(RP test) A New Age

[TuhiAdmin]

Please follow our rules and play fairly.  Also, remember that we aren't establishing dominance yet!

I was thinking of setting it a few days before the new day.

[Kat]

((Wooo! Exciting.))

Torch could vaguely remember being alone as a pup, abandoned by his biological mother with nothing but the harsh elements to look after him. He remembered the kind face which eventually found him. His adoptive mother, who despite his horribly flawed personality, took him into her care and never once turned him away. Spark was gone now. The drought had claimed her with so many others over the past few months. Even his biological mother Dagger, who he eventually found again, was likely dead. She had been separated from the group shortly before the Clawshades were formed, but despite their search, she was never found. They could only assume that she'd perished at the hand of a predator.

Life within the newly formed Clawshades had been interesting, but short-lived. During a predator scare, he and Rune were separated from the main group, along with her tiny pups and a tag along, young Blue Moon. They had searched tirelessly for the Clawshades, but to no avail. Running out of options, Torch thought to bring them to the Flames. They'd been his family once, and though he was an irritant to them as a pup, he was no longer the young bully which they'd known him to be. He was grown, and he didn't think that they'd turn he and his small band away. Upon reaching what had once been Flames territory, however, the scent of his former family was stale and hope was dwindling.

For a month he and Rune had managed to survive. Rune sadly lost all of her litter but Mitzi to starvation, and Blue Moon was barely hanging on, but Torch thought that perhaps their luck would turn around. The drought couldn't last forever, after all. Everyday he begged for the rain to fall, but instead of relief, fate brought the tiny group even more tragedy. One night while huddled together for warmth in a bolt hole, a snake sought to make a quick meal out of Mitzi. Rune awoke to fend off the reptile, but was bitten in the process. She died with her brother and daughter at her side.

Even as an abandoned pup, Torch had never felt so alone as he did now. Mitzi and Blue Moon were all that he had left, and they weren't even old enough to fend for themselves. He knew now that if they did not find a group to join soon, there was no possible way that they'd survive. Perhaps today would be different. Maybe today they would not starve, but it was becoming more and more difficult to believe that their fate was not already sealed. As the sun began to rise, Torch slowly made his way out of their bolt hole, his face covered with ticks. His wary eyes scanned the air and the surrounding area for any sign of predators. In this difficult time, predators seemed to be just as desperate for a meal as they were, which unfortunately meant that the threat of being picked off was even greater for Torch and his two charges. The area appeared to be clear however, and so Torch chrred quietly to inform Mitzi and Blue Moon that the coast was clear. They could come outside now.

((I think that it's just Blue Moon and Mitzi who are with Torch, right? If another of Rune's pups survived, just let me know and I can edit my post. c: ))

[Megan]

Willow emerges from a lone bolt hole and peeps a dry sound. She wasn't sure how she survived for this after after losing her whole family, along with the entire Kitties. The group that was once a sanctuary for good-tempered 'kats was gone forever.

She would have more courage out in the wild if she had at least one of her children next to her side. But they too were gone. The beautiful pups she raised to adulthood.

First it was Toxic who left her and the Kitties. She was for sure that he perished to a predator. Toxic wouldn't just leave his family..would he?

As for her two daughters, they weren't able to survive the drought. Despite Willow constantly sacrificing her meals to her daughters, both of them succumbed to an illness. Never has she felt more defeated and powerless.

Everything she succeeded in life was wiped..

As she warms her fur, she starts thinking of new plans. She didn't want to just stay by this bolt hole and dig for ants. She needed to find another group. A white meerkat wouldn't last much longer by themselves. She's already had to dodge several predators who were able to spy her with little to no effort.

She finally breaks away from her bolt hole that she's been at for nearly a month and heads towards the direction of where Torch was, though she was unaware of this..

[little_maybelline]

Even whilst she slept the harshness of the Kalahari continued to plague young Mitzi. The recent horrors of the persisting drought and the loss of her mother Rune repeatedly haunted her dreams causing her to uncomfortably fidget or awaken in panicked terror that another unseen predator had decided to come to snatch her away in the night.
Roused by the sound of Torch’s feint contact calls from outside the bolt hole’s mouth, Mitzi weakly opened her small bright bead like eyes and peeled her muzzle ever so slightly away from the warm underarm fur of her resting companion Blue Moon.

