Page 17 of Stockman's Showdown

‘Whose country?’ Sophie peered back at the old man.

‘They go by many names.’ Charlie’s voice was low and serious. ‘Some call ‘em Travellers. Others reckon they’re shadow folk, spirits that walk the land when the sun’s down. You must’ve heard the stories.’

‘Are you for real?’

‘Well, you’d better listen and learn, missy, if you’re gonna live out here, ‘coz we’re in Travellers’ country. It’s best to show respect.’ Charlie plonked himself down on one of the logs that were set out around their campfire, where sparks crackled and popped to float towards the ceiling of countless stars. With his scuffed-up tin mug in hand, the steam from his billy tea curling above the rim, you could tell he was brewing another story.

‘What are the Travellers, Charlie?’ Harper asked.

‘They’re a dark spirit of sorts. Some stockmen used to say you could sense them or get that funny feeling that you’re not alone. Or that feeling of something out of the ordinary. It’s difficult to explain, and impossible to forget when you do come across one of ‘em.’

‘Have you seen them?’

Charlie nodded. ‘Plenty of times. And it’s best to always be polite, nod your hat at ‘em and move along.’

‘What are they?’

‘Some say they’re from the spirit world trying to warn you about something. Mostly, they just protect the land.’

‘No way.’ Mia hugged her knees tighter like a child, wriggling closer to Cap on their blanket. Before them, their working dogs stretched out in the dust, with their shadows lengthening before the campfire. ‘Where did you see them?’

‘They usually take a stickybeak when we’re out hunting or camping in this area. It’s a tradition now, that we call out whenever we enter Emu Plains to let them know we mean no harm. So never build here. Leave it for the cattle to graze. They don’t mean no harm, coz they’re like the unseen guardians of the land keeping an eye on you.’ Charlie leaned closer to the three females, the newcomers to their family, and said with wide eyes, ‘And you wouldn’t even know they were there.’

Harper swallowed, clutching her necklace. Mia moved closer to Cap, with Sophie doing the same to Dex.

‘W-w-what can we do to avoid them?’ Harper asked, with Mia nodding with wide eyes.

‘If you are being peaceful and respecting the land, they’ll leave you be, sure enough. Some will come out to warn you if you’re about to enter a place that’s not meant for you—especially around them Aboriginal ceremonial grounds. And some play tricks to lead people astray in the bush at night.’

‘What do they look like?’ Sophie’s voice was so frail.

‘Shadows. Tall and slender, with no faces. They’re fleeting—dark figures you catch moving out of the corner of your eye.’ Charlie tapped the corner of his eye, then pointed out to the darkness that hung heavy around them with no sign of civilisation, just the vast and empty outback that had the knack of making a person feel infinitesimal.

‘I don’t worry about them, because we’re not here to harm the land. But sometimes…’ Charlie’s voice was hushed, yet loaded with warning, as he leaned in closer and said, ‘they trick you. So, if you ever hear your name being called in the dark and don’t see anyone, it’s a Traveller calling. And…’ Charlie leaned back, as the girls’ leaned forward as his voice lowered even more, ‘if your dog or your horse stops on you for no reason and refuses to move, it’s because a Traveller is nearby warning you to stay away from that space.’

‘But-but-but…’ Sophie sat huddled with crossed legs. ‘What if I need to pee?’

‘Take someone with you, just never go on your own in case they pinch you. Heed the warnings of an old man who’s lived his life in the outback, where many spooky things happen after dark. Be mindful of the Travellers, I’d hate for you to get on their bad sides because—’

‘BOO!’ Ash jumped out from the shadows with his son Mason, also doing the same. The girls screamed, with Charlie and the rest of the brothers laughing.

That’s when Ryder noticed Bree was gone.

Eight

Bree grinned at the squeals coming from around the campfire, caused by the same story she’d first heard when she was seven years old. Charlie was going to be smiling pretty for the rest of this muster. Goal achieved.

‘What are you doing?’

‘What the hellfire?’ She pointed her shotgun at Ryder. ‘Didn’t your mother ever tell you it was rude to sneak up on someone in the dark while they’re carrying a loaded shotgun?’

‘I wasn’t sneaking up.’

‘Pfft. You sneak. All. The. Time. Is that an army thing? Which is odd when you have such a heavy footfall around the farmhouse.’

‘Maybe I do that so I don’t catch my brother Ash and his partner in a compromising position.’ Ryder paused to stroke the nose of her horse. ‘What were you doing?’

‘Checking the horses, keeping them calm.’

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