Back from my Christmas Break! Enjoy this next chapter. Sorry this one is so short. Next one will be a bit longer!

Chapter Eight:

Crossing Bridges

Sheppard was silent on the trek back to the bridge, his eyes peeled and his gun at the ready. Ronon was just as silent at the back of the small group, his own weapon in hand as basically ignored the oozing wound in his forearm. Drake and Stevens carried Franks the best they could with O'Connor, Price, and Beard right behind them in case they should need time to run. Everyone had grown quiet and it wasn't the comfortable kind.

John noticed the glances from his team at his silence as they made their way through the thick underbrush. No doubt they were wondering about what they would do once they made it back to the bridge. If he knew of another way that didn't take hours to travel, he would take it. Unfortunately with two men dead and one at the gates, he couldn't take that risk. Question was, is crossing the bridge again the best idea? Honestly, it comes down to whether the bridge holds.

With a raised fist, the group lowered themselves to the forest floor, silent and waiting.

"Alright, here it is. We have two days down this blasted mountain. The first way is the bridge that leads to the rock wall and the ten mile run. I know it doesn't sound the best, but the only other option is to go a flat run across the mountain for the next couple hours, take the caves, and then down and around the base of the mountain to the gate. While this is less dangerous for us, it would take at least a day…" he glanced at Franks, "maybe two, to reach the gate while this one will take maybe a day at most, depending on the weather and conditions."

The others nodded. Drake glanced up at the gray clouds on the horizon. It was nearly morning and it wasn't looking good. No doubt, it would soon begin to rain.

"This time I am going to take point and cross the bridge first. I will stop in between the half way mark and the other side. I want Drake and Stevens with franks to go next. Price, O'Connor, and beard, I want you next. Ronon will follow last. Any questions?"

"Colonel, I don't mean to be negative," O'Connor started, "but what if the wolves come when we are crossing?"

Sheppard nodded. He knew it was possible.

"Then we run and hope for the best."

None of them looked very encouraged by those words, but they knew they had little choice. As the others took a short break, John turned to his friend.

"How's the arm? And don't tell me fine. I can tell its bleeding has increased."

Ronon grumbled just slightly, but admitted the truth. He knew Sheppard needed to know all the factors concerning this mission; his injury included.

"Hurts, but I can make it."

Sheppard didn't doubt the man, but he still was concerned.

"How are you?" Ronon asked pointedly.

John nearly said fine without even thinking it through, but he knew Ronon wouldn't accept that and instead would take it as the complete and total opposite.

"I am not fine, but I can make it too."

That was good enough for Ronon.

SGA

Drake glared at the clouds the closer they came to the bridge. He was already a bit concerned about crossing that death trap again, let alone doing so in the pouring rain with wolves on their heels.

"You think it will hold?" Stevens whispered to him.

Drake glanced at the Captain who he had slowly become somewhat friends with on the trip.

"I hope so," he stated with a sigh.

The captain was silent as they continued on with Frank in between.

SGA

Beard felt himself freeze upon seeing the bridge. The memory of Samuel falling to his death replayed through his mind and seemed to keep him stuck in his current positon. He felt more than seen the native come up at his side.

"You can do this," was the encouraging word, "just don't think about it."

Beard just huffed a strangled laugh, but managed to walk forward to where the Colonel and others were waiting.

"Alright, here I go."

With a reassuring glance at Ronon, Sheppard stepped onto the bridge and began making his way at a steady pace over to the other side. He hesitated briefly on the hole in the bridge before making his way carefully around it and to his designated area on the bridge near the end.

"Alright, Drake, Stevens, let's go."

Stevens and Drake shared a look as both took a breath and began their slow walk across the wooden panels. Franks between them dragged slightly behind, still unconscious. His feet hooked a board now and again and both paused, readjusted him, and continued on while praying they would make it safely. Neither felt such a great amount relief as when they hit solid ground.

"Alright, so far so good," Sheppard muttered to himself with a breath of relief, "O'Connor, Beard, and Price. Your next."

