The Bushranger's Story (short story)

The Bushranger's Story was the eighth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: Repercussions. It was written by Sarah Groenewegen. It featured the Fourth Doctor and Leela.

Summary
One day Lillian Robinson robs a stagecoach. As she escapes those pursuing her, she comes across the Fourth Doctor and Leela, who are looking for a circus. She offers to take them to see the Wolf-People, who are a group of people living with wolves. The Doctor is concerned, because there aren't supposed to be wolves in Australia in 1876.

The trio observe the Wolf-People from a distance. The Doctor heads for their camp, and upon his return it appears as if a wolf is about to attack him. Lillian tries to shoot it, but her gun explodes, injuring her.

The Doctor convinces the Wolf-People to let Lillian stay with them during her recovery. Before he leaves her, he gives her some medicine that will help her heal. He also tells her that the Wolf-People are dying out.

After a few months, Lillian tries to find her horse, but he is long gone. She checks on her supplies and the money she stole.

Several years later, one of the Wolf-People is giving birth, as is her wolf. Lillian helps at both births, and is happy that the Wolf-People are breeding. She feeds the newborn baby and wolf-cub from what's left of the medicine the Doctor gave to her.

Decades later, the Wolf-People are gone. All that is left are the now-grown baby and wolf-cub, both of whom Lillian has named Erin. Lillian is not surprised to see the Doctor turn up. He takes her and the Erins to the Time Vortex because there aren't supposed to be any more Wolf-People. The Doctor's medicine had given Lillian long life and had allowed the Erins to survive even when the rest of their people died out.

Characters

 * Fourth Doctor
 * Leela
 * Lillian Robinson

Worldbuilding

 * Leela has never seen a horse before.
 * The Doctor is trying to take Leela to the circus.
 * Lillian thinks the dematerialising TARDIS sounds like Hannibal's elephants.
 * Leela tells Lillian that she is a warrior of the Sevateem.
 * The Doctor gives Leela a small telescope.

Continuity

 * Leela will see several horses in TV: The Talons of Weng-Chiang.