Seemingly endless days it had felt like the small family had struggled under the oppression of the bright glowing orb in the sky, each one of her littermates had bravely tried to cling onto life but sadly failed, her mother had made the ultimate sacrifice and now under threat were the only two individuals left in her tiny existence. Nuzzling affectionately into Blue Moon’s fur once more and whimpering softly, Mitzi refused to give into her overwhelming fears. No matter how much her small body ached or how many times her weakened skeletal frame collapsed underneath her from lack of nutrition she would have to get herself up and put one foot out in front of the other.

Stretching out her skinny hind leg with a wide yawn, Mitzi began slowly unpeeling herself out of her comfort zone and out of the comforting embrace of the other youngster in the bolt hole.  

(I can always amend also if Mitzi's siblings survive. I need to wait to see what Yosh wants to do with Lancaster as maybe we might be better to have the pups born into the new group rather than in the gap in between)

[Moonbacon]

Oh how everything fell apart in a near instant...

Vureon first joined the Shiners with her sister, Tantabus and her adopted pup Arthas, everything seemed peachy and perfect until the Shadow Deaths had attacked and Arthas was kidnapped, Tantabus bravely followed them and attempted to take Arthas back  but much to her dismay she never returned, after a few days Vureon decided to scout out the Shadow Deaths from a distance and had spotted Tantabus and decided to join her after she refused to come with her, oblivious to harsh lifestyle of the Shadow Deaths.

Vureon definitely grew a thick skin during that time and became more similar to Tantabus in some aspects, Arthas had learned more than enough life lessons during that time that's for sure.

But then the drought came and everything started to fall apart, mob members dispersed, some never woke up when they slept in the burrow for the night, some killed by snakes, predators... Just death all around, among the first victims were Tantabus's litter, they were born during the better times but starvation and predation finished them leaving Arthas as her only living pup by then.

Then the drought had taken Tantabus as well, one day, she and Arthas were seperated from what remained of the Shadow Deaths during foraging and Vureon decided to not persue them and she and Arthas had been wandering around ever since, trying to find a new more stable mob so they can have a more comfortable life but Vureon has been feeling it might have been a foolish decision.

Vureon catiously peeked her head out of bolt hole entrance, scanning the area to see if there were any predators around, after making sure it was safe she exits out of the burrow and makes a few chirps and Arthas emerged soon from the burrow soon after. Vureon stood on her hindlegs, alert and ready for whatever danger than may come, Arthas was merely grooming himself currently right next to Vureon.

After a few minutes, Vureon and Arthas began to move out on their way to find food and hopefully a new group even, finding food on their own was hard enough, luckily with Arthas being 4 months old it means he's mostly big enough to not be a very big burden on Vureon but he's yet to become a teenager and he's still prone to being distracted and so while they forage, Vureon has to keep an eye out for both predators and Arthas but at least they 're managing to get by even with just ants or maybe a luckily gecko or scorpion per day though unbeknowst to them.

Vureon briefly took paused and climbed onto a bush to scout out the area as Arthas dugged underneath a thin bush in an attempt to find some food. Vureon noticed a white shape moving through the grass, as she closely observed the white shape she slowly begins to recognize it as another meerkat, she quickly climbed down the grass and chirped for Arthas to follow before making her way towards Willow.

[Kat]

Blue Moon opened his eyes, awakened by the feeling of Mitzi pulling herself from his side. Torch's quiet calls hadn't roused him, the exhaustion caused by his weakened body too overbearing at times, but the loss of warmth had apparently been alarming enough to reach into his tired mind and shake him into a more conscious state. He blinked a few times to clear his vision as Mitzi gave him an affectionate nuzzle. Throughout their entire ordeal, Mitzi was often his only source of comfort. Torch was a fine protector and Rune was kind while she was still... with them, but Blue Moon missed his siblings. He missed his frail brother and he even missed his bully of an adoptive sister. Without them, he had found himself clinging to Rune's pups for companionship, but now only Mitzi remained.

Shakily, he returned her nuzzle with one of his own before attempting to stand. He didn't think that Torch and Mitzi would leave him behind, but he also didn't wish to try his luck. He already knew that he was more of a burden to the small group than anything else. Just another mouth to feed when there was nothing left to eat. Wobbly and unbalanced, the young male stumbled from the bolt hole after Mitzi. His body was little more than skin and bones, and he had developed a tremor that only left him in his sleep. Yesterday he had fainted while out foraging. He felt almost unhappy to wake again.

