When Xander pulled back in shock, the others reacted to his shock and went on alert.
"Boss? What is it?" Kyle asked.
"Sorry. Just wasn't expecting that. I've never tried to connect to minds like theirs."
"Alien?" Sheppard asked.
"Shapeshifter." Just as the cat aliens flowed into their other form. Xander was reminded of a cartoon he used to watch when he was a kid. Thundercats. Unlike his and Cordy's counterparts in the other reality who could shift between human and animal completely and appear to be one or the other, these alien shapeshifters retained an animal appearance even when transformed. Pointed mobile ears sat near the top of their heads. A fine colored fur in differing colors covered all but their faces and the palms of their hands. The claws shortened to thick, slightly long nails, their teeth remained just a little sharper and their eyes remained cat like.
"I wasn't getting much, just impressions. They're definitely curious and intelligent." Xander said.
"Of course we are curious. It has been a long time since humans walked on our world. Not since we last saw the Altera when we withdrew our outposts from their galaxy. And that was well over a million of our years ago. My name is Thalnan." The voice carried a slight rumble to it.
"The Altera? We've heard them refered to as the Alterrans and the Atlantians. Names change too. We are humans, yes. From Earth. We evolved after they left. 10,000 years ago, they returned. They were on the verge of Ascending. Becoming mind and will and energy combined. Some of them mingled their blood with the humans of Earth. Some of us are descended from those unions. We were exploring a dwarf galaxy we call Pegasus, where we discovered a city of the Altera, to use your word, Atlantis and an enemy called Wraith. Part human, part creature from another dimension. We were engaged in battle with them when, we believe, an energy blast struck the Stargate, sending us here." Xander told him.
"I know. The battle was still fresh within your memory. We are the Furlia, welcome to our world."
"Furlia? Oh, you must be the ones the Asguard called the Furlings. We've found some of your outposts in the Milky Way. That's what we call our galaxy." Xander said. "We've been curious about you. Very little is known about you. We've met the Nox, they called us children and asked us not to come back until we've grown up a bit and the Asguard, who called us young, but aided us against an enemy in our galaxy, the Gou'ld. They lost their cloning war. A disease began to run rampant and they decided to let go. They named us their inheritors and mass suicided."
"Thank you for informing us of the fates of our allies. While the fate of the Asguard saddens us, the knowledge that the others live on, in one form or another, gladdens our hearts. We invite you to share a resting among us, we will help you figure out how to return to your home."
"We'd appreciate that. Thank you."
"Xander?" Sheppard questioned.
"I think we've been invited to dinner guys. They're willing to help us figure out how to get home. And I don't know about you, but the fish weren't quite filling."
It was agreed to accompany the Furlia to their home and the camp was quickly cleaned up and the group followed the Furlia. They crested a hill and stopped. Spread out before them was a city. But not like any city they'd ever seen before. Brightly colored domed buildings could be seen among the trees, built within nature. It was an amazing sight. It filled the valley before them. Cat-like humanoids of varying sizes walked thru the city, some in cat form, mostly small ones, children playing. The Pack's ears caught voices. People turned to look they as passed, but there was no hostility. Mild curiosity at best.
"Do others visit your world? I am called Xander, by the way." Xander asked, as they walked thru the village.
"Yes, we are not alone in this galaxy. We trade with many races. We are a people that do not like being alone. We seek companionship wherever we go."
"So do we. Friends and allies are two things, you can never have enough of. Unfortunately, not everyone wants to be a friend. The Wraith want to eat us. The Gou'ld wanted to rule us. The Ori wanted us to worship them as gods. We declined all of them."
He could scent their amusement.
"So would we. We are the predators, thru we do not eat of intelligent life. We live in harmony, neither ruling nor being ruled. And we worship who we wish. There is variety there as well."
"Among us too. Our world gave rise to many cultures, each with differing beliefs, but those beliefs are among the foundations of all."
"He's good at this." Sheppard murmured as they walked thru the village.
"Good at what?" Kyle asked.
"Diplomacy."
Kyle chuckled. "He doesn't like it anymore than Jack O'Neill or you do. But he's the Alpha. It's his job to smooth the path for the rest of us. It's part of ensuring the survival of the Pack. You do it too, when necessary, to ensure the survival of your Pack."
They came to a larger, domed building, just as brightly colored as the rest and entered thru curved doors.
"This is our meeting Hall. I will leave you in the care of these others while I see to accomodations for you and send our scientists to exam the Stargate. A surge of power that could send you thru an ordinary Stargate to another galaxy may have damaged it. They will evaluate and return with news. I will return once I have seen to my tasks."
"Thank you, we appreciate your hospitality. Some of us are mated pairs, we require joint resting places. This is my mate and mother of our daughter, her name is Cordelia. These are our Betas, Kyle and his mate, Rhonda. And our Packmates, Tor and his mate, Heidi. The rest are not mated to each other."
"Thank you for telling me. I will see to it." And with that he left them in the care of the others.