children.
Sam made her way back to the edge of the ravine with Josef in tow. When they reached the edge, Sam pointed the ledge out to Josef. "It looks like it goes completely across to the other side. It looks sturdy enough from here but I want to check it out to be sure. You stay here in case I need some rope or something, OK?"
"OK Major Sam. Please be careful," Josef implored.
"I will," Sam replied. She gently eased herself over the edge of the cliff, hearing gasps from the children as she disappeared from their sight. It was a short drop to the ledge, which served as a platform of sorts to the bridge-like structure that spanned the ravine. Sam was not afraid of heights, she remembered walking across a much thinner beam when they first saw Thor as a hologram in that cavern, and again when they found the crystal skull. This would be easier than either of those by the look of it; well, easier for her. She wasn't sure about the children.
Sam took several steps onto the ledge that led over the ravine. It appeared to be very sturdy – there were no rocks tumbling from its sides as she walked. The sides of the ledge slanted sharply down to the base of the ravine. It was a sharp drop; they would have to be extremely careful that no one fell off as they crossed over. Sam turned around and looked up to where Josef was waiting for her. "I think this will work Josef. Let's head back and tell the rest of the children what we're going to do."
Josef helped Sam climb back up to the top and headed back to where the children waited anxiously. They had not liked seeing Sam disappear from view, even for a few minutes. Sam smiled at the children, trying to ease their concerns.
"There is a ledge that goes across the ravine, almost like a bridge. It is wide enough for us to walk across one at a time. It is a very steep drop though, so we'll have to go slow and be very careful as we cross. I would prefer if I took you one at a time across the ledge. It will take longer but we will be safer that way. Do any of you have any questions?"
"Can we hold your hand when we go across?" asked Jalia. She was not overly fond of heights and was nervous just thinking about it.
"Of course you can. Actually, I think that would be best. Let's go to the edge and you can all see how it looks." Sam got up and led the children to the edge of the ravine. They could clearly see the platform they would stand on and the structure they would walk across. The children looked nervously to Sam and Josef, wondering who would be the first to cross.
"Josef, I think you should go across first with me," said Sam. "Then you can help the children up to the other side and keep them safe."
"I can go across without your help Major Sam. You could start leading one of the other children as I go across." Josef replied.
"No Josef, I would feel better if I went across with each of you separately. Besides, you and I should carry our supplies over on the first trip. Here, you put the pack on your back, I'll carry the mats." Looking at the rest of the children, Sam instructed them to wait right where they were. She didn't want anyone wandering off while they traversed this ravine.
Sam and Josef made their way down to the platform and across the ledge. They went slowly and carefully watched their steps. In no time at all, they were safely on the other side and Josef hoisted himself up to the top of the ravine. The children could see him clearly from their side and waved happily at him. Seeing how easily Josef made it across helped ease their fears.
Sam made her way back, then took each child in turn across the ledge. When it was Jalia's turn to cross, she balked at going over at first. Sam's reassuring words and tight hold on her hand convinced the girl she could do this. With slower steps than the other children, Jalia made it safely across and tightly hugged Kiera once she was on the other side. She never wanted to do something like that again in her life!
The last two left to come across were Bryson and his brother Kellan. Bryson, normally a fearless child who always wanted to keep up with his brother, balked at going across the ledge. He refused to go with Sam alone. Finally, she had to give in and have Kellan accompany her. She didn't like this arrangement but the others had gotten across without incident and she felt confident that Kellan would do just fine. Besides, it appeared to be the only way she could get Bryson across.
Sam the led the way across, Bryson's hand held firmly in hers, his other hand in Kellan's grasp. It was difficult for him to walk steadily this way, so Sam convinced him to let go of Kellan's hand when they were half way across. She didn't want the smaller boy to cause his brother to lose his balance. The continued on at a snail's pace, Sam glancing back often to check on Kellan's progress at the end of the line.
Bryson too checked on his brother's progress behind him. As he glanced at his brother for the millionth time, a large bird came into view. From the corner of his eye, Bryson saw it swoop down close to where the other children were waiting and continue on toward the ledge. So fascinated was he in this huge bird that he forget to watch where he was stepping and got a bit too close to the side of the ledge. Sam felt the tug on her arm before she saw him slip over the edge and cry out. "BRYSON!" she yelled as she instinctively dropped to her knees while still hanging onto his hand. She grabbed at his other arm that was flailing around with her left hand. The sudden shift in his weight to both hands caused her to slam into the ledge, right onto her sore left shoulder. Sam grimace in pain but continued to hold onto the little boy, who was now sobbing hysterically.
Sam was having trouble getting up to her knees and pulling the boy up at the same time. Kellan, who had been standing behind his brother the whole time, watching in shocked silence, came out of his daze and lurched forward onto his knees to help Sam pull his brother to safety. Once he was back onto the ledge, Sam pulled him into her arms and held him tightly against her. She was just as shaken as the two boys were. She would never have forgiven herself if something had happened to Bryson. She should have been keeping a closer eye on him!
