Transmigrated to Raise Panther Cubs novel Chapter 257

Chapter 257 Wherever the Road Leads

+5 Pearls

By the time Zachary finished making dinner and went to wake Matthew, Matthew had already fallen into a deep sleep.

His brows were no longer drawn tight, yet the tiredness on his face had not fully faded.

Zachary stopped beside the bed. He reached out and lightly touched Matthew’s cheek, then stayed there for a while, watching him. Only after a long moment did he gently shake him. “Wake up. It is time to eat.”

Matthew opened his eyes slowly, still caught between sleep and waking

Zachary smiled and leaned down to kiss him. “What is wrong?”

Matthew looked at him with a faint daze in his eyes. “I dreamed about you.”

His voice was low, as though he was still holding on to the warmth of that dream. “You kissed me like that, too.”

The smile in Zachary’s eyes grew deeper. He lowered his head and kissed him again. “Then did I just make your dream come true?”

“Mm.” Matthew pushed himself up from the bed. “It was a good dream.”

A candle burned on the stone table, its small flame casting warm light over dinner. The grilled meat smelled rich and smoky. Beside it were peppery pork stew and a fresh herb salad.

Matthew ate with large, steady bites. For a while, the exhaustion from the day seemed to leave him completely.

The next morning, the whole tribe grew busy again.

Some of the therians continued carving caves, while the rest went to clear weeds from the fields. Zachary stayed in the tribe center and taught everyone how to make candles.

Elias came as well, though Zachary and Quincy only allowed him to sit nearby and watch. A few older sub- therians with more experience sat with him, chatting and reminding him of the things he needed to be careful about.

Even now, Elias still did not quite feel like someone about to become a sire. He rested a hand on his stomach, yet there was no obvious change. For a moment, he even wondered if the shaman had made a wrong judgment.

Candle–making itself was not difficult, but Zachary taught it with patience. He watched every step, from melting the fat to setting the wick, making sure no one missed the important details.

By the time everything was finished, the afternoon had already passed.

Zachary no longer had the energy to make a proper meal. He roasted two sweet potatoes in the fire, ate them with fruit, then began heating water for a bath.

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Chapter 257 Wherever the Road Leads

+5 Pearls

He had spent the whole morning rendering fat, and the smell of smoke and grease clung to him from head to toe. His skin feltucky, and even his hair seemed to carry that heavy scent.

The moment he sank into the warm water, his whole body loosened. A long breath slipped from him. He closed his eyes, leaned back against the stone tub, and soaked until the tightness in his muscles slowly eased.

After changing into lighter clothes, Zachary walked out of the cave and settled into the hammock.

At first, he only meant to sit there for a short while. The hammock rocked gently beneath him, and before long, he shifted into a more comfortable position and lay back.

The evening wind moved softly through the trees, carrying the clean scent of soil and leaves. Sunlight filtered through the treetops, breaking into patches of gold that swayed over his body.

Zachary stared up at the leaves and listened to their soft rustling. When he raised one hand toward the sunlight, the scene before him slowly blurred, and an old memory surfaced in his mind.

He recalled the courtyard of his childhood, dominated by a tall poplar tree at the center. His grandma sat beside him, holding a palm fan and softly fanning him as she pushed his swing back and forth.

That memory felt as if it belonged to another lifetime. Too much stood between the past and the present now. There was life and death, and there were two worlds that could never meet.

When Matthew returned from work, he saw a curled shape resting in the hammock outside the cave.

He walked over quietly.

Zachary had fallen asleep on his back, both hands resting on his stomach. His breathing was soft and even. The last light of dusk spread across his pale face, and loose strands of hair on his forehead covered part of his brows.

The hammock had already stopped swaying.

Matthew went inside the cave, took out a piece of clothing, and carefully laid it over Zachary. He then carried a stool, sat beside the hammock, and stayed in silence, watching his mate sleep.

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Jaden came back with firewood in his arms. Before he could speak, Matthew lifted one finger to his lips, then pointed toward the animal pens.

Jaden understood and quietly went to feed them.

Time passed without either of them noticing.

The last traces of sunset faded from the sky. Darkness deepened little by little, and the evening breeze turned cool.

Matthew bent down and gently pinched Zachary’s cheek.

Zachary’s eyes opened slowly. The first thing he saw was Matthew’s face, close to his. He lifted his arms, wrapped them around Matthew’s neck, and smiled, still sleepy. “You are back.”

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Chapter 257 Wherever the Road Leads

Matthew rested his forehead against Zachary’s. “It is cold outside. Let us go in.

“Mm.” Zachary loosened hus arms aird started to sit up.

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Matthew moved faster. He slid one arm under Zachary’s shoulders and lifted him straight out of the hammock.

Only then did Zachary notice how dark it had become.

He stretched his legs forward, and Matthew naturally crouched down to put his shoes on for him.

Zachary lowered his hand and patted Matthew’s head. A soft warmth filled his chest, full and steady.

Matthew stood again and opened his arms. “Do you want me to carry you?”

Zachary looked toward Jaden, who was watering the garden with his back turned to them. Then he smiled. “Yes.”

A few days later, a therian from the Black–winged Kite Tribe arrived.

He brought news that he could lead Matthew to the place where he had found the necklace years ago.

Matthew stood where he was, silent and still. No emotion showed clearly on his face.

Zachary reached over and held his slightly curled fingers. “I’ll go with you.”

Matthew shook his head. “Stay home and wait for me. I will return soon.”

He had searched alone for so many years. Loneliness had long since become familiar. Even if this trip ended in nothing again, he knew he could bear it.

“I’ll go with you.” Zachary’s face remained unchanged. He grasped Matthew’s hand more firmly. “Wherever we are headed, we do it together.”

Matthew met his eyes.

After a quiet moment, his voice softened. “Okay.”

They quickly packed what they needed. Matthew transformed into his panther form and carried Zachary on his back. Leading the way was the Black–winged Kite therian as they hurried southeast.

The deeper they went, the thicker the forest became. The ground grew uneven, and the path became harder to follow.

When they passed beneath a towering cliff, Matthew suddenly stopped.

The black panther lifted his head.

A dark, unreadable emotion gathered in his eyes as he stared upward.

Then a low, grief–stricken whine slipped from his throat.

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Chapter 252 Wherever the Road Leads

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