Torch glanced down as his two charges once they emerged. They looked terrible, and if he was being perfectly honest with himself, they didn't look like they'd last another week. It was a depressing thing to see, two youngsters wasting away. Two bright futures dying a little more with each passing day. Despite the hopelessness of it all, he kept his emotions in check as he leaned down to groom them, plucking a tick from above Blue Moon's eye and cleaning the small wound as it bled. Starvation was already upon them. The youngsters didn't need disease and infection adding to their misery.

From the corner of his eye, Torch caught movement in the dry grass beyond and stilled. Understandably, the first thought upon his mind was that a predator was near, and it caused his stoic demeanor to shatter. In an instant, Torch had quickly placed himself between the unknown animal and his two younger companions, ready to push them back inside if danger was truly near and approaching. His heart was beating quickly, and his eyes were wide. Birds of prey were dangerous, but avoidable if one remained vigilant. Ground predators were so much worse, because even stashed away into the shallow bolt hole, there was a chance that they wouldn't be safe if their pursuer simply chose to dig.

Torch's startled expression shifted into one of utter disbelief as the mystery visitor trotted into view, though. It was a meerkat. A white meerkat. For several moments, Torch stood motionless and silent. After the initial shock of finally seeing another of their own kind for the first time in months subsided, however, the male called out to her.

[Megan]

Having to be extra cautious with her sight and hearing for obvious reasons, Willow picked up the noise of Vureon catching up to her. She turned around and winced, hoping she wasn't about to come face to face with an aggressive rogue 'kat.

Arthas was next to come into sight. For a second, Willow felt like using her remaining energy to bolt away for safety until she realized that both of these 'kats looked as desperate as she did when wanting to find others.

Her nose twitched, curious about these two. Even though she had no more children, her maternal instincts were still strong. She felt the sudden need to help these two out.

Willow was about to approach them until she hears Torch's calls. She jumped back around, standing as tall as she could on her tip toes. From a distance, she could see an adult male who looked a little malnourished.

With a new excitement building in her, she quickly ran over to where the male was standing.

(Okay guys, you convinced me.. XD)

Nearby, west from Torch's burrow, a female with a rusted-looking face came into view.

Volcanomask grumbled. She wasn't meaning to be in a grumpy mood, but she was back where she started. Months ago, she sought out to find her mother, only to remain lost in the desert. For a while, there was a new hope for her when she found a small group of meerkats.

Until the drought happened..

Being that she was the only survivor, she was back to roaming around lost in the desert. Her paranoid thoughts came to a halt when she heard Torch's calls, and though they weren't meant for her, she became overwhelmed when hearing the sound of another meerkat. She quickened her pace and passed several more dry brushes until an adult male came into view.

[YoshKatgirl]

Approximately half a mile from Vureon, Torch and Willow's location, the cobalt orbs of a meerkat with a grey pelt, three claws on three digits of both his front paws and a peach tail tip nervously survey a foreign, dusty terrain devoid of vegetation before him, his slim body jolting every now and then when a small mammal such as a ground squirrel or yellow mongoose would enter his field of vision as they desperately scoured the earth for any source of life saving fluids, thinking it's a predator sniffing out the scent of any quarry that may have been put in critical condition by the severe drought. This meerkat is identified as Lancaster, an individual of Willows origin, a mob that resides in the Desert Warriors reserve.

Several months ago while the mob was foraging, a blinding dust storm struck, causing the Willow individuals to split in different directions. It was moderately breezy that day, sending a sense of forebode through Lancaster's system. Considering the conditions of the environment were starting to deteriorate then, Lancaster just knew some sort of catastrophe was imminent, and to his horror, it became a reality. Lancaster trembles as an image of the dense dust obscuring his view of the Willow individuals plays in his mind. To his relief, his beloved mate, Josephine, had been foraging in close proximity to him and both managed to seek refuge in a bolt hole without becoming separated. After the dust storm cleared, the rest of the Willows, including Lancaster's brother, Tank, and two nieces, Saja and Olivia had vanished. Since that ill fated day, Lancaster never saw the Willows again.

