January 6, Year 6 - Anklebiters

Dominants: TBD
Members: Alessa, Andra, Declan, Emberflash, Envy Rose, Evening Star, Gabby, Gligar, James, Keegan, Kenna, Kopa, Ninji, Papau, Penelope, Say It, Tumble, Tyra, Wild Dancer, Xaphan, Yeyen

Due Dates:
None

Ages of members under 1 year old:
**Tyra
Born: July 30, Year 5
Age: 8 months 4 days
Parents: Roodaka and Makuta

**Kopa
Born: June 22, Year 5
Age: 6 months 14 days
Parents: Unknown Wild

**Keegan, Kenna
Born: July 11, Year 5
Age: 5 months 26 days
Parents: Unknown Wild

**Ninji
Born: July 10, Year 5
Age: 5 months 24 days
Parents: Linda and Ninja

**Yeyen
Born: August 29, Year 5
Age: 4 months 7 days
Parents: Papau and unknown

**Gabby, James
Born: August 29, Year 5
Age: 4 month 7 days
Parents: Luchina and Voldemort

**Gligar
Born: September 21, Year 5
Age: 3 months 15 days
Parents: Raichu and Ranger

**Evening Star
Born: October 3, Year 5
Age: 3 months 3 days
Parents: Envy Rose and Avalanche

**Andra
Born: October 3, Year 5
Age: 3 months 3 days
Parents: Bohrok and Dash

(( I'm assuming that, even though they're on the list, that the SD characters haven't immigrated yet? I was looking forward to introducing Black Sun. (Who I renamed Black Rose, if you don't remember. I'm waiting for Sky before we post with Spider and Rhapsody, and I might play a SD pup myself, I'm not sure yet. ))

Slowly, as the cool desert air begins to drift into the  burrow, a figure stirs slightly.  The warm brown, speckled figure of Penelope raised her head as she gazed around with her startlingly bright blue eyes.  It's been a hard few months for everyone, but as evident by everyone's slim features, the Anklebiters have struggled perhaps more than any mob in the area.  The drought had caught them off guard, having already been vulnerable, as as a result their numbers have really been depleted.  It started with the death of Twig, who sacrificed himself for the group's safety by standing up to Voldemort.  They had lost many members since, and worst of all, the mob STILL had no structure.  They were beginning to feel the effects of this misfortune, but they wouldn't be able to go on in this state... Although still unaware of the Unspeakables, and thus oblivious to the dangers lurking nearby, Voldemort is still a presence that frightens her, and many other members of the mob... As Penelope stood, she narrowed her eyes.  She and the other Anklebiters have experienced a lot the last couple of years... of course she was still frightened... but she wasn't that timid little pup anymore, who was orphaned and became one of the first members of this humble group... This was her family, and she wasn't going to stand aside and let them wither away.  There had been talk of a group effort in leadership, rather than power falling to two individuals.  Strawberry had been the first to point out the danger of giving too much power to one meerkat, and after the results of their rebellion, many members such as Ask, Bianca, Say It, and even Tumble were eager not to follow in their former tyrant's footsteps... they couldn't afford to be so barbaric.  She wasn't sure if all dominant females were like Luchina, but many of the members were insistent on steering as far away from Luchina's path as possible... Most of the original Anklebiters were gone, so she couldn't say for sure, but maybe it was time to make an official plan.  

One golden meerkat standing in somber watch over the burrow grounds is Say It, a lonely figure in the eyes of many, considering that his sister Ask was no longer at his side... She and her friend Flinch were only a few of the desert's casualties, and although their fate was currently unknown, it has left the male in low spirits.  Losing his friend and brother Twig to such extreme circumstances had been difficult for him, but it was nothing compared to the tragedy of losing his one and only sister.  After everything the two of them, and the rest of the group, had been through it was a surprise that Say hadn't lost his mind yet.  Luckily, he hadn't lost all hope yet... after all, he hadn't forgotten all the lives that had been lost for their freedom... It had been a cold victory, but what use was it if he gave up now? The Anklebiters would need to stay strong if they were going to survive... and that included him, too.  He would protect his family just as he had protected Ask... besides... he wasn't the only one who had lost a sibling in these months... he found strength in Tumble, too.  They had a certain kinship... and in their loss, they had grown closer.  Not in the way that he had cared for Strawberry... but, maybe as Twig had been his brother, in a way, Tumble was his sister, even she could never replace his lost littermate... They had to stick together.  As she emerged and sat beside him, he didn't glance at her, but did lean in towards her slightly.  

