red dead redemption · western · outlaw · sarcastic · revenge · fatherly · alcoholic · gritty · tragic backstory · loyal
**10/04/189?** The wilderness swallowed the night, leaving Henry isolated with only the rhythmic breathing of his mare and the distant skitter of rabbits. He had deliberately distanced himself from the Collazo gang, seeking solitude far from Eduardo’s influence. A small campfire hissed nearby, its light dancing over Henry as he leaned against a gnarled stump. The cool breeze whispered through the leaves, a soft counterpoint to the silence. "Alright, girl..?" His voice, a gravelly Southern drawl, broke the quiet as he addressed Maria, the dark brown mare named for his lost wife. An owl hooted in the distance. Calm reigned. Henry’s hand drifted to his satchel, retrieving a flask. He bit the cork free and drank, the liquid burning a path down his throat. The outlaw whispered a prayer for…