Lancaster shakes his head sorrowfully. It's not fair. At that time the Willows were being steered in the direction of a prosperous future by an immigrant female name Lumina. After the disappearance of the mob's previous pair of dominants, Lumina was making her ascent to the helm when Fate decided to deliver a catastrophic blow to the mob, denying them the chance to restore prosperity. As a result, Lancaster and Josephine are now facing a precarious future.

Lancaster's cobalt orbs shift from the foreign landscape to a parasite infested bolt hole he and Josephine have been occupying for the past few weeks, recuperating from emaciation caused by living off a poor diet consisting of ants and termites. The digits on Lancaster's front paws fidget every few seconds, expressing his concern for his precious lady's welfare. She's currently pregnant with their first litter and he's worried their dystopian lifestyle could be putting a tremendous amount of stress on her body. He descends into the tunnel to check on her condition.

ooc: I imagined Josephine being inside the bolt hole. Hope that's okay, LM. XD

[little_maybelline]

Below ground a sandy colour coated adult female rested uncomfortably pitched on her side facing away from the bolt hole entrance. Heavily pregnant with her first litter, Josephine’s swollen abdomen rose and fell with every breath but the stress of her growing pups had taken a heavy toll on the condition of her body and the limited amount of nutrition had seen her once beautiful shiny coat dull and thin.
Not only was her body home to her developing children but a whole host of tics and parasites had claimed her unreachable areas and even as she rested they mockingly feasted on her blood until they were gorged and swollen.

Being an individual of a nervous disposition, poor Josephine’s fore paws were sore and bald and the backs of her forelegs were covered in tiny bites from her desperate attempts over the last few weeks to forage for ants and termites. They were meager pickings compared to what they used to eat but with the desert now dry and bare every morsel was much appreciated.

Hearing her mate descending back into the bolt hole, Josephine swiveled her head over to welcome Lancaster with an affectionate chirp as he came into her view. Although more than anything she was overjoyed that despite the sandstorm and the spilt of her former group home, she had luckily been separated with her dearest love and father of her unborn children but sadly at the forefront of her mind was the heavy feeling for the individuals and family that they had lost.

Everyday just like hers she could read this hidden sadness on Lancaster’s face. She too missed the unique character and charm of Lancaster’s brother Tank, even from her arrival in the Willows she had hit it off well with the heavily built male and even on one occasion had saved his life. Tank’s dear children both alive and those sadly no longer were all very precious and each Josephine had adored like her very own nieces and nephews. Her subordinate friends that she had come to accept like an extended family were now all likely spilt across all corners of the old reserve.
Sadly, the hardest separation for her to accept were the pups that on a personal promise to the old dominant female Buckeye to look after and protect had been foraging alongside different adults that fateful morning and despite the number of times Lancaster and herself had searched the foraging area and the Willows territory after the sandstorm: Merry, his brother Pippin, young adopted pup Root Beer and Lancaster’s adopted older pup daughter Sarah were nowhere to be found.

Closing her eyes as Lancaster approached and meticulously began to groom Josephine’s eye patches and muzzle, she thought of their Willows family but knew deep down that despite the losses each day they were together was one perilous step forwards to the birth of their own children and despite the overwhelming odds, if their pups could hang on just a few more days in these terrible conditions then maybe there was also hope that their missing loved ones could also survive and one day they would all be reunited.

Chirping in gratitude and relief as one by one a few centimeters of her face is freed of the persistent tic and flea nipping, Josephine sluggishly rolled onto her front ready to attempt to stand so that she could return the grooming appreciation and strengthen her bond with her loving mate.
Although in her eyes Lancaster would always be perfect even with his reduced number of claws, the effects of the drought could clearly be observed on his body also and it probably hadn’t helped matters that Lancaster’s dedicated personality meant that despite the limited resources available he had offered to share everything he had found with her to keep their pups growing. Maybe a tomorrow the rains would come and that she would be able to return the kindness to him and be a good mother to his dear future children.

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Unaware of the individuals heading in their direction, Mitzi happily wobbled alongside her only other companion as the pair of young pups crested the surface of the bolt hole and out into the bright sunlight. Blinking to adjust her tiny eyes to the dazzling rays, Mitzi glanced up in the shadow of her beloved uncle Torch and placed her paws against his muzzle as he bent over to groom Blue Moon beside her.
In her eyes, Torch was more her father figure than her uncle. She couldn’t remember her own father in the early days after she had just opened her eyes but Torch alongside her mother Rune had always been there for her, and now with Rune gone Torch and Blue Moon were all she had left.

