Chapter Text
When Arthur met Mistress Margaret for the first time, all he saw was money and fake animals, the second time the rage of seeing a dead dog combined with a real live goddamn cougar painted as a tiger nearly ended their working relationship right then, but the promise of money was too tempting. When he arrived at Emerald Ranch looking for a lion he honestly thought it would be a dog with a wig, or something of the sort. Screams entered his ears the closer he got and his concern grew, what trouble was he riding into? He came up the barn where people were shouting, holding the barn doors shut. Arthur hopped the fence and jogged over to the two men, who seemed rather pale. It put Arthur on edge.
"What's the ruckus, boys?" He asked, stopping a few feet away, a half smirk on his face. The farmhands holding the door were shaking something awful.
"Get back, we got a cursed creature in here! He's as big as a mule and as mean as a hellcat!" Arthur hummed, listening. He thought he heard a low growl but dismissed it as his imagination. One of the hands said it looked like a lion and Arthur wanted to scoff, what are the chances it was a real lion in there? Well... knowing his luck, he should be careful. Still, the promise of money outweighed the fear of it maybe being a lion, so he told them to step aside and they did, with hesitation. He opened the door only a little and squeezed his way through, his heart hammering in his chest. The door closed behind him and the hair on the back of his neck stood up, he felt... watched.
Cautiously he walked to the back of the barn, looking carefully around him, whistling lowly hoping, praying, it was a dog and the eerie feeling would disspate and maybe he would be able to have a dog cuddle after. As he rounded the back of the wagon there was a loud crash and a roar and any hope of it being a dog vanished.
"Shit." He cursed as he ran to the entrance of the barn, the farm hand in white was dead, clawed open and the man in yellow was crying over his body, he glanced up at Arthur and shakily pointed in the direction of the horse barn. Arthur swallowed, nervous and walked over, hand on his gun, ready. Dead cattle laid out on the ground, and the closer he got tot the horse barn he saw a few dead horses too. As he approached the stable he noted it got eerily quiet. Then, a paw rounded the corner, followed by a large and angry head. Arthur's heart nearily stopped.
"Sweet mother of..." He whispered backing up slowly, but the eyes of the lion were on him, and now there was nothing he could do.
--
"Arthur?" Dutch asked, rounding the corner to his tent. His bed was made, but he was not there. Dutch surveyed the camp and saw no sign of him, he wondered briefly where he got to before he headed over to Hosea and John as they finished their conversation.
"Have you seen Arthur? I have something I need him to help me with." Dutch asked, pulling out a cigar and lighting it. John and Hosea both shrugged and denied seeing him, Hosea offered to go look and Dutch hummed on it.
"I know, why don't we both go? There is a place I wanted to take you both to fish, it's been awhile since it was just us. Whaddya think?" How could Dutch say no to Hosea, he looked younger somehow thinking about going away.
"I saw him headed up to Emerald Ranch earlier in the day when I was bringing in that buck." John said, scratching at his still healing cheek. Hosea smacked his hand away and gave him a look. Dutch agreed and the two mounted up, directing their horses to Emerald Ranch.
--
Arthur panicked. He wouldn't deny it. The lion started to stalk towards him, growling loudly and hunching over. Arthur backed up slowly, hands resting on his volcanic pistol, nerves on fire and fear paling his skin. He questioned briefly if this was his end, would he die here staring into what should have been a dog but is actually a goddamn lion! His heart was beating so hard he was scared it was going to come out of his chest and as the lion started to sprint towards him he honestly thought it would. He distantly was glad no one was with him should he meet his end, this surely would not be a pleasant scene. He shot, aiming at the head of the lion and got on lucky hit on its eye, however, that seemed to anger it more and increased the speed of its charge.
The lion jumped at him, eye locked onto his and he gasped in a breath as its claws scraped harshly against his throat. He thought he heard a familiar shout but it was drowned out as he gurgled blood and collapsed to his knees he clutched at his throat and fell, landing harshly in the mud as blood mixed into it and suddenly there were hands on him, but his eyes were closing and there was nothing he could do to stop them, his throat bubbled up more blood, and he couldn't draw in breaths. He tried to say words as the world darkened but.. Nothing. And soon he faded into nothing.