Babbiloora Brumbies

The Sentencing

I guess Dad had a reason to be mad. But I doubt he could sit through a 2 hour and ten minute long maths lesson without doing something crazy. Still, he was the manager and I shouldn't have galloped off like that.

I glance over my shoulder, and Brad is apparently the invisible man because he's vanished into thin air. Typical. I guess I'm facing Dad on my own.

I talked before he could. "Look Dad, I'm really sorry the horses followed me out, I didn't think they could jump the fence like Inferno. I'll keep watch when they're out, or build the fence higher so they can't.."

"No Amy..."

"Dad, it's no big deal..."

"That's not what I'm worried about Amy! You were gone all day, you didn't say where, and I'm your father. I know you're 17, but I need to know."

I was shocked. Dad wasn't usually this protective. He usually treated me like one of the workers. I wonder what triggered it...

Then I remembered about the creepy situation at the dam. "Dad, I was meaning to tell you something. About today. I rode pretty far out to the boundary into the Blue Mountains, out near the dam..."

Dad's brow creased in worry, his rough hands grabbed the edge of the fence. "What? Did you see something?"

"...Yeah....well, not exactly, but something was there. In the bushes. And it was big, but that's all I could tell because Inferno got spooked..."

Dad covered his face with his hands. "If anything happened to you..."

"Why? What was it?"

"We kept some mares and foals in the paddock there last week, and one of the foals went missing..."

"What?!" Why didn't I know about this!?

"It could be anything... the men think it could be wild dogs..."

My eyes widened. Getting caught alone with a big hungry pack of wild dogs was not good news. I wasn't even carrying my pocket knife.

"I don't want you going off on your own until we sort this out. If they're a big pack, you're not even safe on Inferno. If you fall for whatever reason, you're gone."

I couldn't argue with that. I didn't want to endanger Inferno.

"I don't even want you in the paddocks on your own. If these wild dogs are hungry, who knows what they'll do. Until we sort this out, I want you with Brad at all times."

I was nodding until the last part sunk in. I laughed hysterically. "You're kidding, right?" This was all a big joke.

Dad kept a straight face. Please say you're kidding....no, I don't think he's kidding. Well shit.

"Just until we sort this out. We're going out to bring the cattle back nearer to the station for a few days..."

"When you say we..."

"I mean myself and the stockmen. Brad is staying to watch the horses and the breeding cattle near the creek. That's why you've gotta stay with him."

"Why can't I come?"

"We'll be gone for at least 5 days, we're going to the Southern Boundary and you've got a tutor coming in next week..."

"WHAT?!"

"Hey, your grandparents insist you keep up your education, and they've heard that the tutor over the radio isn't exactly...umm...working, shall we say," Dad grins widely. I guess he heard about me turning the radio off this morning...but my lesson had finished! Can this day get any worse?