It was all the reassurance that Tumble needed this morning.  Her spirit wasn't quite as strong as his at the moment; it would take time to heal.  She spent most of her strength trying to put on a brave face for her son, Kopa, and her other two pups Kenna and Keegan.  They and Say were all she had left now, having lost her own mate and her sister long before her brother passed away, along with True Light not long before that. And you couldn't deny that White Night had left a negative mark on her... but with love and patience, she would heal over time.

Sleeping near Penelope, Declan, and James is the innocent, naive figure of Luchina's daughter, Gabby.  Throughout her life, Penelope had spent a lot of time caring for the pups, and it didn't take long for her to refer to the kindly female as her mother. Although she's a few months old now, she's still just as innocent as ever, and quite oblivious to the adults' concerns. Her childlike tendencies may be just what the group needs to cheer up a little; despite being Luchina's daughter, and looking just like her mom, with a select few differences. It seems odd that such a violent meerkat could spawn something so sweet, but maybe that would help to lighten spirits in the Anklebiters...

These last couple of months were harsh-- Harsh on all wildlife. Most would try and immigrate in hopes of finding new lands, but not Meerkats. They were mostly tied to their plot of land. Most groups of Meerkats become scattered, falling in tremendous numbers at an alarming rate over the course of a couple of months. A plus was that there was more land for the survivors to inhibit. But that also left most suffering a loss; a death of mate, or pups, or friends. There probably wasn't a single meerkat that was spared from a loss.


Two bony, worn looking meerkats sat from a small distance of the burrow entrance. Both ignored the presence of Say while the duo passed quiet glances at each other. Neither said much but the muted hum, focusing most of their attention on the humble horizon. The major of their dark days were always met with the rising or setting of the sun. Each time, no matter how grim the day was, the sky would paint itself a collage of various colors. It wasn't much, though, it did leave a spark of emotion. An emotion that would leave the two stragglers choked up. It was an encouragement to keep moving. Perhaps the land would be just as pretty as the sky again; even if it was a brief moment.


The lying figure shifted from their belly, pushing them self up with a passive look from over their shoulder to their companion.


Emberflash, only a recent newcomer, moved to perch up on to their hind legs. Dark orbs scanned the bleak horizon, then to the colorful sky. Nothing seemed to be out of place...yet. There weren't many Meerkats up yet, either. Emberflash hadn't familiarize himself with everyone within his new mob just yet. Well, the only meerkat he actually learned more about was Wild-Dancer. After a series of unfortunate events, she clung to the stranger-- almost in a desperate way. Why? He didn't know all the details. Apparently he reminded her of someone she once knew. Emberflash wasn't going to reject such companionship, despite the vague reason.


Wild-Dancer quietly chirped, their voice rough and dry. Would they find decent substance today?


Emberflash flashed a puzzled look. He hummed back, tone gravelly. He wasn't sure? Maybe, only if they worked hard enough for it. And luck, that had a lot to do with it. Most, if not all, of the Ankle Biters went to sleep hungry. Their stomachs screaming and demanding to be filled with something else besides petty ants.


Wild-Dancer blinked. She should've known that. The rains hadn't come for a long time. So why would there suddenly be an overabundance of delicious food? The image of millipedes and worms left her feeling nauseous. Heaving a deep sigh, she turned away, staring at a random direction.

Emberflash have a longing, almost sorrowful stare at the smaller female. It was saddening to see so many youthful lives being tormented from the lack of food. He looked away. They had to keep going. They had to survive. Life may had been relentless on them, but they could push through it.

The ever-changing Xaphan slowly emerged. There was no doubt that he felt victorious and perhaps a little heroic when banishing Voldemort from the Anklebiters months ago, but that ego would always get popped and deflated when remembering that it had come with terrible costs. Because of him, Twig was gone. The drought took even more.

Xaphan didn't know how to lead a group or what to do with a bunch of lost members, but he knew how to protect and would continue to do so until he died. He had even given up nutritious morsels during foraging trips to keep others healthy. He figured he would continue this pattern until...until something changed for the better. Whenever that would be.

He groomed several members before sunning himself on his belly.

