They had emerged from the tunnel into a larger expanse, surrounded by high cliffs on both sides, and a narrow path snaking between. Sam had summarised that they were now at the base of the crevice, and had scouted out the immediate area. She had found no foreseeable access to ascending the cliff walls. Making her way back to where she'd left the two men started making a plan in her mind.
Cameron was sitting against the cliff wall where she had left him, head-lolling forward slightly as he pressed his hand to his head; Daniel sat beside him, seemingly a little more alert. Looking upwards, the heavy mist seemed to hover above them, making it impossible to see the sky, creating almost a bubble like dome to look up into from their position. The thunder still rolled on, sounding distant but echoing about the narrow walls they were surrounded by. Sam could still feel minor vibrations running along the walls if she pressed her hands to the wall, and wondered how many tunnels and passageways may have been hewn into the rocks. She halted in front of the two men and summarised their situation, thinking aloud.
"The path leads further into the crevice if we head that way" she said, pointing her weapon in the general southerly direction of the path. "That way, the path leads into the tree line and up, I think that will be our safest bet. The radios won't penetrate through this rock, so even if the SGC do send teams, we need to be higher in order to make contact with them"
She paused, her mind whirring ahead, and taking in the state of both men before her. There was no way Cameron was going to be able to walk by himself, getting him out of the tunnel had been bad enough. He had definite concussion, was grumbling about pains in his chest, possibly a broken rib or two, and had badly twisted his ankle in his fall. He'd explained to the both of them that the roof had fallen badly about him and he'd been caught badly in the shower of rock and stones, which had scattered down about him. Daniel's arm was severely injured, probably broken and he cradled it bent up to his chest with his good arm, gritting his teeth against the pain.
"I'm thinking we follow the path up, and through the forest. The tree line followed us all the way here from the Stargate, albeit at a distance. If we can find our way back to the fields we came through, we should able to gather our bearings enough to get back to the Stargate"
Cameron didn't respond to anything she said. Daniel mildly nodded his head in agreement. Sam crouched onto one knee in front of Cameron and gently lifted his face to hers.
"Cameron," she said gently, his eyes were glassy and unresponsive "We gotta go ok...it's not far along the path. Once we get to forestry I can try and come up with a way of transporting you. But sitting here, I can't do anything for you...we gotta move from here...I need you to try and walk with me"
He merely closed his eyes a moment and opened them again. Sam took it as an understanding of what she was saying. Without moving she glanced over to Daniel.
"Daniel you ready to move out?" she asked
"Yeah" was all he said, nodding as he pushed himself to his feet.
"Ok lets go" whispered Sam under her breath and positioning herself with one of Cameron's arms slung over her shoulders. She propelled them upwards and he instinctively wrapped his free arm about his chest in response to the pain he was obviously suffering.
It was a painstakingly slow process. Sam had to stop every few minutes or so, to let Cameron lean against the crevice walls. He could barely walk and each step was painful, and she was surprised he could even take the few steps he did. He didn't speak, seeming almost on an autopilot and she kept endearing him with words of encouragement that it wasn't far to go. In all honesty the treeline was a good ten minutes away, but with the slowness of their manoeuvring, it took more than forty to reach their destination. By the time they reached where the path entered the forestry, Sam's back was aching from the strain of having half dragged half carried Cameron's weight the short way. A few large boulders, overgrown with moss and plants lay just a few steps into the trees and Sam settled Cameron gently down on one of them, taking a moments rest on another. Daniel settled by the both of them.
Scouting the pathway as she sat, it weaved throughout the trees, on an upward path. The path itself was overgrown but visible, and Sam knew it was going to be a difficult walk. There was no way she could manoeuvre Cameron through it on foot, so she'd have to come up with a different way of getting him through. She un hooked the pack from her back, and removed Daniel's first. Searching quickly through one, she pulled out a med kit, prioritising the task at hand. Taking out the painkillers she handed some to Daniel, with a flask, before turning to Cameron, who was leaning back against the boulders, his eyes half open half closed. The gash on his head had stopped bleeding, and Sam set to work cleaning it up somewhat, before wrapping a bandage about it.
"Ok Daniel" she said, turning back to him "Lets see what we can do about that arm"
She set out another bandage from the kit, and stood scouting the forest floor, before picking up a sturdy couple of sticks. She quickly set his arm, bandaging it between the two sticks, before setting it into a sling. She paused a moment and looked at Daniel for reassurance that it wasn't hurting too much.
"Could be better," she said to him with a shrug as he looked over her handiwork
"Could be worse too," reassured Daniel, glancing over to Cameron. "Any thoughts on how we're going to get along that path"
Sam shrugged and looked about her, wracking her brains.
"I'm going to have create a stretcher of some sort I think" she said , once more thinking aloud "Should be able to wrangle something up, using the packs and whatever wood I can find"
14 Hours Earlier
Sam stood back and looked over the makeshift stretcher with a raised brow. She shivered and glanced about, as the mist finally descended down from above and started to surround them. Daniel had watched on silently as she'd worked, as she'd scoured the area for some decent enough logs to work with. She'd thankfully found something decent to work with and had used the two packs for length and to maximise comfort. With ribbon cuffs usually kept for apprehending the bad guy, Sam had used them to bind the stretcher together and had padded it with thick leaves growing from one of the varied plant life growing about them.
It wasn't her best creation, but it would do. She prayed it wouldn't fall to bits on their trek, and knew it was still going to be a difficult process. But she also knew despite her best efforts, that half dragging half-carrying Cameron alone would be an even worse idea. Her mind had whirred over wanting Teal'c present numerous times. He'd have been great help, not only a physical strength, but emotionally as well. It was times such as these she realised how used she was to him being around, and how much she missed him when he wasn't. Still there as no point in wishing, and she pushed aside the thoughts, instead pulling Cameron into a sitting position.
"Cameron" she said, as he opened his eyes and growled in painful response "Care to take a ride?"
He seemed barely aware of her words, and didn't respond to her trying to make light of their situation. Instead she sat by him on the rock and pulled his arm about her shoulders once more, before pushing them both to their feet. He gave another groan of frustration, as she manoeuvred herself around, before slowly lowering them both to the ground, settling him onto the stretcher. He moved slowly and cautiously, as she helped him lie down. She ran a hand gently over his forehead as he closed his eyes, brow furrowing slightly. Sam had hoped the pain meds would have helped ease the pain he was in, but they didn't seem to be taking much effect.
"Ready Daniel?" asked Sam rising and looking over to Daniel who had been following her every mood silently. He merely nodded and took her offered outstretched arm, as she pulled him to his feet.
"You going to manage?" he asked, nodding towards Cameron
"Better than the alternative" replied Sam, "This is what I'm trained for"
"Sam..."
"We'll take it slow and easy Daniel" said Sam, turning swiftly and positioning herself by the stretcher "Lets just hope this mist doesn't impair our view too much, or turn into anything worse"