Little Leopard was eating happily. Though it had eaten less than 50 grams of at in an hour, Big Leopard and the Two-legged Beast watched it eat and play patiently.
When it was full, the remaining rabbit was swallowed in two bites by Big Leopard.
Chen Ying had a thousand thoughts piled up in her heart but didn't know how to voice them.
"You living here with the cub isn't very safe, and I see that its health isn't great. How about you two move sowhere else for a while?"
Big Leopard looked down at the child, silent.
Little Leopard moved closer to its father, pressing against Big Leopard's head and gently licking its chin.
(Four-month-old cub Solo and his dad, Felix. Can you see Leopard Dad's Little Lingdang? I wanted to crop a big picture but was afraid the book would get banned. Laugh cry.jpg)
"Take it away."
"Why? You don't want it anymore?"
"It was never my child to begin with."
What, say that again?
Perhaps it was Chen Ying's expression that amused Big Leopard, so it really repeated.
"I found this little guy. I don't know where its parents are, but when I found it, a monkey was playing rough with it. I saved it. Unfortunately, I couldn't kill that monkey."
Big Leopard gently licked Little Leopard's nose.
"When I found it, it was almost dead. I'm a male leopard; where could I find food for it? I didn't intend to care, but then..."
He ended up caring for more than two months.
Heaven knows how it survived this period. It, being a male, had learned to care for Little Leopard like a mother would, keeping it alive was truly a miracle.
The injury on Little Leopard's eye was also treated with herbs he haphazardly applied, and oddly enough, it healed.
"If you can take care of it, then take it with you. I will eventually have my own offspring."
Chen Ying looked at the little one, feeling troubled.
Zoos need display animals, and Little Leopard in this condition certainly couldn't be displayed.
Simple shelters weren't as well-managed as good zoos, and how to place Little Leopard if he took it back beca a problem.
But as Big Leopard had said, if this cub really wasn't his, they would eventually separate.
What would happen to Little Leopard after they separated? One-eyed, frail, and with multiple debuffs, how would it survive in a dangerous jungle?
Chen Ying thought for a while and decided to take things one step at a ti.
If it really didn't work out, he would go talk to the veterinarian at the Wildlife Park to see if a place could be secured for Little Leopard.
Agreeing to take Little Leopard away, Big Leopard seed to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Should I take a look at the injury?" Chen Ying took the opportunity to offer to tend to its eye wound, but Big Leopard instantly refused.
"The wound is nothing serious; it will heal soon" it flicked its tail, unconcerned, "I am not like those pampered weaklings who howl at every injury."
Listening to it, had it stayed within human territories before?
Thinking this, he also asked.
Big Leopard was silent for a while then admitted it had been rescued by humans before.
But that experience was unpleasant, and it didn't like to recall any of it.
Chen Ying did not probe further.
After all, how much could a leopard know? Moreover, not everyone in animal conservation has a compassionate heart.
So treat this work as their calling, others simply as a job.
And there are those who vent their frustrations on weaker animals.
Having decided to take Little Leopard with him, Chen Ying did not intend to linger any longer.
He got up to leave, but Little Leopard anxiously wanted to get down and return to its father.
Big Leopard let out a ┗|｀O′|┛ growl, causing Little Leopard to shudder, almost falling apart.
Before Chen Ying could comfort Little Leopard, Big Leopard jumped onto a tree and didn't return.
After waiting nearly half an hour under the tree, with no sign of Big Leopard returning and the sky getting darker, Chen Ying had to cajole and trick Little Leopard into leaving.
But Little Leopard didn't want to leave, whining sadly, the tears falling from its one eye.
They really needed to leave; it was getting dark.
Chen Ying steeled her heart and picked up Little Leopard, preparing to forcefully take it away.
Although Little Leopard was frail, it had surprising strength.
It even bit Chen Ying's hand, but at the mont of biting, it relaxed its grip.
"What are you doing?"
A surprised question ca. Leopard Sister jumped down from a tree and circled Chen Ying and Little Leopard a couple of tis.
Little Leopard, frightened into airplane ears, opened its mouth and panted at Leopard Sister.
"Be good, don't be afraid, this is Aunt Bao Bao, and there are two little brothers at ho. Let's go, I will protect you."
Leopard Sister crouched down, looking deeply at Little Leopard.
anwhile, Brother Leopard circled around, sprinting from the direction of the cave.
"I know the fella who lives in this cave, the one who once fought with , rember?"
With that reminder from Brother Leopard, Leopard Sister recalled.
"That one, is this its cub?"
She paused for three seconds then violently shook her head, "Impossible, that guy besides eating only fights, even reproducing seems incidental, he couldn't possibly take care of a cub by himself."
Then again, there was only the scent of a male leopard here, where was the cub's mother?
Leopards are not a species known to easily abandon their cubs.
Leopard Sister thought of this and gave Brother Leopard a aningful look, signaling him to go talk to that leopard.
Brother Leopard reluctantly set off to find the leopard. His position in the family was just that humble and plain.
Leopard Sister walked over, sniffed the neck of Little Leopard, who almost passed out from fright.