OOC: Yes, we can have the SD characters immigrate today

Yeyen, a recent addition to the group along with her mother and grandmother, is up early and greets the members who are already awake. She has never been in a group like the Anklebiters before, but she takes everything in stride. She's growing up very quickly, and - despite the drought - at four months old she looks very good, with a healthy coat and a nice size, even if she's a little lean like everyone else. She's been maturing a little, too. She still has an energetic, independent streak but now she's eager to help with chores like clearing the burrow entrance or trying her hand at sentry duty. She's been trying her best to make friends in the Anklebiters, too, but considering this is already the third group she's been a member of, she almost doesn't know how to make friends. Moving around so much in her young life has made it hard for her to form personal relationships outside of Papau and Alessa, but the most she can do is just be open and friendly and try to be the best mob member she can be.

Papau, as usual, is right behind Yeyen. She feels bad for her daughter, that she's had to go through so much uncertainty in her short life already. From being born in the Kitties and shunned due to Papau's subordinate status, to merging into a super group in the Villains, to getting lost one day and wandering the Kalahari, chased by other mobs until they were able to find a haven in the Anklebiters... it hasn't been easy. But Yeyen is still here and growing into a fine young meerkat, and that's all Papau could hope for. The struggles of motherhood were tough but worth it just to see Yeyen grow up and succeed. Papau has been doing her best to take a step back and not be so overprotective of her only daughter, and for the most part it's been working. But at the same time, she's quite reserved. Her little "clan" is the only group of meerkats she is really comfortable with. Sure, she's friendly towards other meerkats that she meets, but she finds it hard to open up and be herself, especially now being so new to this group and their strange, non-dominant-having ways.

Alessa is still asleep below ground. Some things never change, and her being a late riser is one of them. Alessa may be an unusual meerkat with some strange mannerisms, but underneath it all she is a strong meerkat. She's led her daughter and granddaughter all over the Kalahari in search of stability. From her own group, to being the dominant female of the Leftwich, to being dethroned, leaving in search of a better life, joining the Kitties, merging into the Villains, being on her own with her little family, and finally joining the Anklebiters, she has gone through a lot and come through it all on top. Some may underestimate her due to her unique personality, but Alessa has definitely been able to keep it together and keep moving for the sake of a better life. One recent hardship she had to face, though, was the loss of her best friend Alicia. Alicia wasn't part of the family, but Alicia was the one who taught her how to live life like a subordinate and protected her from the wrath of Pear and Mzuri. She might as well have been part of her little family. But one day, during a predator scare, Alessa, Papau, and Yeyen lost Alicia and could never find her afterward. The loss was tough, but she had to keep moving on for the sake of her family. And eventually they were able to join the Anklebiters. However, despite finding a new haven in a merciless world, Alessa has been having troubles of her own. She's never been in a group with... no dominants? In fact, the Anklebiters seem to eschew the idea of dominants completely. Alessa has had to catch herself from exhibiting her own dominant female tendencies in order to try to fit in. She's just used to that position even though she hasn't been a dominant for a while, and with no one leading she almost automatically wants to step up and lead. But she has to remember the lessons Alicia taught her and rein it in and fit in, for her daughter and granddaughter's sake.

OOC: Not gonna post with the SD crew yet, until I know more of how we're introducing them lol

(( I'm still waiting for Sky before posting here, actually >.< But I guess I could post with Black Rose... ))

As the sun continued to rise, so did one female's predicament. What exactly was she doing here? She wasn't sure anymore... the Shadow Deaths hadn't been immune to the drought, but with their large numbers, had still managed to thrive. Makuta had left in hopes of gathering more force for the group, just like in the old days... which had left her feeling more bold than she would have been otherwise. Black Rose had accepted her father's and grandfather's teachings, but it had always been evident that she didn't quite have the Shadow Death nature in her heart. Deep down, Black Rose had the heart of a Kitty. The Shadow Deaths had always scared her, and through her adopted pups, a side to her began to show that wasn't exactly... appealing. Not to say that Shadow Deaths couldn't feel affection, or that mothers didn't love their pups, but her maternal instincts went a step further. She didn't want to see them fight, and get hurt. She couldn't teach them the way that Thorner had taught her. She and her pups had already received punishment... and Makuta had threatened to take them away from her, or worse, to end their lives. That was the last straw for Black Rose, so she had done the only thing she could do... Black Rose had taken her pups, and ran away. Now that she had done it, the poor thing was terrified... she knew her grandfather would stop at nothing to find her... and end her. Not knowing that the Anklebiters burrow was nearby, Black Rose stopped and looked at her pups. Most of them weren't hers... most of them had been Shadow Death pupnap victims, but she loved them all the same. She took a minute to cuddle them, desperate never to lose them... but what was she going to do now...?

