Avalanche, PG (2/3)sholioDecember 7 2009, 07:56:18 UTC
They're twined together, like they both tried to shield the other one when the snow and ice came down. Their faces are close together, breathing each other's breath. Ronon can see what they did, and he admires their quick thinking, especially considering the little time that they had -- clinging together, forehead to forehead, trying to keep from losing each other in the snow and maintaining a space between them to preserve a little bit of air.
It was, indeed, Teyla's leg that he pinched. He wonders if he can convince her that Sheppard did it. Neither Teyla nor McKay really seems to be tracking, though. He and Sheppard peel them apart. There are no sounds but little gasps from both of the avalanche victims when bruises or broken bones are jarred. Teyla's hair is matted with blood; Rodney's eyes are vacant. Neither of them are shivering, and that's bad.
"Hey," Sheppard says, patting Teyla's face.
She squints at him, smiles a little, then her brows draw together. "Rodney ...?" Her voice is a whisper.
"He's right here. Nice job, guys."
Since Sheppard's got Teyla, Ronon's got McKay. He thinks Sheppard's probably got the better end of the deal, but McKay's not nattering, at least. Instead he's quiet and kind of pliable -- and cold.
Ronon glances up and meets Sheppard's eyes; he sees that they're having the same thought. "Wood?" Ronon says.
Sheppard glances around at the hole they're in. "Stay here?"
"Out of the wind," Ronon says, and Sheppard nods and lets Teyla's head down gently. He pulls himself stiffly to his feet and sways a bit before clambering, with obvious difficulty, up the sloping ramp of snow leading out of their impromptu little snow-cave. Ronon stares after him, wasting a few seconds of worry before he reminds himself that there's not a damn thing he can do with his leg like it is. Sheppard's just going to have to get to the trees and back by himself.
"What -- we're not staying here?" McKay's propped up on his elbows; he looks weak as hell and his words are slurred, but his eyes are focusing again, so that's good. "Wh- what if there's another avalanche?"
"Snow already came down. This is probably the safest place to be right now."
If he needed to make a winter camp, he'd dig a hole in the snow anyway, so it's convenient that they already have one. By the time Sheppard gets back with an armload of wood, Ronon's already got a little fire going, using his broken-branch "shovel" to keep it off the snow, and some paper from McKay's pocket for tinder.
"I'll get more," Sheppard says, but he looks a lot worse, and falls back when he tries to climb out of the hole.
McKay pushes himself far enough upright to grab the trailing edge of Sheppard's coat. "Stop that and sit down b-before you bury us -- again. Once is enough."
"I will go," Teyla says, attempting to sit up.
Sometimes Ronon wonders about the sanity of his teammates. "We've got enough wood for now. Let's warm up first, anyhow."
Thanks to Sheppard's insistence on proper mission preparedness, they're all carrying those little foil blankets that are warmer than they look, as well as a few other things -- water, dried food, that kind of stuff. Which is good, since the jumper and all their gear is under half the snow in the mountains right now. None of them can move very fast, but working together, they get the blankets arranged into a makeshift tent and heat-trap, with one underneath and the others above. Ronon makes sure there's an opening for the smoke to escape; the last thing they need is to get asphyxiated while they wait for rescue.
In the heat of the fire, it's comfortable enough to take off their coats and make a sort of bed. Sheppard flicks on a flashlight, and they pair off -- this time it's Ronon with Teyla and Sheppard with McKay -- and do what little first aid they can manage without proper supplies.
It was, indeed, Teyla's leg that he pinched. He wonders if he can convince her that Sheppard did it. Neither Teyla nor McKay really seems to be tracking, though. He and Sheppard peel them apart. There are no sounds but little gasps from both of the avalanche victims when bruises or broken bones are jarred. Teyla's hair is matted with blood; Rodney's eyes are vacant. Neither of them are shivering, and that's bad.
"Hey," Sheppard says, patting Teyla's face.
She squints at him, smiles a little, then her brows draw together. "Rodney ...?" Her voice is a whisper.
"He's right here. Nice job, guys."
Since Sheppard's got Teyla, Ronon's got McKay. He thinks Sheppard's probably got the better end of the deal, but McKay's not nattering, at least. Instead he's quiet and kind of pliable -- and cold.
Ronon glances up and meets Sheppard's eyes; he sees that they're having the same thought. "Wood?" Ronon says.
Sheppard glances around at the hole they're in. "Stay here?"
"Out of the wind," Ronon says, and Sheppard nods and lets Teyla's head down gently. He pulls himself stiffly to his feet and sways a bit before clambering, with obvious difficulty, up the sloping ramp of snow leading out of their impromptu little snow-cave. Ronon stares after him, wasting a few seconds of worry before he reminds himself that there's not a damn thing he can do with his leg like it is. Sheppard's just going to have to get to the trees and back by himself.
"What -- we're not staying here?" McKay's propped up on his elbows; he looks weak as hell and his words are slurred, but his eyes are focusing again, so that's good. "Wh- what if there's another avalanche?"
"Snow already came down. This is probably the safest place to be right now."
If he needed to make a winter camp, he'd dig a hole in the snow anyway, so it's convenient that they already have one. By the time Sheppard gets back with an armload of wood, Ronon's already got a little fire going, using his broken-branch "shovel" to keep it off the snow, and some paper from McKay's pocket for tinder.
"I'll get more," Sheppard says, but he looks a lot worse, and falls back when he tries to climb out of the hole.
McKay pushes himself far enough upright to grab the trailing edge of Sheppard's coat. "Stop that and sit down b-before you bury us -- again. Once is enough."
"I will go," Teyla says, attempting to sit up.
Sometimes Ronon wonders about the sanity of his teammates. "We've got enough wood for now. Let's warm up first, anyhow."
Thanks to Sheppard's insistence on proper mission preparedness, they're all carrying those little foil blankets that are warmer than they look, as well as a few other things -- water, dried food, that kind of stuff. Which is good, since the jumper and all their gear is under half the snow in the mountains right now. None of them can move very fast, but working together, they get the blankets arranged into a makeshift tent and heat-trap, with one underneath and the others above. Ronon makes sure there's an opening for the smoke to escape; the last thing they need is to get asphyxiated while they wait for rescue.
In the heat of the fire, it's comfortable enough to take off their coats and make a sort of bed. Sheppard flicks on a flashlight, and they pair off -- this time it's Ronon with Teyla and Sheppard with McKay -- and do what little first aid they can manage without proper supplies.
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