It didn't take Ronon long to find the earlier path he and the others had taken with Cane. Even less time for the Jaffa scouts to find the exact place where their tracks ended abruptly. This was the spot that they had been here one moment and on the edge of the village the next.

Teal'c looked at the Light One that had been ranging in front of them while they walked.

"Kale?"

The Light One turned wolf rumbled, his nose in the air one moment and then near the ground the next as he searched for a scent on the air or left on the ground. Kale knew Mitchell's scent better than any of the other Light Ones, and the scouting group was counting on that, really, since they had no idea how far or in what direction the village was from where they were. If Mitchell's team had been transported – in the same manner that the Asgard used, say – then it wouldn't work, but Ronon didn't think it had been the same. He hadn't felt himself dissolve or anything. It was simply there one moment and somewhere else the next – and hopefully, that would leave a trail of some kind.

It did.

Kale lifted his nose, sniffing the gentle breeze and then turning his head, his pale eyes – nothing like a wolf's, really – turning towards Teal'c. A short, barely audible bark, and a slight wag of the bushy tail were all the Jaffa needed.

"You found the trail?"

This time Kale nodded, and he started off in the direction they'd been going, stopping only long enough to look over his shoulder as if to make sure they were following.

Teal'c keyed his radio.

"Colonel Sheppard, this is Teal'c."

"Go ahead."

"Kale appears to have found the trail we are looking for."

"Roger that. We'll watch your six from above – watch out for any ambushes."

With the brush and trees it wasn't possible that Sheppard and those in the two Jumpers would be able to keep an eye on everything – even with the flying Light Ones helping out with their incredible eye sight – but Teal'c didn't need that reminder. He was constantly looking out for danger when he was off world.

"Indeed."

He glanced at the others, motioning for them to follow the wolf, and Kale turned again, loping away from them at an easy run and following a trail only he could smell.

OOOOOOOOOO

"She's gone!"

Hu's angry roar brought several of his people running, and he gestured impatiently to the open door of his quarters.

"She escaped!"

It never occurred to any of them to point out that he was the one who had been watching her so it was pretty much his own fault he'd lost his prisoner. Instead, they waited for him to tell them what he wanted. They weren't used to holding people captive in the first place – and were a little dazed about how furious he was about losing her.

Hu made an impatient gesture at their dull stares – exasperated with them and furious that she'd escaped.

"Find her!"

They separated, some heading into the buildings in the area to check them, others heading for the outskirts of the village, watched curiously by the others, who weren't sure exactly what was going on, only that something had their leader upset.

Hu watched as they left, and then made an annoyed noise, and headed back into the main building. And stopped short as soon as he walked through the doorway.

Standing in front of him, holding Ronon Dex's awesome weapon so it was pointed directly at his chest, was Colonel Mitchell.

OOOOOOOOOOO

They'd searched the entire building, looking through each room for any sign of Teyla or Ronon, only to come up completely empty.

They must be holding them elsewhere, Talon said, finally.

Why leave the weapons with me, then?

Who knows?

We have to find them.

We're not going to be able to look everywhere before someone notices you're gone, he'd said.

Which means we do things differently.

Since the two of them were connected mentally, neither was sure who had decided on their eventual plan, but since it was exactly what both would normally do, it didn't really matter who had thought of it first. They'd get Hu when he returned to try and bully her again, and force him to take her to the others. From there they'd figure out how to escape – which would probably include taking the leader of the cat-people with them as added insurance.

Ronon's is more intimidating, Talon had advised.

And easier to handle than a staff weapon – which was probably more powerful than Dex's weapon, but not as bulky.

The alarm had gone up just as they were deciding what to do, and Melony had felt a sharp pang of annoyance as she realized that there was no way they'd get Hu alone, now. She watched from a lower floor window as he sent his people off to look for her, and couldn't believe her luck when Hu turned and headed her direction – alone.

It had been to good an opportunity to pass up – and she hadn't. And now she had him – and he knew it as well as she did.

"Now…" she said, her gray eyes steely and as cold as the weapon in her hand. "Where are my companions?"