The next mont, Leopard Sister began to lick it, even taking it from Chen Ying's arms by the nape of the neck, cradling it in her own arms to slowly lick its fur.
A mother's licking is actually helping those cubs who can't clean their own fur yet.
Big Leopard was a rough leopard himself and had never done such ticulous work.
Although he had raised Little Leopard through bumps and stumbles, one shouldn't expect him to take very good care of it.
With Leopard Sister present, Chen Ying felt much more at ease.
Since it was too dark to leave, they might as well spend the night in the cave.
The cave was in a good location, shielded from the wind, and not far from a little spring.
It would take about ten minutes to fill a 500-milliliter cup.
Around nine o'clock at night, the tattooed young man and Old Gao ca looking.
They were worried about Chen Ying spending the night alone in the woods being unsafe.
Those survival shows claim one is alone, but they all follow a team.
They were just weak veterinarians, nowhere near survival experts.
The tattooed young man saw the state of Little Leopard and was shocked, looking at Chen Ying without knowing what to say.
Chen Ying was busy checking ssages on her phone, not bothering with him.
"What are you doing?" Old Gao set up the fire, looked up, and saw the young man with a constipated expression.
"Teacher Gao, do you think this little leopard will survive?"
"Do your best and leave the rest to fate. Besides, if it can't survive in the forest, there are other places it can be resettled."
This look, it would require so effort.
Chen Ying took several snaps of Little Leopard "click, click, click," and turned to post them in a new group she had joined.
"This little guy is currently a bit malnourished but can be nursed back to health. I've checked its body, apart from its eyes, there are no issues. It might be a bit timid, but it's also small. It might get much better as it grows."
Several colleagues promised to look for opportunities to talk to their managers to see if they could provide a spot for Little Leopard.
Chen Ying could of course just send Little Leopard directly to the rescue center and let Director Bai and others apply for an official placent.
However, forced assignnts and voluntary acceptance make a world of difference.
The little one's leopard life had been tough enough, and Chen Ying hoped it could live a happier life in the days to co.
Brother Leopard returned in the middle of the night.
Upon his return, he huddled close to Leopard Sister and chattered for quite a while.
The next day, Leopard Sister, without asking anyone, took Little Leopard away by the scruff of its neck.
In front of Chen Ying, the little one could resist and roll around, but under Leopard Sister's intimidation, it teared up, curled its limbs, and let itself be dragged away.
Despite his tough appearance, the tattooed young man was actually a tender-hearted youth.
Seeing Little Leopard getting dragged around and hitting trees, he mustered the courage to approach Chen Ying.
"Mr. Chen, why don't I carry it?"
Each collision made his heart tremble, feeling that if this continued, by the ti they reached the small building, he might need the ergency treatnt.
Chen Ying glanced at him, thought about it, and agreed.
Ordinary people should avoid getting too close to wild animals, but veterinarians are different, especially those who aspire to work in zoos or conservation areas. Contact with wild animals is essential and strong affinity makes this job easier.
After informing Leopard Sister, she inspected the tattooed young man and reluctantly agreed.
Then, as he held Little Leopard, she and Brother Leopard flanked the young man on each side, making it seem almost like an escort.
As they passed below Hot Spring Gully, they were especially cautious, observing carefully before crossing.
They were worried about encountering a group of monkeys.
Chen Ying didn't share his suspicions with others, but he felt Leopard Sister and Brother Leopard probably guessed.
These two, when scanning the trees where the monkeys had road, had a murderous look in their eyes.
Upon reaching the ergency station, the first thing they did was give the little one a full-body examination, including the skull.
Its eye injury was said to have healed, but Chen Ying observed that secretions were still leaking from the suture site, and it might need further treatnt for the orbital injury.
Such delicate surgery was impossible at the ergency station. If it was to be done, they would have to send it to the rescue center or the Agricultural University's Beast Hospital.
Taking photographs, writing the disease report, describing the injuries, and all the related tasks took almost a full day.
Leopard Sister didn't go anywhere today, just stayed beside the small building, helping Little Leopard get familiar with its surroundings.
Little Leopard was truly timid, almost squeezing itself into a snake mongoose's nest to hide.
Finally, Duanmu and Old Gao quickly used old wooden boards to make a hanging cat nest under the raised floor, giving the little one a perceived safe hiding place.
Just when Little Leopard was gradually accepting Leopard Sister's protection, two mischievous little devils ca charging back.
"Awoo, awoo, awoo, Mom, look, I brought you sothing to eat."
Big Baby ran fast, braking just in ti to stop in front of the newly made cat nest.
Following him, Little Baby slowed down in ti, carrying a squirrel, and curiously poked its head into the nest.
"Mom, where did this little monster co from?"
Leopard Sister's initially gentle expression gradually hardened, her leopard eyes sweeping toward Little Baby.
"What did you say? Say it again?"
Seeing Mom's "benevolently smiling" face, Little Baby shuddered and dared not make a sound. Next to him, Big Baby, without using his brain, happily repeated his brother's words.
"Brother asked where this little monster ca from!"
Chen Ying upstairs was disturbed by the noise from below.
Coming outside, she saw Leopard Sister furiously hitting and kicking the two cubs, and when that wasn't enough, she even bit them.
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