"Teal'c?" Jack hissed quietly.
"Yes?"
"I think I just caught sight of that mutt again." Jack whispered.
"Indeed. He has been following us for quite sometime." Teal'c informed in a normal tone.
"Why haven't you shot him?"
"He has not tried to harm us, so I saw no reason to harm him." Teal'c replied. "We are after all invaders in his territory."
"Teal'c's right, Sir." Carter agreed. "Besides it's just an animal."
"Alright," Jack sighed "just keep an eye on it, and be ready to kill it if it comes too close. He'd make a good rug."
"Thanks, Jack." Daniel thought bitterly to himself.
Daniel sulked through the lush forest as he followed the team towards the giant tree. He'd known that he wouldn't be able to hide from Teal'c's trained eye. At the same time he knew that Teal'c wouldn't shoot him unless he gave him reason to.
It took them quite a while to make their way to the tree. Although Jack didn't admit it, he got them lost several times. Daniel tried a few times to herd them in the right direction, but every time he came closer Teal'c instantly raised his staff weapon.
Eventually they came to the clearing surrounding the ancient tree. A smile slipped across Daniel's vulpine face at Sam's reaction to the tree. For a full minute she was simply speechless.
"I wish I had let Daniel talk me into coming." Sam said finally breaking her spell.
"I wish I hadn't let him talk me into letting him come back alone."
"Don't blame yourself, Jack." Daniel sighed from his hiding place at the edge of the clearing. "I don't think anyone could have foreseen this one."
"This isn't your fault, Sir. We've all been through the Gate alone." Sam said seriously. "We don't' even know if anything is wrong ye..."
"O'Neill." Teal'c called gravely.
"You were saying?" Jack grumbled.
Daniel watched helplessly as Teal'c brought the tattered pile of Stargate uniform to the other's attention. Teal'c handed Jack Daniel's jacket. Jack inspected it for a moment and turned to Sam.
"That's strange." Sam said slowly.
"Yeah, Daniel's usually so modest." Jack noted.
"There are many tears in the cloth, and yet no blood." Teal'c said as he picked up Daniel's sidearm. "This weapon has not been discharged."
"He must have been caught by surprise." Sam suggested.
"Or did not believe that his attacker was a threat until it was too late." Teal'c countered.
"The real question is...where is he now?" Jack asked.
"I'm over here." Daniel muttered under his breath. "And so far the greatest threat to my health on this planet has been you."
"Perhaps..." Sam started.
"Perhaps?" Jack repeated when Sam didn't continue.
"Perhaps he Ascended." Sam finished uncomfortably. "It would explain why there's no body."
"I wouldn't Ascend without contacting you!" Daniel grumbled indignantly.
"Daniel wouldn't just leave." Jack said, reading Daniel's thoughts. "He'd be here, or he would have shown up at Base to tell us what happend."
"What about this tree? It's certainly not ordinary." Sam said as she turned to it. "He'd just pierced the bark."
The fur on the back of Daniel's neck raised as Sam turned her attention on the ancient tree. She reached out to touch the hardening sap that had dripped from the wound he'd made in the silver bark.
"Sam!" Daniel cried. "Don't touch the tree!"
Before thinking it through Daniel broke cover and dashed out into the clearing. Teal'c reacted instantly and raised his staff weapon. Daniel dug all four paws into the dirt and slid to an ungraceful stop. He twisted around and fled back into the forest.
"You should have shot it." Jack stated angrily. "That thing is clearly out of its mind."
"I tried. My weapon would not fire."
Jack flicked the safety off his gun and tried to fire into the trees. Nothing happened.
"For crying out loud, what the hell is going on?!"