Observing Torch’s sudden change in behavior, Mitzi flinched and as the only adult in their party shot into an upright sentry position placing himself between them and the vegetation edge, she hurried to Blue Moon’s side and put her paws around him protectively. She could only pray whatever it was that Torch had spotted wasn’t a snake. Yesterday’s ordeal with Blue Moon fainting whilst they all had been out foraging together had worried her and although they had been lucky that he had come around Mitzi wasn’t prepared to let him get taken by a predator. Clinging to the young male tightly, she trembled slightly but tried to remain brave and positive.

Twitching her ears in inquisition as Torch’s stance remained rigid and calm, and his contact calls now echoed over the dry desert silence, from her position Mitzi couldn’t see the white meerkat Willow that had caught her uncle’s attention.  

(ooc: It was a wonderful post Yosh)

[Temp]

OOC: Just to clarify, no one has actually JOINED the new group yet? Everyone who's posted is intending to join the new group? Are we RPing the formation of a group or are they already formed, and these characters are going to join? Just trying to figure out where to hop in with my characters...

[Moonbacon]

(No group formed yet, the meerkats were just meeting up)

Vureon had never seen a fully white meerkat before, at least not an adult one living on their own, it reminded her of her birth mob's dominant female which was her grandmother that had white patches on part of her body. Just Vureon was beginning to approach Willow when she heard Torch's calls nearby, causing her to stand on her toes as well to look for the source of it and saw the malnourished male not too far away, Vureon was utterly excited to finally be meeting other meerkats and hopefully be joining forces with them.

Vureon followed after Willow as she ran over to Torch and the others. On the other hand Arthas is trying his best to keep up, everything seemed to be going so fast.

[Kat]

((@Temp: The new group has not yet been formed. These are basically the group’s few founders meeting up for the first time. I’m assuming that everyone who has posted so far intends to have their meerkats eventually cross paths with each other. So, we are basically role playing the formation of the group, though obviously no dominance will be established yet. c:))

---

Despite the excitement which Torch felt at the sight of a refreshingly non threatening individual advancing toward them, and more importantly, by what possibilities such an encounter could bring for his tiny band of survivors, the adult male attempted to keep his dignity in check by not literally leaping for joy once Willow approached. Instead, he shook away some of his earlier tension, and he attempted to appear friendly and perhaps not quite as miserable as he feared his malnourished form might give him the impression of being. With Mitzi and Blue Moon kept always within his peripheral vision, Torch greeted the white female with an amiable chirp.

Ever alert, however, it did not take Torch much time at all to pick up on the other various scents and sounds growing more noticeably near. Could their luck have really improved to such a sudden extent? If there were indeed more meerkats close by, and they too just as equally deprived and desperate for companionship as he and his two charges were, then Mitzi, Blue Moon, and his own chances of survival might have just increased from zero to something less dreadfully bleak.

On the flip side, there was also a chance that the approaching individuals were already part of an established mob and that he could be mistaken for nothing more than an odious roving male and promptly chased off. Of course, the pups at his side were good evidence of such a thing not being the case, but having had such a ridiculous amount of bad luck thus far, Torch wouldn’t have exactly been surprised to find that this fortunate encounter was not as life-saving as he might have hoped it to be. As two new meerkats scampered into view and began to approach without any sign of aggression, however, Torch noticeably relaxed.

From his place beside Mitzi, and with her paws wrapped around him protectively, Blue Moon gazed at their new visitors with an expression of curiosity and hesitation as they approached. He had pressed himself closer to his companion during the brief scare, and despite being in such rough physical condition himself, he had been prepared to protect Mitzi at all cost. Like her, he did not wish to lose her to a snake or a jackal, but it was clear now that this was not a predator attack. There was little to fear, but the young male was still visibly nervous. Other meerkats weren’t always friendly, though he hoped that these new faces would show them the kindness and care that he and Mitzi were so desperately in need of.

