With the drought continuing, and no money to buy feed or truck in water, Claire, Tess, and Nick join forces. Like the Drovers of old, they take their amalgamated herds out on a muster outside the Gungellan track. Meg is quietly delighted when the Ryans send Terry along to help and sees a chance to win him back from Jane. The attraction between Nick and Tess grows. Nick gets jealous of Daniel, a rancher whose help the need and get, with Tess persuading him in doing so, to save their cows from dying of eczema. Back on Drovers, Becky, who has been left in charge by Claire, tries to keep Jodi from taking advantage of the situation.