Du Jianshan gestured for Tie Niu to come closer, but not too close: "Look carefully, Tie Niu, this is what the prey in the mountains really looks like. We hunters need to learn to deal with it, not be afraid."
The leopard finally calmed down, seemingly exhausted, and lay in the trap, watching the two warily.
Tie Niu muttered softly, "Brother Du...it won't die, will it? We just want to catch it..."
Du Jianshan nodded: "That's right, we're not killing it, we're catching it. After we catch it, we can take it back and sell it or release it back into the mountains. Tie Niu, remember, when the prey takes the bait, mindset is the most important thing."
The two squatted to one side, watching the leopard in the trap. Moonlight shone on its fur, making it gleam with a silvery-gray light. The forest was eerily quiet, with only the sound of the night wind rustling the leaves, as if the entire forest had held its breath.
Tie Niu asked quietly, "Brother Du... what do we do now? Should we... go down and tie it up?"
Tie Niu nodded, gripping the knife in his hand, his whole body tense: "Brother Du, be careful, it's not an ordinary wild animal!"
Du Jianshan slowly approached the trap, observing the leopard's posture and finding the gap between its front paws and hind legs. He took out a rope and whispered, "Tie Niu, watch carefully. Once you learn this, you'll be able to set traps and control your prey independently."
Tie Niu held his breath, staring intently at the leopard: "Brother Du... its fur is so thick, and it's so strong, it scares me to death."
Du Jianshan crouched down, carefully looped the rope around the leopard's fore and hind limbs, and secured it. He then used tree branches to support the rope, preventing the leopard from escaping. The leopard growled a few times, emitting threatening howls, but it no longer had the strength to break the trap.
Tie Niu breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but whisper, "Brother Du...that was close, I was scared to death."
Du Jianshan glanced back at him, his eyes serious: "When prey takes the bait, no matter how big or small, the first thing to do is stay calm. Panicking will easily lead to trouble, remember that, Tie Niu."
After securing the leopard, the two began discussing how to transport it down the mountain. Du Jianshan squatted on the ground, wiping his sweat: "Tie Niu, this leopard is incredibly heavy. We need to secure it to the stretcher with ropes. You help me with one end, and I'll pull the other."
Tie Niu nodded: "Okay, Brother Du, I understand."
The two men found some thick wooden sticks and secured the leopard to their makeshift stretcher. Du Jianshan whispered a reminder: "Be careful, don't let it suddenly struggle. Let's walk slowly down the ridge."
Tie Niu gripped the wooden stick tightly, taking careful steps: "Brother Du, this stretcher is really heavy, my hands are getting sore."
Du Jianshan, panting, said, "It's alright, Tie Niu. This is the hardship of hunting. Once you learn it, you'll understand that both prey and life require patience and strength."
The mountain path was rugged, slippery with fallen leaves, and every step the stretcher took was heavy. Tie Niu slipped and almost fell: "Brother Du, I can't hold on much longer!"
Du Jianshan quickly supported him: "Hold on, Tie Niu! We're not far from the bottom of the mountain, just hang in there a little longer."
Along the way, the occasional calls of wild animals echoed through the forest, and Tie Niu's heart leaped into his throat: "Brother Du, those sounds... could there be other leopards?"
Du Jianshan shook his head: "It's alright, the route we're taking is safe, don't be scared. Keep your eyes on the ground and don't let go."
Finally, they reached the edge of the forest at the foot of the mountain. The clearing gradually opened up, and moonlight shone on the damp earth. Du Jianshan wiped the sweat from his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief: "Good, Tie Niu, we're safely down the mountain."
Tie Niu slumped to the ground, soaked to the bone: "Brother Du... this time was really tiring. I almost thought we were finished."
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