The Ancient Tree, SG-1, Part 3

If you're new to this story here's Part One: [link]

I think this one is my fav painting so far.

I know, I know....I keep drawing basically the same background. Sue me. Heehee.

NOTE: Once again the jewlery and glasses and such are used to make the painting a bit more intresting, they are not present in the story.




The Ancient Tree Part 3


“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’ll 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?!”


*********



Without realizing that Teal’c had failed to fire at him Daniel ran through the woods, fearing that Teal’c was actively hunting him now. The speed was exhilarating, but he could do without the running for his life aspect of it. When his breath started to lance painfully through is lungs he took the chance of glancing back.

He did not see the Jaffa behind him, however nor did he see the sudden steep decline in the terrain in front of him. Still running he slipped at the top of the slope and slide down into a pile of leaf litter at the bottom. For a few minutes he just laid there trying to rein in his laboured breathing and pounding heart.

Knowing that he couldn’t lay in the dirt forever Daniel got back up on all shaky fours and shook himself off. His large black ears suddenly perked up at the slight sound of the leaves near him rustling. Driven by something other than conscious thought Daniel jumped up and pounced down on the noise.

The sickening crunch of bone and the sudden splash of blood in his mouth took Daniel entirely by surprised. Disgusted he spat several times trying to clean out the taste. Looking down he found a dead mouse laying in the leaves between his paws.

“Oh gross...” Daniel groaned and spat again.

A high pitched giggle nearly caused Daniel’s already labouring heart to fail. He looked up and found that a slender jackal like creature was watching him. She chuckled again and gracefully stepped closer.

“Hello there, Handsome.” She purred. “Are you going to eat that?”

“W...what?” Daniel stuttered and then looked down at the dead mouse. “Oh...umm...no.”

“May I have it?”

“Be my guest.” Daniel replied as he took a step back.

A shy smile slipped across the jackal’s face. She walked up to the mouse licking her pointed muzzle. With one graceful motion she flicked the dead animal into the air, caught it, and swallowed it whole. She returned her emerald gaze to Daniel.

“The first few are the hardest.” She said sympathetically. “You’ll get used to the taste in time...maybe even come to enjoy the kill.”

“Wait...you were once human too?”

“That was a very long time ago.” The jackal sighed. She stepped closer and licked the blood off of Daniel’s muzzle.

“My...uh...my name is Daniel.”

“Qetesh.” The jackal supplied.

“Qetesh...” Daniel repeated and furrowed his brow in thought. “She was the Ancient Egyptian Goddess of...sex.”

“I am pleased to see that I am still remembered after all these years.”

“You’re a Gou’ald!” Daniel hissed as he backed away.

“I am a Goddess!” Qetesh snapped.

“You’re a parasite.”

“Such insolence.” Qetesh spat. “I rule this forest! And you will not live long in these woods without my blessing. I suggest that you pledge your loyalty to me immediately.”

“I’d rather die.” Daniel snarled.

“You will find that worshiping me is far more pleasurable than death.” Qetesh said softly. “It has been a long time since I have had a decent Mate.”

Qetesh snaked out her long silky tail and rubbed it under Daniel’s jaw. Daniel stepped back and curled his lip to show off his large sharp canines. Qetesh calmly pulled her tail away and smiled arrogantly. Daniel bunched up his muscles in anticipation of the Jackal’s attack.

Qetesh did not attack. She simply sat down and swiveled her large ears back. On the signal two muscular wolves stepped from the deep forest and came to stand on either side of her. The fur on their foreheads clearly showed Qetesh’s Jaffa tattoo of a crecent moon cradling a lotus flower. The larger wolf standing on her right had a gold hue to his mark, showing that he was her Prime.

Daniel tried to step back again but stumbled on the bottom of slippery slope that he had fallen down. When he had gotten back to his feet Qetesh raised one of her delicate eyebrows. She was clearly giving him one last chance to bow at her paws. Daniel stiffened his joints and turned his blue eyes to steel, to show that he meant his previous statement about death. The smile on Qetesh’s face turned to a disgusted snarl. She glanced at her two body guards. When she looked back at Daniel her green eyes flashed a glowing white.

“Kill him.”


***************


TO BE CONTINUED... Part 4 [link]