My Panther Mate & Our Little Cub novel Chapter 121

Transmigrated to Raise Panther Cubs

Chapter 121 At Night

Slowly, but surely, victory was practically within reach.

Finished

Zachary had gradually, almost imperceptibly, reached a point where he could accept Matthew’s various forms of “care” with genuine ease. Occasionally, a certain kind of quiet self–questioning would stir inside

him.

And that questioning was spreading with the quiet, unstoppable momentum of a wildfire catching in dry

grass.

After a night’s rest, the group set back out on the road.

Before leaving, in the spirit of goodwill between the two tribes, Donald left the Goldfinch folk a pouch of Zachary’s spice blend and let them know they were welcome to come to Black Panther Tribe to

more.

It was as good as an advertisement. Word would spread to the surrounding tribes soon enough.

They pressed on eastward, and two more days of travel lay between them and their destination.

The vegetation grew steadily sparser, and the sunlight came through with increasing strength.

The black panther contingent took on a new objective along the way: hunting.

trade for

The merfolk tribe couldn’t venture far from the coast, which made them deeply interested in meat from the inland, and that made it one of the most valuable things other tribes brought to the salt trade.

The route passed through a transitional stretch between forest and open grassland.

The terrain was flat and open, the vegetation thin, and a river cut through the middle of it. The grass grew thick and lush across the ground, and the region supported an abundance of wildlife, making it an ideal hunting ground.

The group pooled their carried goods together, left a few therians to stand guard, and then Donald led the rest out in search of targets.

Herd animals were the most efficient prey.

Out in the open like this, the ground and sky both carried their share of danger. Matthew found Zachary a solid tree to wait in, one at a good height with a full canopy overhead for cover.

It also put Zachary close enough that Matthew could keep an eye on him from a reasonable distance.

“Keep the knife in your hand,” Matthew told him. “If anything feels wrong, call out.”

Zachary nodded.

Once Matthew had cleared the immediate area of anything threatening, he set off with Taylor and Jaden for the cubs first real hunt.

The autumn grassland stretched endlessly in shades of gold and green. Distant mountains rolled along the horizon, and the occasional solitary tree appeared and disappeared in the far reaches of the view.

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Chapter 121 At Night

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Finished

Zachary crouched in the fork of a branch in a posture that was decidedly inelegant, both arms wrapped tight around the trunk, eyes fixed on the black panther formation creeping through the tall grass below.

Jaden and Taylor were small, but by tracking Matthew’s position, Zachary could just make out the outlines of the two cubs moving alongside him.

Not far away, a herd of gazelle grazed in the open, their russet hides catching the light, their sharp, tapered horns held high. They took a few bites and then lifted their heads, scanning their surroundings with alert restless eyes.

Donald had already locked onto his target. Kyle and Daniel split off in opposite directions, lowering their bodies and moving slowly forward from different angles to drive the prey.

Taylor and Jaden mirrored the Alpha’s posture and practically vibrated with restrained eagerness.

It was arguably unnecessary on their genuinely invisible from eye level.

When the distance closed to the righ

herd.

Given how short they were, unless they jumped, they were

range, Donald exploded out of the grass and launched himself at the

Kyle and Daniel surged forward immediately, flanking from both sides, closing off the escape routes, and throwing the herd into chaos.

Yael drove his front claws deep into a full–grown gazelle’s flank, used the momentum to spring upward, and clamped his jaws around the animal’s throat. Blood welled up in a rush.)

The gazelle struggled hard for a few moments and then went still.

Hunting wasn’t Matthew’s main focus. The cubs were.

He lifted his chin slightly, signaling to Jaden and Taylor that it was time.

The two cubs bolted straight into the herd the moment they got the cue, with the unshakeable conviction of animals who believed they were about to take on the lead buck personally.

They never even got close. The prey was gone before they reached it, and a wave of kicked–up dust rolled straight into both their faces.

Taylor and Jaden shook their heads vigorously, visibly furious,

Yael stood with his catch hanging from his jaws and laughed hard enough to show all his teeth, which, given the fresh blood still on his muzzle, made for a fairly alarming expression.

Matthew gave them a brief, flat look and set off after the herd.

Every muscle in the black panther’s body was coiled and sharp. When he ran, his body arced through the air in a breathtaking line, the dark shape rising and falling across the vast open grassland with a power that was unmistakably, purely predatory.

Zachary forgot to blink. This was his first time watching Matthew hunt, and the presence he carried out here was nothing like the male he knew at home. This was a true apex predator, and every line of him said

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Chapter 121 At Night

The gazelle herd, barely recovered from the first assault, scattered again in blind, frantic flight.

Finished

Jaden fixed his eyes on a single animal and hurled himself forward with everything he had. Taylor immediately circled wide from the other side to cut it off. After a long chase, the two cubs finally managed to bring the animal down between them.

Taylor bit hard into the haunches. Jaden sank his teeth into the shoulder.

Both cubs were dragged and swung in circles but refused to release their hold.

Zachary stretched his neck out from his branch and watched with his heart in his throat, genuinely afraid one of them was going to lose a tooth.

There was no dentistry in this world. That would be a disaster.

The gazelle tried to use its horns

dislodge them, but Jaden had already hauled himself up onto its back and Taylor’s position put him well out of reach. The animal’s strength gave out before long, and it dropped to the ground. The cubs seized the moment and bit through its throat.

Matthew had just finished bringing down a large adult male gazelle of his own. He passed by, glanced at their catch, and gave a single nod of acknowledgment.

Donald’s group had done equally well.

The black panthers carried their catches back toward the rally point with loose, unhurried strides and the satisfied ease of animals who’d done exactly what they were built for.

With a spotted hyena pack somewhere in the surrounding area, neither Yael nor Matthew strayed far from the cubs. They glanced back every few steps, appearing casual but never once fully looking away.

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