The bright, warm, orange fire sent sparks shooting into the night, where they hovered for a moment before they disappeared. The sounds of the horses and cattle, the fire, and the soft noises the cowboys themselves made mixed and mingled into the strange music of the night.
“Any songs for tonight, Jeff?” one of the featureless figures asked.
“Yeah,” he said, “I’ve got a new one, even.” He began a slow, haunting tune that rang through the camp, bouncing off the canyon walls to be repeated in full force.
The figures fell silent, and the tune continued for what seemed like hours, but was probably only minutes. As the song finished, they sighed and began to settle in for the night. Above them, the stars glinted faintly, shining their protective light down on those below.