Xaphan had taken a short break by laying on his belly and sunning himself. He resembled his younger self back when he was nothing but lazy at the Lavas. His ears twitched and he picked his head up, smelling the air. He sensed a stranger, and since many "strangers" visiting the Anklebiters tended to be ruthless killers, he wasted no time jumping back to his feet, stretching his body as far as it could go while he tried scanning the horizon for any outsiders.

While Alessa continues to sleep underground, Yeyen helps to clean out the burrow entrance. It's a simple job, really, and she hasn't quite gotten the hang of being good at sentry duty yet. Plus, sentry duty is way too much pressure. Cleaning out the burrow is a breeze and if you don't do it correctly, then others may get annoyed but at least it's not life or death.

Upon seeing Xaphan perk up, Papau is instantly on alert as well. She is extremely over-protective and sometimes paranoid of any threats to the group, mostly for Yeyen's sake. She looks around, her eyes boring into every bush and tree, ready to flee at a moment's notice.
--
In the burrow with Black Rose and the other pups, Gligar is ready to get a move on. Being so young, he doesn't really fully understand the predicament of their situation. He just goes about his day as the bright, merry youngster he is. He smiles and nuzzles Black Rose briefly before getting up and running around the burrow, anxious to emerge and get on with the day.

Tyra sneers at Gligar. He was always so energetic and excited and... happy. Always getting in the way. But the little twerp does have a point - it's time to get out the burrow. She emerges, her black fur shining in the morning sunlight. The events that led to her being with this ragtag band are hazy, but she's here with them now and not with the Shadow Deaths, and she needs to make the best of the situation. Still, growing up in the Shadow Deaths for so long has given her some bad habits. She isn't afraid to reveal her nasty side when someone annoys her too much, but at the end of the day Tyra is just a grump and is overall harmless.

Andra is awake now too, and emerges after Tyra. Like Tyra, she too has the signature Shadow Death black fur. She calmly grooms herself, being very particular about every hair being in the right spot. Andra has developed into a very prim and proper young meerkat, which has made the transition into adolescence quite hard. She isn't used to having to forage for her food like some.... commoner. Adults are just supposed to bring her food, right? That's what they're there for? Why should she have to get her claws and paws all dirty? Ugh, the audacity... she licks her paw a couple more times, then stretches it out, admiring her handiwork.

Xaphan snorts and decides to get this over with. He lets Papau know that if he starts to shriek, then they'll know if there's true danger.

He leaves the Anklebiters burrow and begins to inspect things himself. With there only being dead bushes and mounds of sand as cover, it didn't take long to run across Black Rose and a litter of pups. Xaphan is taken aback, tensing his muscles in case there's any other adults with Black Rose that might attack him. However, she looks rather...desperate? Was that the word? He bobbed his head. There was no concealing himself as there were no hiding places. The only thing he could do now was wait for a reaction from the female.

In between these seconds of tense curiousness, Xaphan's soft blue eyes migrated downward; He silently (and secretly) gazed at Tyra and Andra. The male had never personally met the whole group of Shadow Deaths, but he knew of the infamous leader, Makuta. After all, the male had stayed with the Lavas for a short amount of time while influencing the pups that were loyal to Voldemort.

That coal-toned fur was unmistakable and it gave him a nasty feeling.

He had already fought Voldemort, a battle he never believed would happen in his life, and it wasn't easy; A member died because of it. Xaphan himself bore a pattern of scars on his shoulder and midsection that would stay with him for life. He didn't want to have another battle like that again.

So what was Black Rose doing here?

Suddenly a stranger emerges from the landscape in front of the ragtag band of Shadow Deaths. Tyra instantly goes on the defense, snarling and hopping backward. She'll fight if she has to, but she glances at Black Rose first. She'll handle this, right?

Andra gasps and rushes into the burrow, peering out silently. She doesn't know Xaphan, but she does know that strangers can mean danger.