O'Connor started out first, taking his time. Beard slowly began behind him, much more hesitantly. Price, while nervous, followed at more relaxed pace.

Ronon waited a few clicks before following, several steps behind the three. A wolf howled in the distance and all of them increased their speed as Stevens and Sheppard took up defensive positions, their guns pointed behind the crew in case any uninvited guests should show up.

O'Connor grinned with relief as his feet crossed the threshold. Sheppard gave him a congratulatory smile before turning his attention to Beard and Price.

"Easy does it Corporals, easy does it."

Neither responded, but both seemed to relax ever so slightly. Ronon glanced behind them into the forest, a sudden feeling told him they were being watched. A noise caught his attention.

"Run…" he whispered, and then began shouting it, "RUN!"

The two in front both turned around, their eyes widening at the sight as four wolves suddenly darted onto the bridge behind the former runner. They took off running, neither even caring about the bridge anymore as Sheppard and Stevens opened fire on the beasts. Ronon himself fired at them as he ran, not even caring to aim so long as he was shooting straight behind himself. All three wound up taking a wolf out, but not before the last jumped and caught Ronon's ankle.

The runner screamed in pain and fury as he went down, kicking the wolf in the mouth. The wolf let go with his teeth, but not his claws as they raked across the skin of his calf. Sheppard ran past his men who had made it to solid ground as he opened fire on the wolf who darted back angrily from the weapon fire. Grabbing hold of Ronon's arm, Sheppard and he took off toward the ground, just as the wolf started to attack again. Stevens was still firing when he noticed the frayed ropes where the bullets had been cutting through.

"Colonel, hurry!" he shouted.

The two dove for the ground just as the bridge gave way and the wolf fell into the abyss below.

"T-That was close," Sheppard breathed as both he and Ronon turned to see the bridge and wolf gone in the raging river below.

"Yeah," Ronon growled as he and Sheppard got to their knees.

Ronon gasped a bit as he placed a hand on his bloody calf. Sheppard grimaced at the sight.

"Looks bad chewie."

Ronon ignored his statement of the obvious as Drake knelt down and began lightly wrapping it.

"I know it's not the best dressing, but it will due."

Ronon gave him a nod in thanks as they slowly stood up and continued on.

SGA

The rain came soon after.

It was as though the skies had decided they needed something else to combat while on that treacherous planet and decided a freaking thunderstorm in the middle of a rocky, muddy mountain side, would be the best thing.

Slowly and carefully, the group began inching their way down the hillside, their pants covered in mud as the rain made the dirt into liquid. The stones crumbled beneath their feet, weak from the water and unstable beneath the solid weights above them.

"This is more dangerous than the bridge," Panted O'Connor as he stumbled slightly, barely catching himself.

Sheppard couldn't help but agree with that statement. Mudslides were dangerous and this was the perfect condition for one.

"Keep going, but take it easily. We can't afford to stop now," he replied glancing at both Ronon and Franks.

Franks was slowly lowered between the lieutenant and Captain, both taking extra precaution before even starting to go down another step. Sheppard was relieved by their caution.

"Sir," a voice asked.

"Yes Corporal?" he turned to Price.

"I was just thinking. We saw ruins up here earlier. Maybe stopping there would be a good idea for a while? I mean, with the rain and the wolves, maybe we should try tending to injuries before making our way across the forest floor and plains?"

Sheppard nodded.

"That's a good idea Corporal. Take point."

The corporal blinked but gave a confident nod and smile as he shuffled down a bit quicker than Sheppard felt safe, as he made his way in front.

"You know the river is coming up," Ronon whispered in his ear.

Sheppard sighed. Another obstacle before they would reach the stairs that would lead them to the ruins.

"Yeah, I know," he sighed.

"The river is going to be higher and much more deadly to try to get across. Our best bet will be a rope in case anyone gets caught unaware."

Sheppard thought about it and nodded. Sounded like a good idea.

"Alright, do you have a rope?" he asked.

Ronon shook his head no.

"Guess we will need a vine," Sheppard mumbled as they continued their slow inching down the mountainside.