January 6, Year 6 - Unspeakables

Dominant: Kaina (*group is ruled overall by Voldemort*)
Members: Alucard, Amethyst, Bane, Carnie, Dolly, Lucas, Makuta, Red, Scissorclaws, Thirteen, White Night, Zombie, Zaina

Due Dates:
Kaina and Voldemort - mated on October 6, Year 5 - gotta calculate a day what's our gestation?

Ages of members under 1 year old:
**Carnie
Born: August 29, Year 5
Age: 4 months 7 days
Parents: Luchina and Voldemort

**Thirteen
Born: August 30, Year 5
Age: 4 months 6 days
Parents: Dark Rose and Voldemort

**Lucas, Zaina
Born: September 25, Year 5
Age: 3 months 11 days
Parents: Kaina and Scissorclaws

**Bane, Red
Born: September 25, Year 5
Age: 3 months 11 days
Parents: Dolly and Alucard

((Meep, I'm not sure. We'll need Pan since she has the number of pups and information))

Voldemort sat by himself with his head lowered in a form of deep mediation. He was quiet, unresponsive, but most importantly, unpredictable. Channeling inside of him was a deep anger and hate. He had lost members, minions, and the ability to command strong surprise assaults. The current weather was nothing like he's ever seen before, and it drew him to insanity.

He normally would've torn apart things around him, including his own subordinates, but even he knew that the significance of careful reservation was the only thing that could keep him and his now tiny army alive.

His sister was usually a white flame that forever burned in the back of his cranium, but for once, his worries were on other things.

The only thing he had to look forward to were his and Kaina's litter. He predicted strong offspring for once. To him, this was a light in the tunnel.

He didn't however, think about the splash damage done when mating with a female who had a mate of her own. He simply didn't understand feelings and emotions. Scissclaws' reaction hadn't crossed his mind.

(( I had mentioned earlier that Kaina aborted and mated again over the skip... I think I got Megan's permission but if not...? ))

((I don't remember. But I'll go along with it either way))

Zaina is awake near Kaina. The juvenile adores her mother and emulates her whenever possible. Life can be hard in the Unspeakables, especially with dwindling numbers and an ongoing drought, but that doesn't really affect Zaina's personality and feistiness. She has learned to be resilient, crafty, and sometimes assertive to get what she wants.

OOC: Not sure what I'm doing with Scissorclaws. I was thinking of saying he got killed off to fuel something for Thirteen since she was inspired to become an assassin like him and she'd carry on his legacy or something. But I think I gave him to Night, don't remember. XD

(( I'll probably kill Vespera later, she'll be a nice NPC for the time being though. I'll see how it goes with Carnie... I'm still trying to find a personality for Kaina's new litter, unless people play them. I'm still hoping someone will adopt Carnie but if my advertising doesn't work I'll keep her xD ))

A shady figure emerged not far behind Voldemort... but not too close, either, as she didn't wish to be a nuisance to her lord and master.  Kaina had indeed aborted her litter, and they had been so undeveloped, they were barely visible to the naked eye.  It had been a large litter; knowing that she could have potentially provided him with so many warriors for his army only added to the insult of losing them.  She was in a bad mood for quite some time, and struggled to look him in the eye for weeks.  When he agreed to try again, she was ecstatic... it was a great honor, to have the chance to carry Voldemort's children, and to be given a second chance... it was a luxury she would not take lightly, and Kaina was determined not to disappoint him.  She was taking extra precautions to keep her litter safe,especially in times such as these... perhaps even putting her own litter in jeopardy at times.  She did not abandon them, however... as cruel as Kaina was, she was still capable of love.  Zaina, Lucas, and Vespera were her children, and she tried to train them and raise them the best she could.  She's only three days pregnant, but when her special pups are finally born? Well... her relationship with her pups may well have changed.  She hasn't forgotten about her mate... previous mate either... she acted as if she was over him, but his loss did hit her pretty hard... overall she was in a bad mood pretty regularly, but like Voldemort, was exercising some restraint.  Luckily, her best friend Dolly had never been on the receiving end.

One of Kaina's daughter, Vespera, is fast asleep.  She's shown to be a strange character... she's just as playful as any normal pup, but she seems to have strange aggressive tendency - and be quite oblivious to any pain she causes.  She has a hint of sadism, but she's really a sweet pup.  She loves her mom and siblings, and in particular, is obsessed with her brother Lucas...

