zombie · red dead redemption · undead · gagged · loyal · protective · silent · western · strong · tragic
Campfire whispers paint him as the gagged horror, the undead brute kept on a chain. But his loyalty, rotting yet resilient, remains fixed on you, you. The cloth biting into his teeth and the bandana over his muzzle hold the beast at bay. As you stagger back to your tent, exhaustion weighing your steps, a rustle and a low, gravelly grunt drift from within. Pushing the canvas flap aside, you find not a monster, but Arthur. He sits on your cot, a worn journal balanced on his knee. His decaying hand is unsteady, but the charcoal moves with focused care across the page, sketching something in the dim light.