[Megan]

Willow sniffed Torch when he approached. There was no peculiar dominating scent that spelled a large group. He held the same smell as the desert around him instead of a "cologne" of typical meerkat scent that was normally used to mark territories. She put the pieces together and figured out that Torch had other meerkats with him, but not a significant amount to where they were comfortable. The evidence was shown by how Torch had parasites stuck on him. Feeling great empathy, Willow invited herself to groom Torch's face, removing some of the ticks.

All seemed hopeless, but maybe not. When Vureon and Arthas caught up to her, she was reminded that numbers added fast with groups. Perhaps they could join this male and start all over?

Volcanomask may have accidentally made the impression that she had no manners, for she didn't wait for an "okay" and approached the small band of meerkats around the adult male all in hopes that she could join their small group. She hadn't seen Willow by herself moments ago and assumed that the meerkats had already been one group.

Upon seeing the parasites a few of them sported, especially the male, she now realized just how desperate they were. Just like her. There was a small part in her that was frustrated for not finding a larger group, but she reminded herself that even the largest groups started out in trickling numbers. There was always potential.

Her nurturing side came out and she too began grooming Torch.

[TuhiAdmin]

A distance away, a young female emerges from a bolthole, looking a bit shaken. She has very distinct features... her stripes cross each other like an X randomly. She's also noted for having rusty patches on her cream fur, but is otherwise rather normal looking. This is Lucille, and once again, she's found herself in a precarious situation. How many times has it been now, that she's been overthrown and left behind, with a litter of pups in tow, no less? She's lost count. Even this cunning, ambitious meerkat seems to have lost a bit of her vigor.

Her pups are only three weeks old... they'll be emerging today. Although this is a milestone she should be celebrating, the reality is that they can't bring them foraging, and she still has to feed them. She and her 4 month old son had managed to move them the previous day. In the fading light of evening, they had hoped to find the rest of the group today, but looking around, Lucy has no idea where she is. In the early months of her campaign, she would have left them behind to start again, especially in such desperate times... However, despite her rough exterior, Lucille was not without empathy. Many meerkats would liken her to a devil, but the truth was, this girl had a heart. She had lost too many pups, and there seems to be something different about this litter... at least to her. She was too tired, and too stressed to think about living her mother's legacy right now. Her heart heavy, the young female retreated below once more, hoping to find comfort in the only thing keeping her alive. The day needn't begin just yet.

A more bitter figure passes his mother, taking her place on the surface. The tragedy of his mother's persistence, 4 month old Sohnii isn't an image of a normal meerkat his age. Through months of ambition and desperation, he had never really received the attention he should have had early in life. By the time his harsh mother caught up to him, it was almost too late to leave a positive impression on him. As a result, Sohnii is a very awkward, rebellious, and misunderstood young male, who was forced to grow up much faster than was fair. In some ways, he acted more like a yearling than a juvenile, Things had started to get better for him, but after the loss of a dear friend, he had really gone downhill, and wasn't entirely cooperative with his mother, creating some tension between them. The recent changes had made things more difficult, but at least he was willing to help with his siblings... but the two definitely weren't on speaking terms right now, even if that was what his friend may have wanted...

((There are 5 pups. Only 2 or maybe 3 will survive, unless someone wants their pups elsewhere, either rescued or adopted. If no one takes them, with the intent of keeping them, all will die. If it takes a while I'll go ahead with my plot.))

[YoshKatgirl]

When Josephine shifts onto her stomach ready to stand up, Lancaster lowers the upper part of his body, propping his left shoulder a little below her right shoulder as a way of offering her support until she's properly balanced on all four of her legs. With a bit of effort, Lancaster presses his left shoulder against his beloved, lifting her to a position where she quickly gains her balance. Once Josephine is stable on her legs, Lancaster brushes his snout against her cheek affectionately.

An abrupt itchy sensation originating from Lancaster's hind quarters causes him to avert his gaze from his beloved's exquisite eyes to remove a few fleas from the said location of his body. Having been so focused on keeping Josephine in good health throughout her gestation period, Lancaster has been neglecting his own health, often sacrificing his meals in order to maximize the chances of those precious fetuses making it into the world as strong and healthy miniature versions of their parents, not taking a break in between his endeavors to smooth down his disheveled fur, he just looks like an absolute, emaciated mess.

