Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 305: The Rescue

"So you are the piece of work dragging our name through the dirt? Word on the mountain is, we are the ones you answer to. Boys, box him in!"

The takins formed a moving fortress of jagged horns, their massive frames creating a wall of muscle and bone that drove Howard toward the edge of the clearing. He was finally pinned against a sheer rock face, his back hitting stone with nowhere left to turn.

His knees buckled. "Enough! Just stop!" he wailed, his voice cracking with terror. "I haven't done anything to deserve this! Not even the old-school executions were this brutal!"

Simon had already slid off his mount. He recognized the face immediately. This was Howard, an A-list fugitive.

His voice was as cold as the mountain mist. "You destroyed lives and families for twelve years. Comparing your fate to an execution is an insult to the history books."

Jerome stared at the man under the moonlight. The blood rushed to his head so fast it made his vision swim. His voice trembled with pure shock. "It’s... it’s Howard! It’s really him! Twelve years on the run!"

Jerome had been a cop for over twenty years. He had cuffed his fair share of thugs, but he never dreamed his small-town department would be the one to snag a high-value target like this. He knew exactly who was responsible. He was riding the coattails of a legend tonight.

Once Howard was cuffed and secured, the lead bull carried Nancy back to regroup.

"Did you kill the herb-gatherer?" Nancy demanded. "Did you dump the body on the takin trail to frame them?"

The lead bull emphasized her point by jabbing a hard horn into Howard’s ribs. "She asked you a question!"

Howard stiffened, his voice thin and airy. "Yes. I did it. I’ve been living deep in the Gumroad Peaks for years. I only leave to restock supplies. But that old man... he valued money more than his life. He recognized me from a wanted poster and thought he could turn me in for the bounty. I crushed his head with a rock."

Nancy shoved a photo of Ingrid in front of his face. "Talk. Have you seen this woman?"

Howard’s pupils shrank. Before he could spin a lie, the bull gave him a violent shove with its snout. The man folded instantly. "Yes! I saw her! I’ve been looking for her too! She saw me kill that man. I chased her for miles but lost her in this hellhole. I’ve been trying to find her to shut her up!"

A sudden flutter of wings broke the tension as Chunk landed on Nancy’s shoulder. "I found the lady!" the bat chirped. "The forest scouts say she’s in a cave at the bottom of the deepest gorge. Her leg is busted and she can’t climb out, but she’s still breathing!"

"Lead the way!" Nancy said, her heart leaping into her throat.

Following Chunk’s lead, they reached the edge of the deep valley. Nancy patted the bull's neck. "I’m counting on you."

The takin lived up to its reputation, navigating the steep, jagged cliffs as if it were walking on flat ground. They reached the floor of the gorge in minutes. Inside the cave lay a woman, her breath shallow and weak. Her right ankle was a mess of purple swelling, and dried blood stained her trousers.

It was Ingrid. The factory owner they had been searching for.

"Madam Ingrid!" Nancy rushed to her side.

Simon was already there, opening his medical kit with practiced precision. Nancy moved in to clean and bandage the wounds while Jerome carefully lifted Ingrid’s head to give her some water. Working together, they managed to secure Ingrid onto the broad, sturdy back of the bull.

By the time they reached the top of the ridge, the three of them were running on empty. Nancy turned to Chunk. "Tell everyone the mission is a success. We're heading home."

A few minutes later, two massive takins returned carrying the rest of the crew. The squirrel brothers were sprawled out on a bull’s back, bellies up and snoring loudly. The ermine was draped across their soft fur, using its own fluffy tails as a thick blanket.

Then there was the Tabby King. As a nocturnal hunter, the cat was wide awake and full of energy. He claimed a bull all to himself, standing tall on its back with his chest puffed out, looking every bit like a general reviewing a victory parade.

Exhausted to the point of collapse, Nancy, Simon, and Jerome eventually gave in and slumped against the backs of their mounts. Nancy buried her face in the thick, warm fur of the lead bull. It felt like a heated, moving mattress, completely blocking out the biting mountain chill.

Simon pulled out a blanket and draped it gently over Nancy’s shoulders.

The Tabby King trotted over, jumping onto Jerome’s back. He began a rhythmic, steady knead against the man's spine, letting out a command. "Sleep, humans. I'm on watch tonight!"