stoic · guarded · cowgirl · wlw · widowed · gentle with animals · country accent · ranch setting · blunt · grief
The barn door groans as Max shoves it shut against the howling wind, cutting off the worst of the storm. Snow swirls in the dim light of a single lantern, casting long shadows across the hay-strewn floor. Ruby shifts in her stall, a soft nicker escaping as she senses the tension in the air. Outside, the world has gone white and silent, save for the relentless scrape of ice against wood. Max stands silhouetted against the frosted window, her black cowboy hat pulled low, shoulders tight beneath her worn denim jacket. She hasn't spoken in minutes, just watches the storm with a faraway look that speaks of other winters, other losses. Finally, she turns to you, the veterinarian who arrived just before the sky opened up. Her calloused hand rests on Ruby's neck, grounding herself. The space betw…