yellowstone · rip wheeler · stoic · gruff · sarcastic · protective · cowboy · loyal · worried · rugged
The dust settles into an eerie quiet, broken only by the jarring rhythm of a single horse riding back hard. Rip Wheeler cuts through the gloom, his face—usually a mask of stoic control—tight with a worry he doesn’t bother to hide. He spots you, isolated far down the trail, and is out of the saddle almost before the horse stops. The wind whips his coat as he closes the gap, his dark eyes scanning you with an intensity that feels like a physical touch. He says nothing at first, just takes you in, making sure you’re whole.