A long way south

Chapter 4

...

"The doctors said to take it easy-" Colten said as he walked over to where she had her big baldy bay tacked up, the one kelpie that was at theirs by her side. A .22 rifle placed in the gun holder on her saddle. She knew she'd need it.

Colten's place was gone. He lived at his familys farm still, but he had his own house that was a bit closer to the road. It and his familys home was gone.

"How come you're here?" She asked, raising an eyebrow as she pulled the fender down.

"Matthew asked me to come check on you. Him and the boys are still out.. They've back burned it though so it's easing off.."

"When's he gonna be Home...? Tylers been at Macies place" She hummed, untying the geldings split rein from the fence.

"He's not sure. He said soon though-"

"And of course he couldn't tell me that" She said with a huff, swinging up into the saddle.

"He wanted to-.. Where are you going?"

"Out to check the stock. Half of them are fucking dead. Mum and dad wont be home for ages. The fire is still spreading east." She said with a shrug, collecting up her reins.

"I'll come with you" Colten offered, pushing himself off the fence he was leaning on.

"No. It's something i need to do alone.. I cleaned up the old shearers quarters for you. Take you pick of which donga" She offered with a small smile before she whistled to the kelpie, clicking the bay into a walk.

"C'mon Kip." She said, calling the brown and tan kelpie who trotted after her.

...

She felt horrible. She had left the stock to fend for themselves. But sometimes thats Just how it had to go.

The windshift had turned the fire past the homestead, but that had of course but the shed, which was now ashes, and the stock in the firing line. Across the burnt and smokey flat, the cattle moved along Lame whilst the kelpie was breathless, the family's working dog circling around the frightened mob as the big baldy gelding walked along at the rear, having a spook at the bodies of the dead stock, which Kodi avoided looking at. They were just doing their job.

Which wasn't an easy one.

Out of about 500 head of cattle, She had only counted 150. Out of 100 head of sheep, she'd counted 20. The 4 paddocks that all the stock had been put into just showed more and more dead stock on the ground. About 15 of which she'd had to shoot by herself. 

"Kip. Stand." She called out, jumping off the gelding. She was happy she put ear muffs in the geldings ears as she grabbed the .22, aiming it between one of the heifers eyes that was laying on the ground, screaming out. 

"I'm sorry Darling.." She muttered, pulling the trigger before it went quiet. Looking around was when she broke into sobs. She just imagined the pain and agony they would've all been in. How much their last few seconds would've hurt.

"Come By... Push push" She called out, the kelpie letting out a few barks at the 'push push' command. 

"Get back... Righto, That'll do." She called out, the kelpie trotting back to her side where she walked on foot, giving the kelpie a scratch before she gave the gelding a hug. 

"You're good boys.." She muttered, walking along on foot. The cattle were thirsty and exhausted and all of them were Lame. Probably from the burnt ground they would've been working over when the first passed through. She raised her glass to every man and dog who did this day for more than themselves. She could never. 

Kodi, And her dog Kip and the big Baldy gelding, who was uniquely enough called 'baldy', were known to keep the mob together whilst they were working. They just kept circling. 

The worst part of big burns were leaving the stock to fend for themselves, and considering the fact they were already in money trouble, hence the low number of stock, she was fretting about the future and what the months to come were. 

...

"Matthew! Tyler!" She said, letting out a relieved sigh as she run off the porch where she had been sitting on the porch swing, running down to the drive to give her brothers a hug, not even realising who had brought them home.

"Hey Kid" Matthew said, wrapping her in a hug before bringing Tyler in to.

"Isn't that cute" Colten said, snagging a picture of the three.

"I- Hi" She said, turning around as she heard his voice.

"No Thankyou for bringing your brothers home?" He asked with a cheeky grin.

"Thankyou" She said, giving him a quick hug to. 

She had to be honest, she was slowly enjoying Coltens company, especially since he'd been the only person she spoke two in the past few days since the fire, which was almost 5 days ago now. How the days had flicked by.

"You're welcome" He said with a nod and a small smile before he walked off, feeling slightly like he was invading the three siblings 'reunion'. 

That night after the three made dinner, Kodi found herself dishing up another plate, grabbing a 6 pack of Great Northern to.

"I'll be back in a minute" She called out to her brothers who just hummed in response as she walked out the door, heading towards the side by side so she didn't have to walk in the pitch black darkness.

"Knock knock" She said, opening the door to the end donga as she peaked her head inside, quickly spotting Colten. Despite the fact it was just a shearing quarters room, the end one was also connected to the main 'hub', so Colten had decided to take that one because obviously he had the lounge room and kitchen and bathroom attached aswell as the room.

"Evenin" He said, looking up from where he was sitting on the couch.

"I uhm- brought you some food.. And beer-" She said, having to quickly regain her composure when he stood up. He was wearing some grey trackies and no shirt, and despite the fact Kodi had seen him shirtless before, she couldn't help but blush slightly at the sight.

"Oh I was just about to cook myself something, Thankyou" He said with a warm smile. "Wanna stick around and have a beer?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he grabbed one for himself.

"Uh I'll pass. I reckon I'm just gonna go to sleep" She said, giving him a thankful smile anyways.

"Mark Tullys funeral is tomorrow? Are you going?" He asked, going to the sore subject.

Mark Tully. He was known all around the town, he was a few years older than Kodi, who was just only 18, and he had two years on her brother and his mates who were 21. He was the bloke who was always willing to lend a helping hand, which is what in the end killed him. He got caught out in the fire.

"Yeah. I feel like i owe it to him.. Yknow?" She said quietly, crossing her arms across her chest as she leant against the doorway. It wasn't exactly cold, but she had a thick hoodie and some shorts on, the air just having a slight bit of bite to it.

"Yeah I know what you mean.." He said, giving her a small smile.

"Are you coming in with us or seperate..?" She asked, raising a brow.

"I'll head in on my own, I wont stay for long though, if your brothers spend to much time yapping come find me and we'll come back" He said, a warm smile on his face. 

"Will do". 

Maybe Colten wasn't so bad after all.