Forest Ranger, starting from Picking Up a Lynx Girl

"Your Mommy Jin Ya is angry, don't go upsetting her. Auntie will teach you how to catch rabbits and big birds in the snow later."

Licking the lynx cub's ear, Leopard Sister patted its head. "Your Little Jin's father is a fool, don't learn from him."

The lynx cub gave Leopard Sister and Brother Leopard an innocent look, internally lighting a row of candles for Little Jin's father.

After the weather turned cold, Elder Tiger moved back to the rescue station.

Sasa took the kids to the Old Tree Hollow area for the winter, also to train them in outdoor survival skills, which couldn't be delayed.

To coordinate with Sasa's teaching, Brother Leopard and Leopard Sister rarely went over there recently. Even if they did, they'd intentionally scare the two dumplings, letting them know the world outside is cruel and other fierce beasts can pose a threat to their lives.

Mendun'er also came back once and decided to settle on the west side of Old Bear Gully near the riverbank, just across the water from the male panda's territory. The two often roared at each other across the river.

Mendun'er had a sharp tongue, and the male panda couldn't out-curse him, so he wanted to cross the river to fight him. When he couldn't win, he'd run and complain to Sasa. A 300-pound bear rolling around on the ground is rather hilarious.

The street rat occasionally came over to fight the male panda. The two knew their limits, didn't go in for the kill, and probably saw fighting as a way to release energy.

Unlike the peaceful days at the rescue station, this mountain trip was clearly defined, and they didn't delay, reaching the summit in just two and a half days.

The campsite was the same old spot, with rocks to shield against the wind and rain, and convenient for building a fire.

After setting up camp, except for Yin Li and the forest police comrades staying to guard the camp, Chen Ying and the other four split into two groups to check the snow leopard and Little Snow Leopard's cave.

"Brother Ying, there's nothing here, the cave has been abandoned for a long time."

The two checking the Little Snow Leopard's area contacted Chen Ying via walkie-talkie.

Chen Ying, meanwhile, made another discovery.

"This female snow leopard should have arrived this year, it wasn't spotted before. I was up the mountain in July, and I'm sure I didn't see this snow leopard then."

Chen Ying pursed his lips, lying on a rock using the camera lens to observe the snow leopard's cave.

The spacious cave already had new occupants; a rather plump Mama Snow Leopard and her two cubs.

From their size, the Little Snow Leopards were about four months old, playing and tussling inside the cave.

"It's likely Mama Snow Leopard gave birth elsewhere, only moving here in August or September."

This cave is spacious but not a good place for giving birth.

In July, they were probably newborns, less than a month old; not seeing them then was quite normal.

It's great to have a new top predator in this snow mountain, but for the Snow Leopard, something unexpected might have happened.

It's getting late today, they're worn out from the mountain, needing enough rest to restore energy, and will search around tomorrow; if they find nothing, they'll have to let it go.

An animal migration in nature is quite normal; age, illness, injury could all lead to them not being able to hold their territory.

Unable to hold their territory leaves them having to seek life in other less favorable areas.

This is nature's law, the jungle rule that must be followed.

After observing for a while, Chen Ying and the team returned to the camp.

"How's it going? Did you find anything?"

Yin Li poured them hot milk tea, warming the whole body at each sip.

"We didn't find anything, the outside cave marks are still from a long time ago. But on the way back, we found fresh droppings, suspecting they're from the leopard spotted two or three times. There are claw marks on the tree beside."

Chen Ying glanced without saying a word, feeling a bit uncomfortable inside.

After dinner, the sky gradually darkened.

Jinya hadn't been seen all day today, no idea where she drifted off to.

Yin Li noticed Chen Ying's mood was off and quietly asked what's going on.

"I don't know, I always feel that something unexpected might have happened." He said, falling silent for a moment. "I plan to go check it out tomorrow morning, while the mother leopard goes hunting, I'll see if I can find some clues."

"Alright, I'll go with you tomorrow."

Chen Ying nodded randomly, his eyes fixed on the photo of the cave.