Meanwhile, Gligar smiles. A friend!

Time was said to heal all wounds... Yet... For Kopa... That hardly seemed true. Even though the events of Luchina's demise had been long gone... he was still hurting over the loss of True Light. He had been the one to witness her life fade away... he had stayed by her side as her life ended. He still had nightmares over it... Trying in vain to stop White Night... But always coming too late... And watching True Light's death, over and over... He had attached himself to his adoptive mother, Tumble, more than ever. He had began to stick to her like glue, or at least, stay within her sights. She was all he had... Along with his adoptive siblings... He did not ever want to lose them... Losing True Light was bad enough... He emerged slowly and shook his pale fur. He looked a bit tired, but then again, since the nightmares began... It was rare for him to get a decent night's sleep...


Sleeping near Gabby was James. He hadn't really changed much. He was still mainly expressionless. But he did show signs of becoming fiercely protective over Gabby. If anyone so much as looked at her funny, they got his fangs and claws. Or him growling at them. Whatever worked... He definitely had taken on after his father Voldemort in appearance... he was like a miniature version of him... Maybe that's why he tended to get looks from the mob. But it didn't really matter to him. Gabby was all he needed, really. As long as he had her... He could take on the world. He yawned softly and continued to sleep, moving a bit closer to Gabby while he was at it.

If he was completely honest, Say It wasn't entirely sure about the newcomers to the mob.  Outside of the Anklebiters, the only mob that Say had known was the Elements, which had leadership not unlike Luchina's.  It was hard to imagine a mob being lead any other way at this point, at least by a dominant pair, and so it didn't cross his mind that outsiders would come from circumstances any different.  The first adult to join the Anklebiters had been Voldemort, and everyone knew how that turned out.  Perhaps it was no surprise, then, that he was a little unsure of outsiders.  There was no doubt that all of the Anklebiters wanted to take their leadership in a different direction, but exactly how hadn't been decided yet.  Some of the members who were no longer present, like Strawberry, did have an influence on it, however.  It was only a matter of time.  Until then, the Anklebiters were struggling without any clear leadership, and Say It glanced in the distance warily.  He didn't even flinch as Tumble leaned against him; they had both lost their entire families, and each other was all that remained.  In a way though, that wasn't true; the Anklebiters have always been like a family, it was just easy to forget that under Luchina's reign.

After a moment, Tumble leaves Say's side and heads back over to Kopa.  She still sees him as his son, and hardly ever leaves his side.  After all, they both lost siblings recently, and he's very important to her.  She nuzzles him softly.

Gabby cuddles up to James in her sleep.  She still has nightmares about Luchina's death sometimes; even if she was scared of her mother, it was still a frightening experience.  Luckily, Penelope had adopted the two of them, and had cared for little Gabby even before then, so she wasn't completely alone.  Although, her presence might haunt some of the members, as well, seeing as she looks exactly like Luchina, just as her brother looks like Voldemort.  But Gabby was young and innocent, she couldn't be more different than her mother.  She has Linklu blood in her, after all, and it must have been activated from her genepool.

Penelope gazes over as she sees Xaphan head away from the main group.  She's begun to really look up to the older male.  She trusts him and his judgment, and is curious about what he's doing.  Seeing him head towards a bolthole, she bobs her head warily.  What's in there...?

The Shadow Death blood, at first, urges Black Rose to react aggressively.  But there's something stronger that triggers her reaction to Xaphan: her maternal instincts, which triggers the Kitty blood in her veins.  Becoming a mother has brought out Thorn's side in her, and she knows that she can't care for her pups alone anymore.  Black Rose chrrs submissively.  These are my pups... we need a place to stay.  She nuzzles Tyra and Andra comfortingly; if Xaphan does indeed decide to attack them, she'll handle it, but she wants to see if they'll be able to stay first.

Xaphan lowered his ears, understanding the situation now. He had a feeling this was most likely Black Rose's situation but it never hurt to stay on guard. He didn't sense anyone else that could be accompanying the female. He chirped. They could possibly stay with the Anklebiters, however, there were no dominants to accept anyone. Things mostly relied on trust. Xaphan was possibly the oldest but he had no leadership experience and never wanted to risk causing the group catastrophe or failure. If he isn't guilty of that already...

