Become a Cheetah
o0o
Luo Qiao learned a lot of essential knowledge from Parson, such as how to effectively avoid running around naked.
Tugging at the animal hide skirt around his waist, Luo Qiao still couldn’t believe it was made from his own fur. To be honest, this transformation method was quite convenient. As long as his fur remained, he would never have to worry about clothing.
"The one-eyed lioness you mentioned is probably Tena, the leader of the Oros lion pride. She has lived through the reigns of two lion kings and is the oldest lioness in the pride. The lionesses in the Oros pride are either her daughters or her nieces. Half of the lionesses in the Oros pride are evolved species, and they are very formidable. In Oros’s territory, it’s always wise to be cautious. By the way, you were really lucky to escape from Tena."
Luo Qiao listened quietly while holding Luo Sen and Luo Rui. Parson’s advice was sincere, and Luo Qiao genuinely wanted to thank him. At the very least, he should offer him a meal, but given his current physical condition, even catching a rabbit would be a challenge.
"Let’s just keep it in mind for now."
Parson had a cheerful personality and smiled brightly. Suddenly, he leaned closer to Luo Qiao and sniffed at his neck. Luo Qiao was startled. The distance was too close, and for a moment, he almost thought Parson was going to attack him.
"I’m just memorizing your scent."
Parson blinked, still looking harmless. Jairo, lying by his brother’s leg, curled his lips and muttered.
"It’s not like he’s a female…"
Honestly, seeing such an expression on a cheetah’s face was strange.
Parson and Jairo didn’t stay long. Before leaving, Parson told Luo Qiao that part of their territory overlapped with the Oros pride’s. If Luo Qiao couldn’t survive here, Parson would welcome him to his territory.
"Brother?"
Jairo looked at Parson in confusion, not understanding why his brother would invite a male cheetah to live in their territory.
What was the benefit? It wasn’t like Luo Qiao was a female who could bear cubs for them.
"If there’s a chance"
Luo Qiao didn’t commit to anything. He was grateful to Parson but wouldn’t fully trust this evolved male cheetah. Parson had shown him kindness without making any demands, which, from an animal’s perspective, was quite unusual.
However, to be honest, Luo Qiao couldn’t think of what Parson could possibly gain from him.
Parson and Jairo didn’t stay long. They were in the middle of patrolling their territory. Although cheetahs would follow the seasonal migrations of herds, they still had their own territories, especially powerful ones like Parson and his brother.
At this point, Luo Qiao didn’t know about the reputation Parson and Jairo had on this grassland. This pair of evolved male cheetahs had even hunted down adult male wildebeests.
Considering the strength and size difference between cheetahs and adult wildebeests, this was almost unimaginable.
Luo Sen and Luo Rui slept peacefully in Luo Qiao’s arms. Luo Qiao didn’t have the heart to wake them and held the two little cheetahs until dawn.
After daybreak, Luo Qiao had planned to catch a gazelle to calm his sons’ nerves, but he hadn’t expected his injury to be so severe for a cheetah.
Even in human form, Luo Qiao could only walk with a limp, let alone run at a cheetah’s speed.
Ideals are plump, reality is skeletal.
Luo Qiao deeply understood the meaning of this phrase.
"Dad, it’s okay. I’m not hungry."
Luo Sen lay on Luo Qiao’s leg. This mischievous little guy was rarely this well-behaved.
"Dad, I’m the same as my brother. You’re injured, so you need to rest well."
Luo Rui opened his big eyes and placed his paw on Luo Qiao’s palm. Luo Qiao pinched the pad on Luo Rui’s paw and was instantly struck by an arrow of cuteness. He picked up his son and gave him a good rub. Such a natural adorable creature!
Despite saying this, Luo Qiao didn’t plan to let his children go hungry. If a cheetah encountered such a situation, they might have to leave it to fate, either starve to death due to the injury or survive by sheer luck.
But Luo Qiao wasn’t going to accept that.
"Boys, today Dad will teach you that nothing is absolute!"
Luo Sen and Luo Rui watched Luo Qiao, who was charging forward with determination, both sporting a huge question mark above their heads.
Luo Qiao didn’t have to go far before he found what he was looking for. Luo Sen and Luo Rui also recognized the plant in Luo Qiao’s hands—it was the thorny plant Luo Qiao used to defend against predators. It had a slight numbing effect, but it didn’t last long.
Luo Qiao instructed the two little cheetahs to wait on the nearest termite mound. Then, using the thorns, he made several rope traps. This was something Luo Qiao had learned from indigenous people in his previous life.
They were usually used to catch rabbits and small mammals. The principle was similar to the traps set by poachers, but the purpose was completely different. The former was for food and survival, while the latter was driven by greed and money.
After finishing the preparations, Luo Qiao called the two little cheetahs, and the father-son trio began searching for prey in the grass. For convenience, Luo Qiao transformed back into his cheetah form. Although he still walked with a slight limp, it made it easier for him to track the scent of prey and hide himself.
