"Your people don't have dogs?" Daniel asked Fisai as the young man finally became curious enough to reach his hand down towards Jaffer, who wagged his tail idly and sniffed the boy's hand.
Fisai shook his head, jerking his hand back when Jaffer took a swipe at it with his tongue.
"He's not tasting you," Jack said, hiding his amusement. "He's just saying hi."
"They speak?"
"Not in words," O'Neill replied. "But if you watch them long enough, you can understand what they're thinking."
"Ah…"
He put his hand back down, and this time Jack (the dog) as well as Jaffer reached out to it.
"What do your people call themselves, Fisai?" Daniel asked, taking advantage of the young man's infatuation with the dogs to get some questions answered.
"The Woen."
"What do you call your planet?"
"Aera."
Ian frowned.
"Sanctuary?"
Fisai looked surprised, but he nodded. "It means sanctuary in the Ancient language…"
"So you're Ancients?" Daniel asked.
"No. According to our histories, the Ancients have moved on."
"We heard that, too," Daniel agreed, with a sidelong glance at Jack.
Berag appeared just then, carrying a small tray that held four mugs of something that was steaming.
"This will take away the chill," he said, offering the tray to Ian, who was closest.
The New Yorker hesitated, but took one of the mugs, knowing that it would probably be rude to mention that he was warming up nicely on his own and didn't really want to try any crazy alien brew.
"Thanks."
Berag simply nodded and offered a mug to the others, while Ian looked into his cup. The liquid was thick and smelled odd – but not unpleasant.
"What's in it?" Jack asked, taking a mug for himself and looking down at it.
"It's merely broth from our supper," Berag told them, not looking at all offended by the question. "It's very good."
Daniel was the first to try it, naturally, and Ian watched for a reaction that would warn him that it tasted like shit. Instead, the archeologist smiled, and took another gulp.
"It's delicious."
Jack looked down at his cup once more, and then gave a slight shrug and raised his cup. He, too, had been watching Daniel, but not for exactly the same reason that Ian had been. If the Woem had any reason to want to harm them – and they didn't know for certain that they didn't, really – then giving them some kind of poison or sleeping potion or something would be the easiest way to get to them. Of course, they didn't know that the dogs would go ape shit if someone actually tried something with Jack or the others asleep or unconscious.
In this instance, that didn't appear to matter. The Woem were watching them, but only seemed to be waiting for a reaction to the broth. If they were planning anything, Jack couldn't see it in their expressions or body language – and he was very good at reading both. If he'd been too suspicious, he'd never have allowed Daniel to try the broth, after all.
He took a tentative sip of the broth, and was pleasantly surprised by the taste. It was good.
"Do your companions require anything?" Fisai asked, gesturing to the dogs.
Jack shook his head.
"They're fine, thanks."
Jaffer and Jack (the dog) were the first line of defense at the moment, since they'd all put their primary weapons aside, and Jack didn't want them too distracted just then by something to eat – nor did he want to run the risk that someone might try and poison his baby.
"Is this where your people live full time?" Daniel asked.
"It's just temporary," Ian answered, before Fisai or Berag could open their mouths to answer. Everyone looked at him. "They live in villages."
"How did you know that?" Fisai asked, visibly suspicious.
Ian frowned, looking distracted.
"I'm not sure."
Jack looked at Berag.
"Is he right?"
The older man nodded, giving Ian a wary glance.
"Yes. We only seek the caves when the storms come. Our shelters do not stay warm enough, and the stones protect and insulate. How did you know?"
Again Ian shrugged.
"I honestly don't know…"
Since he sounded about as uncertain as he'd ever sounded, Jack frowned.
"You've never been here, right?"
"No."
"You're sure?"
Ian scowled.
"I'd remember it, Jack."
Of course he would.
"Maybe it's something in the Ancient memories…" Daniel suggested. "Subliminal or something."
Again Ian scowled.
"I doubt-"
"Bethur ari nosrastum?" Berag said, suddenly, interrupting Ian.
"Kaur."
The reply was automatic, spoken before he even realized what he was doing – or that he'd understood what the old man had said, and Ian frowned even as the Woem around them all made surprised noises and stared at him in shock.
"What the hell was that?" Jack asked.
"It was the ancient language," Fisai said, softly.
Daniel frowned.
"It wasn't Ancient. I speak Ancient."
Berag shook his head.
"Not the Ancient's language, Daniel. Our ancient language. The language of our ancestors. One that there is no way he could know."