I know, Fanwoman, but it was me who got a bit of a shock when I realised I had set myself a project that meant I had to whump on purpose, otherwise how could he save anyone? I've only ever borrowed whump from canon LOL. But I'd started by then so I couldn't stop!
drufan and Xtin2000 - Yeah, me too – LOL!
Chapter Four
They had the camp dismantled before they rested for lunch. It felt like it had been a long morning, but the warm feeling of achievement was still burning in the hearts of Jinto and Wex. Halling and Myro had many tales to tell of times past, and it enhanced the atmosphere of the day.
McKay glanced at Ronon, and saw him shift nervously on the rock he was sitting on. "Ronon, you OK?" he asked, quietly.
"Fine. I don't like hanging around much. Not used to sitting in one place longer than a few minutes. I get…nervous."
The enormity of some of Ronon's comments had not yet ceased to amaze and horrify McKay. He swallowed. "Right. Yeah." Not sure what else to say, McKay stood, and began clearing up.
With his lead, the rest of the group more reluctantly got to work, packing up. They knew they would need to camp again, before reaching the 'gate tomorrow at some point. As long as they made some progress this afternoon, they would be on schedule.
Jinto was pulling his pack onto his pack as he wandered over to McKay. "Do you think I could be a scientist one day, Dr McKay?"
McKay straightened up and towered over the boy, studying him closely. "Do you like taking things apart?" he asked.
"Uh, I like making things…" he offered, frowning with concentration.
"It's a start, I suppose. Try taking things apart sometime." McKay shrugged.
"OK." Jinto wandered away, his lips pursed in thought.
0o0o0
Sheppard and Teyla led the way as the track wound its way around the foot of Tar-Shen. A steep slope led up the mountain to their left, a densely-shrubbed slope led away down on their right. The muddy, stony track was crossed by rivulets of water running down the hillside into the river flowing far below them.
The boys scurried along beside their fathers, ahead of Ronon and McKay who brought up the rear. It had begun to rain quite heavily again, and the group had picked up the pace a little. McKay looked up at the Satedan.
"Feel better on the move?"
There was hesitation from Dex. "Yes. And No."
McKay was about to ask for a little clarification, when an incredible rumbling noise filled his senses, and shook him on his feet. He looked ahead to where Sheppard and Teyla had stopped, and had turned to face them. Simultaneously, they all realised the source of the noise, and looked up to the hillside above them, to see a huge rush of water and mud slipping down between them.
The landslide seemed to remove a slice of the hill between Sheppard and McKay, and it was taking Halling and Myro with it. The two Athosian men were hit hard by the force of the liquidy mass, and were carried down the shrubby bank.
"Father!" cried Jinto, as he and Wex were knocked to their knees by the gushing torrent in front of them.
Ronon leapt from the track and began bounding down the hillside after the two men. Sheppard was shouting but he could not be heard. McKay stared after Ronon, and was then horrified to see more of the track slipping away down the hill, with Jinto and Wex falling with it. He dived forward, falling flat on his stomach, searching with his eyes into the opening chasm, but his vision blurred by muddy spray. The boys had disappeared from sight.
Sheppard looked at Teyla, and she spoke for him. "I will go and help Ronon, you stay here and assist Dr McKay." He nodded, and she swiftly launched herself down into the undergrowth, following the line of the chasm.
"Atlantis? This is Sheppard. We need medical assistance. Send Beckett. Send two puddlejumpers. Now."
A/N: I've never written such action before. How's it going?