Become a Cheetah
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When Luo Qiao arrived at the swamp, the area was filled with the scent of lions. There was no trace of Luo Sen and Luo Rui anywhere.
Luo Qiao was frantic. Ignoring whether the lions were still nearby, he jumped onto a mound and called out loudly, searching for the two cubs.
As time passed, his anxiety turned into fear.
He didn’t dare guess what might have happened to the cubs or if they had met with misfortune. He kept telling himself that the cubs were fine, that they were surely hiding somewhere safe, and that they would come running out of the grass as soon as they heard his call, like two playful kittens leaping into his arms.
Just as Luo Qiao was on the verge of despair, two faint, bird-like calls reached his ears. They were soft but unmistakable.
Luo Qiao quickly jumped down from the mound and ran toward the source of the sound. It was a patch of reeds. He called out tentatively, and sure enough, the two cheetah cubs emerged.
They were covered in mud and looked flustered, clearly frightened.
Luo Qiao rushed over and gathered the two cubs in his arms, carefully cleaning their fur. Only after confirming that the cubs were just dirty and unharmed did his heart, which had been in his throat, finally settle.
"Dad, the lions came here. My brother and I hid in the reeds and almost got discovered."
Luo Rui licked Luo Qiao’s chin, letting him clean his fur bit by bit. He even lay down on the ground, stretching his legs comfortably.
"Were you scared?"
Luo Qiao used his paw to pull Luo Sen, who was sitting nearby, closer. The six-month-old cub felt ashamed for not being able to protect his younger brother, and Luo Qiao’s heart ached for him.
Whose children were as well-behaved as his? Luo Qiao mentally added another strike against the one who had caused their separation. When he got the chance, he would definitely beat the guy who had bullied him to a pulp!
After cleaning both cubs, Luo Qiao led them away from the swamp. The lions had returned to the center of their territory, and they couldn’t stay here any longer.
Luo Qiao wasn’t sure if the lions had noticed his calls. He should be thankful it was still daytime, and the heat made the lions unwilling to move. If it had been closer to evening, not only would finding the cubs have been difficult, but he himself would have been in trouble.
As for Oros, who had chased him for several kilometers under the scorching sun earlier, that male lion couldn’t be judged by normal standards.
Would a normal male lion act like a hooligan toward a male cheetah?
Sure, male lions had a reputation for being unfaithful, but Oros was in a league of his own, so much so that he ignored species and even gender!
As for the other two who had acted that way toward Luo Qiao, at least they were still leopards.
Leopards, understand?
Luo Qiao didn’t dare waste any more time. He led the two cubs toward the edge of the lion pride’s territory. Although that area wasn’t safe either, it would at least allow them to temporarily avoid these unreasonable and overpowering lions.
The two cubs were exhausted and hungry but remained silent, sticking close to Luo Qiao. Finally, Luo Qiao couldn’t bear it any longer. Ignoring the cubs’ protests, he shifted forms and carried both of them in his arms. The furry little ones tried to struggle, but after Luo Qiao rubbed their heads with his chin, they calmed down.
"Be good. Dad might not catch any prey today, so you can’t afford to waste any more energy. Sleep for a bit. When we find a safe place, I’ll wake you."
"But Dad, you’re tired too."
"It’s fine." Luo Qiao gently nuzzled Luo Sen. "Dad has plenty of energy. Be good and sleep for a while."
The two cubs obediently closed their eyes. They were indeed exhausted. Luo Qiao lowered his head, shielding Luo Sen and Luo Rui from the harsh sunlight.
Before sunset, Luo Qiao found a barely adequate hiding spot among some rocky cliffs. Erosion had carved out a hollow at the base of a large rock, creating a space just big enough for three cheetahs.
The surrounding area also offered a clear view.
Luo Qiao woke the cubs and had them rest here while he went to try his luck nearby before nightfall. Although he had told the cubs they might not catch anything today, he couldn’t bear the thought of letting the two frightened cubs go hungry until tomorrow.
Luo Sen and Luo Rui whined and rolled around, unwilling to be left alone. They really didn’t want to be separated from Luo Qiao again.
Unable to refuse, Luo Qiao let them follow. Fortunately, they hadn’t gone far when they came across a hare. During the dry season, a hare was a rare treat for cheetahs.
Luo Qiao didn’t give the hare a chance to escape. He used almost all his remaining strength in this hunt, not even considering what would happen if he failed to catch it.