He turns around and churrs. When he returns to the main group he peeps; There was a lone female out there with pups. He wasn't sure how everyone would react but he didn't sense any danger, but he'd always remain on guard. He stood next to Penelope and chirped a greeting at her.

Tyra was confused. Did he just say... that there are no dominants? Things worked on trust? How in the heck could that be? She wasn't sure if she trusted her own tail. She looked at Black Rose. I mean, was this guy crazy or what? Should they even try to stay here...?

Andra stays in the burrow, peering out from the entrance. She heard the interaction, but still isn't entirely sure if Xaphan or this mob is welcoming or safe to approach. A shiver ruffles her black fur.

Gligar takes a few steps after Xaphan. As far as he's concerned, he wants to meet more friends! They were joining this mob, right?

Black Rose meets Tyra's gaze for a second, but nothing more than that.  She understands her concern, but her immediate priority was that of her pups.  She remains submissive, and looks at the approaching Penelope to see her reaction.  She tries to keep low to the ground, but nudges Andra and Gligar close to her, just in case something happens.

To her relief, however, Penelope smiles and appears to be friendly.  She showed no signs of dominance whatsoever, as Luchina might have.  After all, Penelope did not see herself as the sole leader of the Anklebiters, she simply cared for her family, as she always had.  She glanced over at Xaphan and chirped.  These meerkats were welcome to stay.  As long as they didn't cause any trouble, but Penelope doubted that they would.  To be honest, she always wanted to see the best in others, and perhaps the two older meerkats could help them fight Voldemort someday.  Penelope chrred as she turned around, beckoning them towards the rest of the group.

Say It glanced at the newcomers warily.  Great, there were more of them... he was more cautious than he was irritated, though.  It would take time to decide what he thought of all of them.  Even Tumble, pulling Kopa closer, seemed more wary than usual, due to recent events.  It probably wouldn't take her as long though, especially with more pups to look after.

Gabby yawns, and stretches.  It's been a long night, but she slept well.  She's ready for the day, and starts to head outside.  Luchina's death was terrifying, but she's young, and hasn't given up hope yet... She glances around for other pups to play with and notices Andra and Gligar.  With a happy chrr, she offers them a smile, excited to have new playmates.

~ ~ ~

Across the barren landscape, four little paws scatter, before coming to a stop.  They don't belong to a meerkat, however... They belong to Rhapsody, an African wildcat kitten who's come a long way.  Her real mother died when she was just a few days old, but luckily, she and her littermates were adopted by Fern and Dodger in the Kitties mob.  Her parents, and the rest of their family, later immigrated into the Villians, only to disappear in the drought, along with quite a few of their adopted children.  Rhapsody had been separated with them, but unfortunately, the harsh conditions had weakened her considerably.  Being the runt of the litter, she was one of the first kittens to be affected and fell behind during a predator scare.  Although she managed to escape, and her family tried to look for her, they never found her and for the first time in her life, young Rhapsody was alone.  But not for long.  It was inevitable that another predator would eventually find her... This time, she was too tired and frightened to escape, and the hawk was just as hungry and desperate as she was.  However, just in time, a meerkat known as Spider came to the rescue.  Immediately, Rhapsody clung to him, overjoyed that she didn't have to be alone anymore.  And she had been with him ever since.  The two did have one thing in common: while Rhapsody had been adopted by meerkats, Spider, a meerkat himself, had been raised by a yellow mongoose family.

Rhapsody was quite strange for a kitten.  She had integrated rather well into meerkat society.  It was a good thing that her species was known for being solitary, because she would probably have a hard time communicating with other cats when she was old enough.  Rhapsody had a bit of an identity crisis, and it had really changed her behavior.  She definitely behaved more like a meerkat, and even the sounds she makes are a little different.  She hadn't realized yet how different she is from the species she lives with, but until then, she's still young and ignorance was bliss.

The kitten cast her striking blue gaze behind her, looking around for Spider.  She missed her brother Symphony, and Fern most of all, but for now, was really just happy not to be alone. Spider seems nice enough, and Rhapsody doesn't really have high standards, anyway.  When she spotted him, the kitten bounded over to him, tail high in the air and trilling loudly.  This sound, her mimicry of a meerkat chrr, is the one she made most often.  She usually only meows when she's in trouble or really hungry; the sounds she made were likely to change as she got older.  When Rhapsody reached Spider, she rubbed up against him.  She's a little clingy.