On the first night of the watch, Chen Ying and Yin Li were not scheduled, as it was known that the two of them would definitely go out the next day to search for traces of the Snow Leopard. That was quite a physically demanding task, and they needed to rest well.

The Forest Police comrade and the colleague from the equipment department had slightly lighter duties, and could take the opportunity to nap during the day, so they were first arranged for the night watch.

At around five in the morning, Jinya came back carrying a snow rabbit.

As soon as she threw the rabbit down, she hurriedly pawed at Chen Ying's tent, emitting short calls from her mouth.

Chen Ying was startled awake, and unzipped the tent as Jinya quickly slipped inside first.

"Oh no, the two-legged beast is doomed, I know what's up with that big guy."

"No rush, take your time to explain."

"I went out yesterday to ask around and heard from that leopard down there that the big guy from before is dead! He came when the weather was still hot, then went down the mountain for a while, and just came up a few days ago, planning to claim this territory."

Jinya's explanation was a mess, and it took Chen Ying a while to figure out what she meant.

"Are you saying the scoundrel Snow Leopard is dead? Do you know how it died?"

Jinya shook her head vigorously, "I don't know. I asked that guy, and he didn't know either. He heard it from other beasts."

Chen Ying couldn't sit still. He quickly packed up his things to go to the Mother Snow Leopard to ask about the situation.

Yin Li went with him but didn't get too close, stopping twenty meters away with Jinya.

Chen Ying's approach made the Mother Snow Leopard stand alert in her den entrance, staring at him intently.

Chen Ying didn't come any closer, trying to convey goodwill.

"I came over to ask you something." Chen Ying slowed his speech, observing the Mother Snow Leopard's expression as he spoke, "I want to ask, the male Snow Leopard that used to be here, did he leave here?"

The Mother Snow Leopard said nothing, staring at him for at least five minutes before slowly coming out, her nose twitching as if trying to discern his scent.

Stopping about three meters away, the Mother Leopard halted.

"He's dead."

"... Can I ask what happened? I had arranged to meet him every year."

The Mother Snow Leopard paced back and forth for a while before crouching down, her tail flicking to curl around her paws.

"I know you; we've met before." The Mother Snow Leopard's tone was low, "He fell when hunting, hit a rock, and died along with the prey."

Chen Ying was stunned, unable to believe it, "No way, how could it be, how can a Snow Leopard possibly fall to its death..."

"Why not?" The Mother Snow Leopard was calm to the point of coldness, "My mother, and my mother's mother, both fell to their deaths. Someday, I might fall to my death too."

Chen Ying didn't know what to say.

In fact, he knew that 80% of the Snow Leopard corpses found in the wild died from falls. After all, the cliff-hunting method of Snow Leopards was terrifying. He had once watched a documentary where a Snow Leopard holding a Rock Sheep rolled off a cliff over tens of meters high.

Although Snow Leopards have unparalleled dynamic balance abilities, an incorrect angle mid-flight, and the hard rocks won't avoid voluntarily.

Chen Ying opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. When his suspicions became reality, even someone as calm as him found it hard to accept.

The Mother Snow Leopard kept staring at him, eventually asking curiously, "Are you sad? Why?"

Chen Ying wiped the corners of his eyes and sniffed, "Because he was a friend. I said I'd visit him every year, but I broke my promise."

The Mother Snow Leopard lifted her head, glanced back at the cave behind her.

Two Little Snow Leopards were wedged in the gaps of the rocks at the cave's entrance, secretly watching them.

"Right, what about the other Snow Leopard, the younger one?"

"It left." The Mother Snow Leopard didn't play coy, "Not long after the big guy died, it left. Before leaving, it came to see me, hoping I'd move up, saying this territory would belong to my cubs."

Chen Ying's eye twitched slightly as a thought suddenly struck him.

"May I boldly ask, who is the father of your cubs?"

"That big guy." The Mother Snow Leopard flicked her tail, "Even though he died because of hunting, he was still the mightiest Snow Leopard of this area. My cubs' father had to be him!"