Monster Mayhem on Mystery Mountain

Chapter 2

The council leader lowered her lantern and flicked at a lever to close the slats and dim the brightness.  "Is anything wrong?"

"I was gonna ask you that," said John.

"Me?"

"We heard a sound," said Teyla.  "A cry."

"Oh.  Perhaps it came from below.  In the town?"

"It wasn't from outside." Ronon shifted to try to see behind her.

John glimpsed bare, rough rocky walls before the council leader stepped forward and let the tapestry fall back into place. 

"Is that one of the tunnels where you hide from the Wraith?"

"Yes.  Although they are mostly natural passages rather than tunnels," she said.

"I didn't realise there was a way in here."

"There are not many entrances," said Mira-Fan.  "As I told you, deliberately few, in fact, so that they may be easily blocked in an attack.  This one is used primarily so that my administrators may inventory the storage chambers."

"Is that what you were doing in there?" asked Rodney.  "A spot of late night admin?"

"In a way.  There seems to be a discrepancy in our count of grain sacks.  We lose more every year and it was keeping me awake, so…" She held out her hands and gave a self-deprecating grimace.

Rodney's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I've heard of counting sheep," said John, heading him off.  "I guess counting grain sacks could work."

Mira-Fan smiled as she drew her woollen shawl closer around her shoulders.  "It is cold.  You should return to your beds."

"Yes, but what about that horrible noise we heard?" asked Rodney.  The wind blew the hanging back and forth once more and a hollow moaning came from the passage behind.

Mira-Fan smiled.  "As you hear, it is just the wind," she said.

"Huh.  But -"

"McKay.  Let's do as the lady says.  Back to bed." John smiled at the council leader.  "We'll all need some sleep if we're going to finalise our deal tomorrow."

"Indeed we will.  Can you find your way?”

“Yeah,” said Ronon.

“Then I will bid you goodnight." She nodded, smiled and departed.

“The wind?” Rodney sneered.  “Give me a break!”  He lifted the corner of the hanging and shone his flashlight into the darkness.  "I think I'll just -"

"Leave it, Rodney.”  John pulled the hanging back into place.

"She was lying," said Ronon.

“She was,” said Teyla.  “At least about the source of that sound.  But, nevertheless, none of us has been harmed.”

“Yet!”  Rodney flicked the beam of his flashlight around the walls  “None of us has been harmed yet!”

“And so, we’ll just mind our own business, make our deal and go,” said John.  “You want the Chak-tah, don’t you, McKay?”

“Yes, of course I do, but -”

“Then let’s leave well alone.”  John led his team back up the stairs.  “Anyways, for all we know Mira-Fan was up and around so she could meet someone for, like, personal stuff."

"That’s some pretty strange ‘personal stuff’ she’s got going on there.  I’ve never heard anyone make sounds like that when they’re -"

"Yeah, thanks, I don’t think we want that image, Rodney."