Soon, the trio came across a group of warthogs. These were three adult male warthogs, with sharp tusks on their snouts that could easily tear through a cheetah’s fur and pierce its belly. Luo Qiao carefully set up the traps and then deliberately made some noise.
The warthogs immediately noticed Luo Qiao and the two little cheetahs. They didn’t seem to take the three cheetahs seriously.
Not long ago, they had driven off a lioness who had tried to attack them for lunch, leaving a long gash on her hind leg.
Compared to that strong lioness, these three cheetahs were nothing. Besides, two of them were just cubs.
The warthogs made threatening noises at Luo Qiao and began to chase him off. Luo Qiao, as the warthogs expected, retreated with the two little cheetahs until the warthogs thought they had reached a safe distance.
After observing Luo Qiao for a while, the warthogs ignored him. The three warthogs were focused on finding food and, believing Luo Qiao posed no threat, gradually let their guard down. Unfortunately, Luo Qiao was also hungry and looking for a meal.
Seeing the warthogs relax, Luo Qiao instructed the two little cheetahs to continue retreating and crouch low. He stayed behind, making provocative noises at the warthogs.
Sure enough, the warthogs fell for it. One of the male warthogs, particularly hot-tempered, charged at Luo Qiao with full force. However, halfway through, he got caught in the rope trap Luo Qiao had set. The warthog’s shrill squeals startled the other two.
The thorns around the warthog’s front legs weren’t strong, but as the warthog struggled, the thorns pierced its skin, and the numbing effect gradually took hold. The warthog’s struggles grew weaker.
Warthogs were actually quite timid. Seeing their companion inexplicably fall to the ground and the supposedly harmless male cheetah approaching with ill intentions, the other two warthogs chose to flee.
Luo Qiao didn’t chase them. Instead, he took advantage of the warthog’s numbed state, grabbed a rock, and smashed it against the warthog’s head. The numbing effect of the thorns wouldn’t last long, so he had to act quickly.
Although he could have bitten the warthog’s neck directly, the male warthog’s thick, tough skin made Luo Qiao reluctant to expend too much energy.
Soon, the warthog stopped moving.
The two little cheetahs watched without blinking.
"Dad is amazing!"
Luo Qiao wanted to drag the warthog to a more secluded spot in the grass, but the adult male warthog was too heavy. With his injured hind leg, he couldn’t muster enough strength, so he called the two little cheetahs over.
After tearing open the warthog’s skin, Luo Qiao let the two little cheetahs eat first while he kept watch for any vultures or other predators that might show up.
However, a problem arose. The meat of the male warthog was too tough for the little cheetahs to bite through. After much effort, they only left a few clear tooth marks on the warthog’s body.
Luo Qiao had no choice but to tear the meat into smaller pieces himself before letting the two little cheetahs eat. This prolonged their mealtime.
By the time the two little cheetahs were full and Luo Qiao started eating, vultures had already gathered nearby, spreading their wings and watching Luo Qiao’s every move with a threatening posture.
They didn’t dare to bully Luo Qiao as freely as before, but that didn’t stop these bald-necked birds from putting on a show of force.
Luo Sen couldn’t help but start chasing them away. This time, Luo Qiao didn’t stop him. He was injured, and catching this warthog today had been mostly luck.
He didn’t know where their next meal would come from, so he let Luo Sen do as he pleased. However, if hyenas or lions were attracted by the commotion, he might not get to eat at all.
Seeing his brother drive away the vultures, Luo Rui also joined in the commotion.
The group of vultures were chased up and down by the two cheetah cubs, utterly embarrassed. However, Luo Qiao watched from the side with a fierce gaze, and the vultures never dared to attack Luo Sen and Luo Rui.
Finally, Luo Qiao was full, calling the two cheetah cubs to leave. The remaining warthog meat was left for the vultures to snatch.
Felix and Ero were driven far away by Oros, and were severely punished. They absolutely dared not approach Oros's territory within a short period of time.
As long as the hyenas and lions did not come to cause trouble, Luo Qiao believed that he should be able to recover quickly.
Luo Qiao left with the two cheetah cubs. Parson and Jairo, who had been hiding in the distant bushes, came out. Looking at the densely packed vultures, Parson looked in the direction where Luo Qiao left, lost in thought.
"Brother, this evolved species does have unusual qualities."
Jairo changed his previous contempt for Luo Qiao. A cheetah bitten by a lion could still hunt a male warthog. This was indeed not to be underestimated.
At this moment, in Jairo's heart, Luo Qiao's image rose from a strange evolved male cheetah to a threatening competitor.
Parson nodded. This evolved species had aroused his interest. Although inviting him to live in his territory was just a temporary idea, now it seemed like a really good idea.
Parson could not guarantee that he and Jairo would never be injured. If that evolved male cheetah was willing to share his experience of successfully hunting after being injured, Parson did not mind Luo Qiao living in his territory.
Male cheetahs who are not blood relatives occasionally live in groups, although the probability is very small, it is not non-existent. Parson was confident that he could persuade Jairo, although his brother spent most of his time thinking about female cheetahs.
o0o