The two cubs walked over to Luo Qiao, who was panting heavily. Instead of rushing to tear into the prey, they licked Luo Qiao. The intimate contact between father and sons made the exhausted big cat feel a little better.
Finally, Luo Qiao caught his breath. He picked up the hare and led his sons to a nearby patch of grass. All three were starving. Luo Qiao occasionally lifted his head, making sure the cubs got most of the meal.
In truth, a hare was more of a snack, but it would be enough to get them through the night.
After eating, Luo Qiao led the two cubs back to their temporary resting spot.
The sun had set, and the evening breeze began to dispel the day’s heat. The two cubs fell asleep almost as soon as they leaned against Luo Qiao.
Luo Qiao lay on his side, occasionally swishing his tail over the cubs to help drive away the annoying insects and bring them a bit of coolness.
Luo Qiao listened carefully to the sounds carried by the wind, the shrill calls of hyenas, the deep roars of lions—judging their direction and distance.
Only after confirming it was safe did he slowly drift into sleep.
Under the night sky, the savannah seemed to transform into another world.
The next day, the two cubs seemed to have completely forgotten the fright they had experienced the day before. In the cool morning, they energetically chased and played with each other.
They tried to climb onto the rocks where they were staying, but the smooth surface made their attempts look clumsy. After several failed tries, they turned their attention to a nearby acacia tree.
Young cheetahs loved this kind of game, and climbing trees was an important part of their exercise and play. However, as they grew older and their claws dulled, climbing trees as easily as they did in their youth became much harder.
Besides, cheetahs preferred open areas, and except for escaping danger, the skill of climbing trees became somewhat unnecessary.
Luo Qiao lay nearby, watching the two cubs climb up and down. It wasn’t until they boldly climbed to the top of the tree and didn’t know how to get down that Luo Qiao walked over.
Looking up at the two cubs sitting nervously on the branch, he couldn’t help but think, even though his sons looked pitiful like this, why did he find them so adorable and just want to grab them and give them a good squeeze…
Having such a father, it was hard to say whether it was a blessing or a curse for the two cubs.
Finally, Luo Sen mustered the courage to grip the tree trunk and slowly climbed down partway before jumping to the ground.
Luo Rui, however, hesitated. Although Luo Qiao’s heart ached for him, he knew he couldn’t step in to help.
One day, he would have to part ways with the two cubs, and Luo Rui needed to learn how to handle unexpected situations on his own.
Luo Qiao turned around, pretending to leave with Luo Sen. Seeing Luo Qiao’s retreating figure, Luo Rui let out a couple of anxious calls.
When Luo Qiao didn’t respond, he finally made up his mind and, following Luo Sen’s example, jumped down from the tree.
"Dad!"
Luo Rui ran up to Luo Qiao, looking up at him with his large amber eyes teary and full of accusation.
"Did Dad not want me anymore?"
Luo Qiao’s heart felt as if it had been pierced by an arrow. He immediately hugged Luo Rui tightly, rubbing his face against him.
"How could Dad not want you? Dad would sooner abandon himself than abandon you…"
Well, this doting father and fur enthusiast was already babbling incoherently from how adorable the cub was.
Luo Sen sat to the side, watching Luo Qiao and Luo Rui rolling around, nuzzling and licking each other. Finally, he couldn’t resist and pounced on them too…
Today, the cheetah dad, though still hungry, was overflowing with happiness.
The temperature rose quickly, and the coolness of the morning was fleeting.
The hare they had eaten yesterday was almost entirely gone, and Luo Qiao planned to take Luo Sen and Luo Rui further away to search for prey. Halfway through their journey, the three cheetahs had to stop. They had encountered a herd of elephants.
The loud trumpeting of the elephants echoed across the savannah.
The Masha herd was a large family consisting of over sixty adult female elephants and calves. There were no adult male elephants in the herd, as they preferred to live solitary lives and only returned to the herd during mating seasons.
The matriarch, who inherited the name Masha, led the herd across the vast savannah, through desolate deserts and dense forests, following the footsteps of their ancestors in search of food and water.
Although lion prides occasionally hunted stray calves, even lions had to give way when a large elephant herd passed by.
The golden rule of living on this savannah was: unless you were absolutely certain, never provoke an adult elephant.
Luo Qiao had last seen the elephant herd when he was being chased by Tina and the other lionesses. He hadn’t seen them since. The arrival of this herd would undoubtedly bring changes to the savannah.
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