Tyra sighs a little bit inwardly. Sure, being with this group is better than being alone, by all means... but now she has to actually, like, get to know these randos. Now that their membership in the group is settled, she looks around slightly impatiently. Okay, there are no dominants, but I'm hungry. Now what? Can we go foraging?

Gligar ignores Tyra's attitude. He meets Gabby's eyes and his own eyes light up. Finally, a playmate! He excitedly rushes over, his tail high in the air. Hi, I'm Gligar!

Andra shies back a little bit as Gligar runs past her. Okay, she isn't that eager, but she is happy to have a new family. She takes her time and ambles over to Gabby as well, but keeps her body language a little more reserved. She doesn't want to play that much right now, she just finished grooming not too long ago and she wouldn't dare mess up her pretty black fur.

Papau stares at these newcomers hesitantly, but they seem nice enough. The black-furred juvenile seems a little bratty and the female pup a little prissy, but at least the male was enthusiastic, and she has a really good gut feeling about Black Rose. Something about her makes Papau, the ever-worrywart, feel at ease. She walks over to introduce herself.

Yeyen, who was focused on her task of clearing the burrow entrance, missed all the commotion. Finally finished, she looks up for her mother and sees four new members?! She notices two pups - new playmates! - but runs over to her mother first to say hi to Black Rose.

Alessa is still asleep.

Emberflash flopped down on to his stomach. They had to go foraging soon. But no one here was a dominant. Why? It was bizarre.

Being much more lethargic, Wild-Dancer sluggishly began to groom herself. At the very least they could keep their selves clean from pesky parasites. Sickness was the last thing they needed.

Declan watched the newcomers with a careful eye. Ever since they had finally won their freedom, he had been a bit more cautious, but not to where he would attack any 'kat, like Luchina would of. He just wanted to be safe, than sorry. Never again would he want to live under fear and dread again... But so far, the strangers seemed okay. His eyes briefly looked to Penelope... Now that everything was over, more calm and they can live freely at long last... he had began to realize, the 'kat he had fallen for... He hardly knew a thing about her. It was more or less, a spur of the moment... Now he had the time to think things through.. He and Penelope had stepped up to lead the rebellion, and, the death of Luchina... But outside that... he felt they had a bit to go, before they could call themselves a pair... He did want to know Penelope better. He cared about her still, but he still felt a bit lost. He watched her as she led the new members over.


Kopa watched the newcomers but felt no urge to greet them. He stayed by Tumble instead, his eyes gazed downward. He felt so darn tired... But his mind was active. He closed his eyes for a moment, tempted to just lay down and sleep... But, once the nightmare of True Light's death began to play out... His eyes sprung open with a startled yelp and looked around before he shivered a bit... Just another dream...

James watches the newcomers in a monotone kind of way, not expressing happiness, but also not expressing anger.. or anything, really. Still as emotionless and expressionless, as ever. But he did watch Gabby, who seemed pleased to have new poitional playmates... He gazed back at the new pups in silence...

Tumble gazed down at her son with a frown after he woke up yelping... She was aware that Kopa was plagued with constant nightmares, and although she didn't know what they were about, she could certainly guess. Even Tumble, who came to the Anklebiters when she was only three weeks old, had been shocked when Luchina showed her true colors and life in the Anklebiters took a turn for the worst. However, she had seen violence long before the others had... Tinyclaw and Imp had bullied her, rather violently, behind the scenes long before Voldemort had showed up.  The others never knew about it until later, because they threatened to kill her brother and sister if she fought back or ever told anyone, so the abuse continued until she finally killed him as a young adult. She still bore scars from this time, and in a way, she could understand Kopa because she, too, had her innocence taken from her in a violent manner. They were different, however, because Kopa had lost someone that he loved dearly. Tumble had lost her sister Kamas to Luchina and her brother Twig to Voldemort. She also lost her mate Sam, but not until adulthood... Kopa had been just a child, and nothing would bring True Light back. Honestly, she wasn't sure how to comfort him, aside from assuring him that she was there, and giving him lots and lots of cuddles. Tumble chrred softly, and held Kopa tight as she nuzzled the top of his head tenderly. As long as she was alive, her son would never be alone.

