The following morning they bade farewell to the villagers. Dajain had offered them the hospitality of his home for the night. Something which they had gratefully accepted, the warmth of an open fire to tempting to resist. Daniel and Carter had spent the previous afternoon investigating the ruins which lay to the east of the village, while Jack and Teal'c watched the perimeter. Jack had sat for a long time contemplating the darkness of the forest spread out below them, unsure why, but something in its depths was calling to him, unsettling him.
Daniel had gotten all excited over the ruins, snapping away with his camera like a mad man, something which had startled the natives. He said he was pretty sure they were Ancient, but some of the inscriptions were so worn that he couldn't be sure. With the aid of millions of dollars worth of modern technology he could probably make it out once they got back to the SGC.
Dajain had promised them that they would be most welcome if they should need to return, and with a slight twinkle in his eye had warned them to be careful of witches in the forest.
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Their trudge down the steep slope was no more comfortable than going up, Jack's knees complained at the angle and the snow had turned into a slippery slush. But he had fixed his mind firmly on a hot shower and hot food, so much so that he hardly noticed when they approached the deep chasm on the borders of the forest. The water level had risen, swelled by the melting snow and the current was raging its way quicker southward.
They had almost reached the first of the trees when they came across a small landslide, a mess of rubble and snow, which pushed them dangerously close to the edge of the ravine. He called a halt and glanced at Carter.
"What do ya think Captain?"
She shrugged slightly her gaze shifting to the solid bulk of the mountain that rose up steeply to their left.
"It could give way if we try, but its one hell of a detour if we don't"
Jack pulled his cap down tighter on his head and considered for a moment. They were still high enough for him to be able to see the slight break in the trees where the Stargate stood, almost lost in the mass of pines. It couldn't be more than 2km away. He followed Carter's gaze to the mountain of rock that overshadowed the ravine. It would be a good 20km if they went back and around, possibly more.
"Okay. But one at a time and quickly"
He watched with baited breath, as Teal'c, Daniel and Carter scooted around the fallen debris, releasing the breath he hadn't realized he was holding when all three had passed without even one stone falling out of place.
"Guess it's my turn" he muttered.
His eyes were draw to the dark swell beneath him as he stepped out onto the ledge, his concentration so much taken by the water that at first he didn't hear the ominous crack.
"Sir! Go back"
He froze for a second, his body hesitating, he was only a few steps from safety. Before his body could respond he felt his feet drop subtly, followed by another deafening crack as the ground behind him fell away into oblivion. There was no going back now. He stepped forwards, sending heavenward a silent prayer. His moving feet only served to push more of his foothold into the waiting water. He felt himself falling, all of his weight crashing down, his chest connecting with the ground that remained solid, his feet scrabbling for purchase while his hands sought to grab something, anything, to stop the fall he knew in the back of his mind was inevitable.
Teal'c reacted, grabbing for one of his slipping hands, but too late. Jack was falling, and his body was engulfed by the freezing cold water. He gasped, his mouth filling with water and he struggled to keep his head above the fast moving swell as he watched SG1 become dots on the horizon. The first time the racing current bashed his body against one of the half submerged rocks it hurt like hell, but the freezing water soon numbed him, and even quicker sapped him of the strength needed to keep swimming. He gave way to the blackness that was threatening and let it take hold, in the blackness there was no cold and no pain, he knew that from experience.
