My Panther Mate & Our Little Cub novel Chapter 72

Chapter 72 An Actual Paddy Field

After the snake bite the previous day, Zachary became noticeably more cautious. Matthew never left his side, staying close the entire time.

Zachary asked Matthew to lead them back to the spot where they had gathered persimmons and grapes the day before.

When they arrived, one glance was enough to make Zachary’s chest tighten. The fruit was growing along the face of a steep cliff–one misstep could send someone tumbling down. Beneath it stretched a thick forest, its depth impossible to judge.

“You picked them from here yesterday?” Zachary asked with a frown. “What if you had fallen?”

“I wouldn’t have,” Matthew answered calmly and began moving toward the edge.

Zachary quickly caught his arm. “How can you say that? It rained earlier, and there’s still water trapped in the cracks of the rocks!”

The thought alone made Zachary break into a cold sweat. They were only fruit–nothing essential. Taking such a risk for them wasn’t worth it.

Yael stepped in. “Relax. As black panthers, climbing is one of our strengths. We’re used to hunting in places like this.

Even so, Zachary wasn’t comfortable with Matthew going down. “No. We’re going back.”

“It’s fine.” Matthew gently patted Zachary’s hand and, before Zachary could react, had already started descending.

“Hey!” Zachary tried to stop him, panic rising in his chest.

“Don’t worry.” Yael and the others followed Matthew downward. “We won’t fall that easily.”

Quincy and Elias also signaled for Zachary to calm down.

As promised, Yael and Matthew reached the persimmon tree without trouble.

On the opposite side, Kyle and the others made their way to the grapevines.

Only then did Zachary manage to breathe again.

When they finished gathering the fruit and began climbing back, Zachary leaned over the edge and reached his hand toward Matthew.

Matthew didn’t take it.

Below, Yael wiped sweat from his brow but still teased, “Zachary, look–Matthew is avoiding your hand.”

The moment he spoke, Matthew shot him a sharp glare.

Fearing a push that might send him off the cliff, Yael immediately fell silent.

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hapter 72 An Actual Paddy Field

After Matthew climbed up, he explained. “I’m heavier. I’d drag you down if you tried to pull me.”

Zachary smiled, then brushed off the dust on him. “Oh, thanks for the hard work.”

On their way back, they passed a flat stretch of land. Zachary’s keen eyes caught sight of yellow–green plants topped with orange–brown clusters.

Excitement surged through him.

“Let’s go over there!” he said, his voice trembling with anticipation.

If the slope hadn’t been so steep, he might have jumped down immediately.

It was rice—an actual paddy field.

Zachary hurried forward but slipped on the wet ground and dropped onto his hands and knees.

Even his face was streaked with mud,

Matthew, who was closest, quickly pulled him back up. “Take it easy. Don’t rush.”

Although a bit embarrassed, Zachary didn’t mind. Standing before an entire field of rice made a small fall seem insignificant–it felt like a blessing.

The area was low and waterlogged, so he took off his shoes and stepped into the muddy field barefoot.

It really was rice. He couldn’t believe it.

Holding a heavy cluster in his hands, Zachary stared at it in awe, his expression filled with reverence. His look startled even Elias.

“Oh… Zachary, are you alright?” Elias asked cautiously.

Zachary suddenly grabbed Elias by the shoulders and shook him in excitement. “Elias, this trip was absolutely worth it!

“Do you think we could settle here? This place is incredible!”

Even the usually energetic Elias was taken aback. “Calm down a bit. Just calm down.

“If you keep shaking me like that, I’m going to throw up.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

Zachary finally release

Matthew produced

him and turned to Matthew and the others. “Did you bring a blade?”

one wanded it over.

Zachary carefully cut his first rice stalk and held it close to his chest as if it were something precious. In his mind, he could already imagine steaming bowls of rice.

Ethan casually plucked a grain and tasted it, “Zachary, it’s a bit sharp.”

“We eat the grains inside,” Zachary explained.

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Chapter 72 An Actual Paddy Field

Then he added, “We need to harvest every stalk in this field.”

This wasn’t just about eating–it was about the future. With these seeds, they might be able to plant rice in the coming spring.

It marked an important step toward farming.

Zachary straightened, stretched his back, and looked into the distance. Endless green fields reflected in his ice–blue eyes.

The group worked in harmony–cutting, carrying, and bundling the rice–each person handling a different task.

Working together smoothly, they gradually stacked more and more golden–orange bundles.

Their appearance, however, was far from neat. Everyone was barefoot, their legs coated in mud up to the calves like they were wearing brown boots.

Yael and the others couldn’t resist fooling around. Whenever they paused, they began throwing mud at each other like children, splattering their faces and necks.

Daniel was even more exaggerated. He sat down heavily and ended up with a perfectly shaped, mud–slick backside that looked almost like a sculpted display piece.

Meanwhile, Zachary and the sub–therians stayed away from the mess and remained relatively clean.

Elias narrowed his eyes as he looked at Ethan. “If you throw mud at me again, you’re done.”

“Come on. Elias, join us. It’s fun.” Ethan raised his muddy hands and approached him playfully.

Kyle stepped in front of Elias, playing the protective role. “How could you mess with your own brother?” he said, raising an eyebrow at Elias. “I’ll handle him.”

Elias didn’t hesitate. “Help me restrain him.”

“Gladly!” Kyle immediately charged forward, wrapping Ethan in a tight hold so he couldn’t move at all.

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