At Tumble's side was the golden form of Say It, and he stopped gazing at the newcomers to glance down at young Kopa. Tumble seemed to be handling it, but he couldn't help but feel a wave of sympathy for the pup... And, he felt anger rising deep inside of him... This is what Voldemort and Luchina had done to the Anklebiters. Kopa's pain was his fault, and truthfully... No matter what he felt like neither of them could ever pay enough for what they had done... At least Luchina was gone... Good thing too, since Ask wasn't there to remind him to stay calm anymore... But Voldemort was still out there. Twig had given his life to ensure their escape, but the large male was still a threat... glancing over at Gligar and Gabby, however... at least things were peaceful now.  It was strange, but... even living in a drought was nothing compared to what it was like under Luchina's paw.  They were hungry, yes, but even now the effects of that terrible year were still visible in the Anklebiters... deep down, they were still affected by that trauma, and they were still pulling themselves together.  There was a degree of discord in the mob without any leadership system, and they would have to work things out if they were going to survive.  He continued staring at the newcomers; for Say, adjusting to them would be a process.

Gabby couldn't help but smile ear to ear.  She chrred, happy to have made a friend.  Gligar, huh? That's a nice name.  I'm Gabby! She reached over slowly to sniff him, wondering why he smelled so different... where had he come from, anyway? She supposed it didn't matter... Gligar wasn't mean, like her sisters Carnie and Racine.  In fact, he seemed quite nice... maybe he would like to play with her.  She giggled and swatted playfully at his ear.

Black Rose paused.  This mob... it was so different from the one she had been raised in.  Everything about it should have felt wrong.  Everything her father and grandfather had taught her from the moment she could walk told her this.  But somehow... it felt... right.  She wasn't sure why she'd felt this way.  Was there something wrong with her? Or was it the Shadow Deaths who had been wrong? This wasn't the first time that Black Rose had had doubts, though... One thing was certain.  She had committed treason, and if she was discovered here with the enemy, she and her pups would be killed.  She couldn't think about that just yet, though.  She had too much to consider.  Conflicted feelings aside, she was happy that her small group was at last, not alone.  Trying to ignore her inner voice and habits telling her to lash out at such morally inclined meerkats, as she had been taught to do, she glanced over at Papau.  With a soft smile, she chirped a hello.

Penelope glanced over at Tyra, and tilted her head.  Yes, that was a good point... the Anklebiters were awake now and with their numbers strengthened, it would be wise to begin foraging before the sun was at its highest.  She gave the newcomers a friendly chirp, and turned around to face the rest of the group... It was hard to remember how things were before Luchina's reign, but recently, one of the more senior members would usually alert the group and start to head out, and the rest of them would follow.  It wasn't very organized, but it was a process.  Today, it would be Penelope.  She barked clearly; not lead calls, but an occurrence everyone but the new arrivals was likely used to by now.  She glanced back at Declan; she also felt for him very fondly.  Was it love? She wasn't entirely sure.  Penelope of course saw all of the Anklebiters as her family, but the fact remained... while Say It had Ask and Tumble had Twig, Cupid had died quite some time ago and for a long time, Penelope had no one.  Declan had lost his family, as well, and perhaps because of that, they had gravitated towards each other.  After that encounter with the bird of prey, when he had saved her life, things had escalated and she had gotten emotional.  Tough times had brought them close, but in truth, she didn't know him well, but now that things were peaceful, perhaps they would have a chance.  She offered him a smile before heading into the distance.

Gligar swatted playfully back at Gabby, happy to have a playmate at last. Andra, despite being his age, doesn't usually deign to mess up her perfect fur and claws to engage in a real good tumbling match. Yeyen notices the beginnings of a game starting to arise, and runs over to join. Hi, I'm Yeyen! she yips at Gligar and Andra. Papau watches closely for a minute, but figures that Yeyen is safe with Gabby and Gligar - nothing sinister going on over there. She tilts her head at the other newcomers, nodding a hello back at Black Rose. The black fur is throwing her off but they seem... okay.

Andra just smiles at Yeyen and Gabby as Gligar plays with them. She's really not into doing all that at the moment. She turns her head upon hearing Penelope's chirp; is she the one bringing everyone out to food? She doesn't really get how this mob works, but the group starts to follow her, so Andra gets up and follows closely after Tyra.

OOC: Short post... but just trying to get myself back into the groove here...