Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 302: High-speed Mountain Tanks

"The killer didn't use a knife," Simon said. "Nothing that would leave an obvious mark."

Nancy glanced at the takins. They were basically inhaling the last of the salt. "There are animals all over this mountain. I bet one of them saw the whole thing happen."

Jerome wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead. He looked rattled. "We almost went in completely the wrong direction. We would've wasted half the force trying to move this herd. Good thing you guys showed up."

Simon’s hand clenched into a fist. "Which means the real killer is probably still up here."

He looked at Nancy, and the same thought hit them both at once.

"That means Ingrid is in serious trouble!"

The lead bull finished his salt and looked up. "Looking for someone? Who are you after?"

Takins have terrible eyesight, so showing them a photo of Ingrid was useless. Instead, Nancy described what she looked like and how her voice sounded. She explained it was their friend’s mom, out here looking for materials for her paints.

She pulled out the map and sighed. "We’ve checked two spots and found nothing. There are still four more to go."

She pointed to a far-off marker and made a face. "This one is the worst. It’s right on top of the cliff, and we’d have to take a huge detour to get there. At this rate, we won't even be done until three or four in the morning."

A loud, annoyed snort came from beside her.

The lead bull walked over and looked at the cliff like it was a joke. "Why bother with all that? A detour? Forget it."

He huffed and knelt down. "Get on, kid. I'll show you what vertical takeoff feels like."

Nancy’s eyes lit up. Of course.

These things were born for the cliffs. Their hooves were like climbing spikes. To a takin, a vertical wall was just a flight of stairs.

"We’re full of salt and ready to go," the bull added. "We’ll be at the top in no time."

"Are you serious?"

Nancy was ready to jump for joy. This wasn't just a bull. It was an all-terrain, high-speed tank.

She remembered the guys and looked back. "What about Simon and Jerome?"

The bull snorted again. "Fine. For you, they can come along."

He called out to the herd. "I need the fastest ones! Let's show these humans how we move!"

When Jerome realized he was supposed to climb on, he just stood there with his mouth open. These were the animals known for headbutting leopards off mountains!

The three of them carefully climbed on. Nancy patted the bull’s neck. "Let's go!"

Suddenly, the heavy animals weren't clumsy anymore. They moved up the vertical rock like it was nothing, their hooves locking into every crack. They were steady as rocks even on the steepest slopes.

Nancy hung on tight while the wind rushed past her. She couldn't help but yell, "Oh my god! This is better than any roller coaster!"

Forget a Lamborghini. This is the real deal.

"You guys are the supercars of the woods! The Ferraris of the cliffs!" Nancy kept the compliments coming. "Even pro racers would be asking you for tips!"

From another bull, Jerome’s voice came out in a strangled yell. "Holy crap! I'm up here, but my soul is still at the bottom!"

He didn't even dare look down. "This is crazier than a high-speed chase!"

Simon stayed low on his bull’s shoulders, keeping his eyes on Nancy. He couldn't help but laugh at her nonstop praise.

But the lead bull was getting a little too into the compliments. He started moving even faster, leaving the others in the dust.

Simon’s stomach dropped. He was starting to get worried.

The bull finally reached a flat stretch of woods, but he didn't slow down. He was so hyped he started charging in the wrong direction.

"Wait! Wrong way! Stop!" Nancy yelled, holding on for dear life.

The bull slammed on the brakes, and his hooves dug deep into the dirt.

Everything went dead silent. The sound of the herd, the wind, and the trees. It all just vanished.