Mitchell smiled down at Sheppard, relieved he was awake and aware of what was going on around him – even though he looked like his head was killing him.

"We won," she clarified. "But you lost."

He snorted, and tried to sit up, but was held down by Doctor Cain, who put his hand on his chest.

"Lie flat for a bit, Colonel," he ordered. "You took a pretty good wallop to the head."

Sheppard didn't look like he wanted to lie flat, but his head obviously was telling him that it was a good idea, because he didn't complain. He relaxed, and looked over at Mitchell, frowning at the realization that it was blood that was soaked into her uniform.

"Injuries?" he asked.

"None that are too serious," she answered. "Some cuts, a few bruises and a lot of dead cats."

"And one beat up Colonel," Teyla added with a relieved smile.

Melony grinned.

"That's you, in case you weren't aware."

He scowled, but couldn't help looking a little chagrined.

"My cat was bigger than yours – and had sharper teeth."

"Uh huh."

"It did. And longer claws."

"Well, you did a great job of tripping it up, I hear," Mitchell told him; relieved he was able to joke around with her and the others. She turned her attention to Cain. "Doctor? Will he need to go back to Atlantis?"

"I'm fine," John said, quickly, trying to sit up once more and glaring at Cain as if to make sure he didn't answer the question the wrong way.

"I don't see the need," Cain answered, unruffled by the glare as he held Sheppard down once more. Now that he was getting his equilibrium back, he wasn't as uncertain as he had been when he'd been a walking case of shock himself. It helped that he had a patient to tend, of course. "He should be okay to go by morning, I think. He just needs some rest."

Melony nodded.

"Good. You heard him, Colonel. Sleep."

"What if more of those cats come?" John complained.

"We'll make sure to roll you in the way," Ronon told him, smiling as well.

Sheppard scowled.

"Cute."

Ronon answered the scowl with a smirk. He thought so, too.

Mitchell gestured for the Jaffa who weren't on watch just then to gather around – along with the three Light Ones who weren't on watch as well.

"Okay, you guys," she said to all of them. "Doctor Cain feels – and he's probably right – that these cats are going after the Jaffa mainly, because of the extra life force their symbiotes give them."

"And yourself, as well, Colonel," Cain added.

Melony nodded her acceptance of that.

"Since the Light Ones haven't changed form yet, that means they think it's entirely possible we might get another attack of these things… am I right Kale?" she asked the huge wolf standing beside Ford as the lieutenant ran his hands along its fur, looking for injuries.

A growl and a nod were his response, and the Jaffa nodded, as well. They didn't know how many of these cats there were, but everyone knew felines were nocturnal hunters. Even juiced up Wraith-eaters.

"Ronon? Is there a river or lake around here anywhere?"

He thought about it a moment, then nodded.

"A small stream. A couple of hours from here."

"We'll head there tomorrow." She wanted a chance to wash the blood out of her hair that she could feel drying.

"How many more of these cats do you think there are?" Cain asked.

She shrugged.

"There can't be that many, really. We don't know how many there were here to begin with – and not all of them could have gotten hold of the Wraith pieces, right?"

The others shrugged. They didn't know any more than she did.

"Okay. Let's schedule some watches and try to get some sleep."

Cain looked as if he had no intention of ever sleeping again – not after the way he'd been woken up the last time, but he did make Sheppard comfortable with another blanket and couple of softer packs for a pillow.

"I'd give you something potent for your head," he said as he tucked the blanket around the Colonel, "but it'd probably knock you out, and if more of those things attack…"

"I'm not going to want to be out," John finished. "Good call. Just give me some aspirin."

With a shorter amount of time left before sunrise, Mitchell took the watch – even though she'd already done one that evening. She didn't need to sleep. The scratches and bruises that she had from the latest battle with the cats weren't serious, and Talon could work on them while she was awake. And would.

With Ronon and Kale now acting as a guard – since both of them were well aware she'd be the first target of the three – they went out to the perimeter of the camp, and relieved the three Jaffa who had been standing watch.

One of them was bleeding from a fairly deep gash in his arm – a gash he'd neglected to tell anyone about in typical Jaffa stoicism – but Mitchell didn't allow that. Unlike the system lords she'd replaced, she cared about the Jaffa and wasn't about to allow them to suffer – even a little – if she could avoid it. To save his pride, however, she switched over to Goa'uld when she told him to go have the doctor look at it.

Ronon looked over at her as the Jaffa left.

"What language was that?"

"Goa'uld."

"I thought they didn't have mouths?"

Talon snickered in Melony's head, and she smiled.

"They don't, but they do have languages. They don't just use the language of their hosts. Besides, the Goa'uld in the Jaffa aren't mature, yet. They don't speak at all – unlike Talon who sometimes won't shut up."

Hey! I heard that!

Ronon looked confused, but shrugged his acceptance of the situation. Standing watch wasn't the time to get into complicated stories. Especially when there were Wraith-eating cats out looking for any meal they could find.