Fed up with this parasite infested burrow, Lancaster makes a determined march in the direction of the exit. He's tired of having to scratch his butt every so often because of these annoying fleas and ticks. There must be other meerkats out there going through the same thing, right? Perhaps if they can meet up with other struggling meerkats, they can give their pups a chance at growing into prosperous adults. However encountering foreign meerkats doesn't come without risks. If Lancaster and Josephine have the misfortune of encountering a group that has claimed this portion of the Kalahari as their own, they could be in serious trouble.

[little_maybelline]

At the advancement of the white pelted stranger, Mitzi’s gaze fixed rigid on Willow as the female made her introduction to Torch. Other than her family and Blue Moon the young pup hadn’t really encountered many other meerkats before. Inquisitively she craned her head to analyse the developing situation only briefly letting her embrace around her companion relax as the two adults mutually began to groom one another comfortably in each other’s presence.
More than anything in the world she trusted Torch and as Willow was showing herself to be friendly her instinct swayed by this judgement.

Teetering on the verge of moving away from her position and considering making the distance towards her uncle and his new acquaintance, Mitzi was taken off guard by the hasty advancement of another adult female through the nearby long grass and instead recoiled back into her suspicious huddle.

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Comfortably stable on all four legs, Josephine chirped a fond appreciation as Lancaster brushed his muzzle against her fluffy cheek fur. He was a true gentleman, a male with a kind and dedicated heart and one who Josephine felt it an absolute dream to be adored by. Despite her nervous disposition and lack of navigational skills it was clear from his every gentle gesture that Lancaster treasured her in just as much in return as she did for him.

Observing Lancaster’s sudden flinch to gnaw at a patch of fur on his hind quarters, Josephine could only offer a nibble on his opposite shoulder as he slumped over to relieve the irritation. Feeling the familiar sensation of her own bodily tenants itching for their breakfast, she chattered in discomfort as they wriggled over the sensitive areas around her ears. Oh, these pests were a contestant drilling reminder about how dire the outlook for two individuals alone in the desert really was.

With Lancaster’s sudden bolt for the entrance, Josephine could only follow in a hasty wobbly gait. Something had sparked her mate’s determination, she could see the look on his face as the pair of them crested the short slope out into the daylight of another devastatingly hot Kalahari morning.

[Shadoww]

Most Meerkats would be basking in the glorious morning rays to warm up their cold bodies by this time. This wasn't the case for a very bony and partially flea covered Morgan that was scurrying across the cold sand at a furious pace. Their head rising to scan the vivid sky occasionally as they tried to keep moving forward to an random direction. They didn't have a goal in mind on where they should go- it was what they hoped to find. A stable group in this dead wasteland before her already fading weight deteriorated into death by starvation. As much as she didn't like the thought; she had to find another group.

When the drought took hold the mobs she was in broke off into segments until both were inevitably lost. She tried to escape the catastrophe with her two friends she had traveled with for the longest of time. But much like the Savages and Shadow Deaths, they too, were lost to the desert. She woke up one dawn to find them both gone from the bolthole they three shared-- Without a single trace or even an alarm of their departure. The possibility of trying to find them would be futile so she moved on. Yes, it did hurt, but she couldn't ponder *why* they left. The loner could only wish for their safe travels and their fates weren't disastrous.

Shoving the thoughts away, the female continued for a few silent minutes until an echo of an unknown call caught her attention. After scanning the sky one more time, the meerkat stopped, standing in her hind legs. A puzzled realization came over her dark eyes once she identified the general direction of the faint call; causing her to instantly drop in her four paws. It certainly sounded like some meerkat's call... It gave the wandering meerkat a hint of excitement. Heaving in a sharp intake of air, Morgan began to bark at a high pitch tone that shattered the silence of the dry morning. Surely someone, anyone, that was nearby could hear her? She was *sure* she just heard was another one of her kind. Was there a mob nearby that she wasn't aware of? It would be a miracle if it was. Would that accept a line female like her? Probably not. But it was worth a try.

Finally coming to stride into a tall tower of dead grass, she continued to bark. The grass tickled her dark nose causing it to twitch lightly. Morgan huffed in annoyance at the soft touch but she couldn't stop. Not yet. Not when she was supposedly so close.

[OOC: I'll leave it open for anyone can approach her if they see her / hear her.]

[TuhiAdmin]

(( Since the new day has started, I've moved this topic to the Manor Library.  c: ))

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