The Game Heroine's Cannon Fodder Leopard Cub - Chapter 15

The snow on the ground was fine and soft, crunching gently underfoot, its faint crunch-crunch echoing the solitude of this icy world.

Yet each seemingly steady step concealed hidden dangers. Beneath the snow lay either hard-frozen earth or sharp, jagged rocks. A moment’s carelessness could send Yi’an slipping. For her, falling wasn’t the worst part; it was the sudden, helpless feeling of losing control of her body that terrified her most.

She cautiously pawed at the snow ahead, her movements cautious yet endearing. Only after confirming the ground was stable did she dare place her paw down. Even then, the bone-chilling cold shot from her paw pads straight to her heart, making her instinctively curl her claws slightly and occasionally shake her fur in a futile attempt to shake off the cold.

From a distance, the world above the snowline appeared a vast, unbroken expanse of white. But up close, this monotonous whiteness proved far from uniform.

In some areas, the snow was too thin, revealing patches of dark gray rock. The rock surfaces were mottled and rough, eroded by frost, with a thin layer of ice clinging to the exposed fissures, reflecting a dull, muted sheen.

Vegetation had almost completely vanished, leaving only tenacious lichens and moss clinging to the rock surfaces. The entire world seemed reduced to black and white, the suffocating cold piercing to the bone.

The air was exceptionally frigid and thin, as sharp as a knife. With each breath, Yi’an felt the icy chill drive straight into her chest, stabbing into her lungs.

Her small nose was frozen crimson, and every inhale felt as dry as sandpaper scraping her throat.

Nora wrapped her scarf around her nose, the warm exhaled breath condensing into a thin layer of frost on the fabric. Yi’an wasn’t so fortunate—her face was too small for the scarf to cover, and the biting cold tightened her chest, making it difficult to breathe.

As time wore on, Yi’an’s head began to spin, her steps grew unsteady, and her paws barely left impressions in the snow.

In contrast, Nora remained remarkably composed. During her time at the Military Academy, she had trained for an entire month on a snow-covered plain. Though that terrain was far less steep than this, it had at least acclimated her to the cold and thin air.

She had long noticed Yi’an’s slowing pace. The Little Golden Leopard’s tail drooped low, and her paw prints grew increasingly shallow, clearly indicating that her strength and condition were nearing their limits.

Nora didn’t immediately pick Yi’an up. Instead, she quietly walked behind her, silently blocking the direction Yi’an might slip whenever she stumbled.

Ever since confirming that Yi’an wasn’t just a simple little leopard, Nora had begun to see her less as an animal needing care and more as a partner in battle. Perhaps this shift in perspective had solidified after their struggle against the Vines.

As the path grew steeper and the snow deepened, Yi’an realized she couldn’t push herself any further. She stopped, looked up at Nora, and stared silently.

Nora immediately sensed the little leopard’s distress. She crouched down and asked in her usual gentle tone, “What’s wrong?”

Yi’an didn’t even manage a meow. The thin air had drained her strength, leaving her too weak to speak. Her small animal body was still too fragile.

She reached out and pawed at Nora’s boot. Nora understood instantly, gently scooped her up, and pulled out a handkerchief to carefully wipe the snow and ice from Yi’an’s paw pads, her movements as tender and patient as ever.

After wiping Yi’an clean, Nora set down her backpack, unzipped the top compartment, and carefully placed the little leopard inside.

As soon as Yi’an nestled into the warm backpack, she let out a long sigh. The icy stiffness in her limbs gradually dissipated, and her entire small body relaxed, curling into a fluffy ball.

Satisfied that the Little Leopard was safe, Nora hoisted the backpack onto her shoulders and continued her ascent.

With each step higher, the snow grew deeper, the snow crunching underfoot with a muffled “creak.” Each step became heavier, and her pace noticeably slowed.

Yet even so, she didn’t stop moving forward.

After climbing for another hour, Nora finally reached a flat ledge.

The ledge featured a shallow rock cave. Though not deep, the recessed space was large enough to shelter two or three people. The cave mouth faced the leeward side, where the ground was free of snow, revealing the rough rock beneath.

Nora stood at the cave entrance, glancing up at the sky. The overcast sky looked as if it had been painted with lead-gray, clearly indicating that evening was approaching. The desolate surroundings offered no better place to rest. Without hesitation, she stepped inside.

The biting wind was blocked at the cave entrance, finally reducing the bone-chilling cold in the air.

Nora swept the dust off the ground with her gloved hand, set down her backpack, and pulled out a soft mat. She gently lifted Yi’an from the backpack and laid her on the mat.

As Yi’an settled down, the leopard stretched languidly, looking much more relaxed than before.

Nora retrieved a flint and tinder, skillfully struck them together a few times, and sparks flew, followed by wisps of blue smoke. She leaned down and gently blew on the tinder until a flame flickered to life, igniting the straw she had gathered earlier. Soon, the fire crackled merrily, its orange glow chasing away the cave’s chill.

Yi’an lay on the mat, her bright eyes blinking as she watched Nora tend the fire, a hint of admiration in her gaze.

She couldn’t resist mewing a few times, How do you know how to make fire?

Nora looked up at the Little Golden Leopard’s curious expression, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

She poked at the fire with her dagger and said softly, “I learned it at the Military Academy. Fire-making is a basic survival skill in the wilderness.”

After a pause, she lifted her chin, adding with a hint of pride, “But someone as skilled as me is rare—after all, I was the top student in all subjects.”

Hearing her uncharacteristic tsundere tone, Yi’an froze for a moment, then began to purr and meow in encouragement. A tender smile even flickered across her furry face. Nora’s cheeks flushed at that fleeting smile, her heart feeling like it had been gently scratched by something soft. She quickly lowered her head, hiding her reddening cheeks from the Little Leopard.

But out of the corner of her eye, she couldn’t help but steal glances at the Little Leopard.

There was no denying it: that furry face was exquisitely delicate and adorable. Her eyes shone like embedded gemstones, her limbs were slender and graceful, and her fur gleamed like smooth silk. Even as a young Golden Leopard, she was undoubtedly the most beautiful of her kind.

As night gradually fell, the flickering firelight danced across the cave walls, its crackling sounds carrying a sense of peaceful warmth. In the stillness of the night, Nora could hear the steady beat of her own heart.