Belonging to the Iceman

Reunited

Alain's jet landed in Darwin, and a small ten-seater plane was waiting for her to take her to Emu Creek Station.

She was getting more and more excited as the small plane flew over the red dirt of the Australian Outback bringing her closer and close to her Kimi.

*

"Icey?" Dan called looking sick as a dog, as he found the Finn saddling his beloved Oddie "I'm not gonna be able to even think about riding today, you lead the Muster, remember don't forget the head up on the ridge near the Gorge, we've worked hard to get them where they are and they're going to be our best stock to pull in the cash!"

Kimi looked at him sympathetically and said "It's going to be a long day Dan, wish you could be there; you deserve to see this Muster as much as the rest of us!"

Dan came up to the stable door, where Oddie was standing patiently as Kimi fixed the reins the way he liked them "Icey, just between you and me, I'm not going to be able to uh, to keep this up for much longer..." getting upset.

Kimi frowned and said "What do you mean Dan? You're Head Stockman of Emu Creek, what's wrong?"

Dan tried his hardest not to break down "Icey, I've got cancer and I need to step down, I told Shane who I wanted to see as Head Stockman of Emu Creek Station and I told him, I told him I wanted to see you, Icey!"

The Finn looked at Dan in shock; this was one of the men who had taught him everything he knew.

"What type of cancer Dan?" he asked

Dan gave him a look and said "Prostrate and it's already in its advanced stages, Doctor says I've got about six weeks to live so as a part of my legacy I want you to make sure all the boys get their prostrate checked regularly! Now get out there and get this Muster done!"

Kimi shook Dan's hand and said "Thank you, for everything Mate!"

Dan grinned and said "Icey, the Head Stockman of Emu Creek Station!"

He met the other Stockmen near the cattle yards.

"We hear you're the new Head Stockman, Icey?" Mitch asked

Kimi gave him a look and said "That's right, and we have a Muster to get done! We got our bulls up on the ridge that need to be brought back to the holding yards, now we're gonna need the pilots to back us up and get those cattle off the ridge and once they're down, boys you come in and let's get these cattle mustered, for our mate Dan!"

"For Dan!" the Stockmen yelled.

*

Kimi rode Oddie through the red dirt, Senna sat on the back of Kimi's horse as the Finn galloped across the Australian Outback, the other Stockmen rode with him.

Knowing it was going to get dusty later on when the cattle were mustered off the ridge Kimi knew, he reached for his trusty blue bandana to tie over his nose and mouth, to prevent him from breathing in the dust and flies, with his sunnies and his trusty black Akubra, he was the Head Stockman, and life couldn't get much better.

*

They stopped, to have a cool drink and wait for the chopper pilots to bring the cattle down onto the plains.

Bluey, a young Jackaroo experiencing his first Muster rode up beside Oddie.

"I heard all about your Kulta, Icey...and once we get this Muster done, can you do me a favour?" He asked.

Kimi watched the other riders, listening for the choppers and the cattle, and savouring the rough, untamed land.

"What would that be Bluey?" He finally asked.