Sam pulled back and looked the little boy over. Except for a few scraps on his arms and the side of his face, he looked like he would be all right physically. "Are you OK Bryson? Does anything hurt? I am so sorry...I should have been watching you closer."
Bryson sniffled and looked at Sam, then Kellan. "I'm OK Major Sam. It wasn't your fault; I was watching a bird and didn't look where I was going. It's all my fault!" Bryson started to cry again.
"Shhh, it's no one's fault OK? It happened, but you are all right and that is all that matters. Kellan and I are very glad that you are such a strong, brave boy. You held on tight and didn't let go. We are very proud of you," Sam reassured the boy. "Let's get across this ledge and see about cleaning you up, OK?" she smiled gently at him.
Sam stood up and held tightly to Bryson's hand as they made their way the last few meters to the other side of the ravine. She handed Bryson up to Josef, then helped Kellan up the slight incline to safety. Once at the top, she gathered both Bryson and Kellan close to her and held them tightly. The other children gathered around her in concern for the three of them. They had nervously watched the rescue attempt and had held their breath as Bryson dangled over the side of the ledge. Everyone was relieved at the happy ending of this little escapade.
Sam cleaned up Bryson's scrapes and put some ointment on them. She took off her jacket and put it on the small boy as he was shivering, most likely from fright. She rolled up the sleeves of the long sleeved jacket so Bryson's hands were just visible. Even with the sleeves rolled up, he still looked like he was drowning in the shirt, but he gave her a happy smile as he fingered the patch on the side of the jacket.
She made sure all of the children had some water to drink. She wanted to get away from the ledge and back on the trail as soon as possible. They needed to clear the forest before dark; or at least get as near to the edge of the forest as possible. Sam was starting to worry about their supplies if they didn't make it to the gate by tomorrow.
After a brief rest, everyone was ready to go, so they set off down the narrow path of the forest once again. Sam hoped they were close to the end. She wasn't sure how much longer the children would hold out. It was two hours later that she saw an opening in the forest up ahead. Sam could see mountainous ridges peeking through the opening in the trees. "Do you think that is the end of the forest Josef?" she asked the oldest boy.
"I think so Major Sam. I can see one of the great ridges up ahead," Josef replied eagerly.
"Me too!" shouted Teegan. "Can I race someone to the clearing?" He was obviously excited to be near the end of the day's journey and had some excess energy to wear off. Where he got the energy, Sam didn't know. She was feeling pretty exhausted herself!
"I'll race you," cried Jalia. "Is that Ok Major Sam?"
"OK, but I want you to make sure you stop once you reach the clearing, no going any further!"
"We won't!" cried the two youngsters. Bryson decided to join them, for which Sam was glad. It was good to see the boy back to his exuberant self after the mishap earlier in the day. She wasn't concerned about them running ahead, as she could clearly see the clearing from here and knew that the children would stop and wait for her. They had been wonderfully behaved this whole time and she didn't expect things to change now.
The rest of the group followed at a more sedate pace but still met up with the others in a few minutes time. They all stopped in the clearing and looked at the scene before them. They were on the top of one ridge and could see three others surrounding this one. As they went closer to the edge of the ridge they were on, they looked down and saw what Josef had described to them: there appeared to be a large X where the four ridges met. There were many large boulders at the base of the ridges and they could also see several caves at the bottom. They would have to get down there to see which cave was the one they needed. From this height, it was hard to distinguish a triangular shaped boulder from the other boulders strewn about the ridge floor.
Sam looked to the sky. The sun would be setting behind the ridge in little less than an hour. She didn't want to risk a climb down the steep hill in the darkening sky so decided that they would camp out in the clearing for tonight. In the morning, she would once again get the rope out and take her little group down the ridge and try to locate the cave with the second Stargate.
She gathered the children to her and led them to the edge of the clearing near to the trees. She wanted to have some protection against the elements. Just as she was about to start a small fire to cook the last three MRE meals, she heard a noise in the distance that sounded like an aircraft of some kind. The children heard it too and looked to her for some explanation. Could it be the Tok'ra or another of Earth's ally's coming to find her? Or was it the Jaffa? Not willing to take the chance and been seen out in the open, Sam hustled the children back into the forest; far enough in to be hidden but close enough so that Sam could watch the sky.
The sound from the ship came closer and closer. Sam knew that sound now, she had heard it many times in the past and it caused her heart to stop: a Death Glider. She ducked further back into the trees with the children and watched as not one, but two Death Glider's roared past their position, traveling from the south to the north. She only hoped they were headed to the first Stargate and were not out looking for her and the seven children who had disappeared from the meeting house three days ago.
As always/TBC