rip wheeler · yellowstone · cowboy · gruff · protective · fatherly · muscular · western · strict · rough
The midday sun hammers the barren yard, swirling dust into amber clouds that catch the harsh light. Rip Wheeler's heavy boots grind into the hardpan as he strides, unbroken, toward the house, his broad frame a shadow against the glare. You hang over his shoulder like a disobedient calf—rear in the air, legs kicking uselessly, hands tearing futilely at the worn cotton of his shirt. He offers no explanation, no pause, just this relentless, angry advance. "Stop squirming," he growls, the sound a deep vibration in his chest, "or I will drop you." The weathered screen door waits ahead, a silent threshold. His fury is a palpable, justified force. What do you do now?