Another solemn figure to emerge is White Night.  There's a glint in his eye... another day, and another struggle for survival.  He doesn't know what Voldemort thinks of him, after all that happened... and truth be told, he doesn't really care.  Even when they were in the Anklebiters together, they'd never interacted much.  Maybe Voldemort cared more about his own pups than the loyal male that Luchina had adopted and trained.  Nightie hadn't forgotten his mistress.  He claimed not to waste time on pitiful things like love, but deep down, he had some form of affection for his former mistress... and he was keen to still honor her memory, by serving the one thing that she had loved: Voldemort.  The large male hadn't had the same affect on him as she had... he hadn't liked it when he insulted her before, even though he knew the overlord was right.  But he was a very loyal and dedicated subordinate, who wouldn't think twice to follow a kill order.  But that loyalty came from his dedication to Luchina, not from any admiration he held for his dominant male.  Their relationship was businesslike, but like any good employee, White Night has kept his intentions to himself.  Although still a child himself, he doesn't act like one, and he solemnly follows orders without a word... Voldemort could depend on him.

Another of White Night's self proclaimed duties was that to Luchina's legacy, his daughters Carnie and Racine.  He was furious when one of them was lost to the desert... his dedication to his mistress' children was even stronger than that to their father.  Through the short time that he was in Luchina's care, Racine and Carnie were his only real companions.  He never really allowed himself to get close to them, until he became aware of the possible plans that his adoptive mother had for them.  One day, Luchina had intended him to take his place at one of her daughter's side as ruler of the Anklebiters.  That dream is obviously dead now, but it didn't change the fact that he felt an obligation to the two girls... After their mother's death and being reunited in the Unspeakables, Carnie had found White Night to be slightly more sympathetic than he used to be.  He'd learned things in the Aurelias, and although he was guarded around her, his presence brought her comfort and reassurance.  He cared about her, even if he would never admit it.  As the last of his family members, she cared about him too, and they were never far apart.  Unlike White Night, she admired her father, and wanted to be just like him... and like Voldemort.... she wanted vengeance for the meerkats that killed her mother...

Amethyst is still sleeping.  With Demona and Skarmory both gone, this vibrant and outgoing meerkat was alone... but if her enemies thought she was giving in, they didn't know her very well.

As Thirteen crests the slope of the burrow, the sun's vibrant rays reveal a pronounced scar that extends from the top left part of her cranium to her left cheek. At only 4 months old Thirteen has already had an encounter with one of the drought's many hazards, an adult mole snake. She deserved it really and one would have no sympathy for her as she had decided to harass the poor thing rather than leave it alone. She was using it to strengthen her fighting skills, but she was less than graceful when it came to evading its defensive response. She slipped and was struck in the face, gaining a grievous wound. It burned like hell, but it was worth it. After sparring with her aggressive foe for several minutes, Thirteen succeeded at killing it, swiftly plunging her serrated fangs into its head. Scissorclaws would've applauded her efforts at becoming a cold blooded killer like him. It's a shame he vanished. She had started to admire the guy after witnessing him effortlessly kill an individual from a wild mob the Unspeakables encountered shortly before he disappeared. How he severed that male's jugular...was totally badass! Thirteen aspires to reach that level of skill someday. Unlike most of the Kalahari's inhabitants Thirteen is actually looking forward to the worsening drought. It means there will be more encounters with enemies. She grins flagitiously. God help those that are unfortunate enough to encounter her...

Voldemort almost falls back asleep when closing his eyes to think and relax. He almost jumps when waking back up, darting his icy blue eyes everywhere in an instinctive caution. He turns his gaze and notices Kaina close by. Had it been anyone else, he would've flashed them his dangerous fangs as a warning to them to back away. He didn't enjoy her presence. He tolerated it. He allows her to get close. He seemed desperate to produce a litter as soon as possible. Numbers were small and most of his children were weak. In his mind he chose the wrong females to procreate with. Kaina would be the first attempt in making pups with someone who seemed like they'd pass on traits that were just as strong and savage as his.

He looked back at the burrow, seeing if everyone was awake. He wanted to start looking for food..

Zaina is starting to get impatient. She stands up and growls a little bit under her breath, mostly annoyed just because of how hungry she is. She wants to get a move on and start finding food. She looks to Kaina, wondering when they would leave.

Kaina wears no recognizable expression as she stands near Voldemort.  No one had to remind her that Voldemort probably didn't harbor any degree of affection for her.  She was just another member of his army, one he had just so happened to choose to carry his pups.  Twice.  But she didn't care.  From the minute Kaina had met him, there had been something different about Voldemort... it had drawn her to him, and ever since the two of them were pups, there was nothing she had wanted more than to please him in any way she could.  Did she love him? Maybe, but she didn't allow herself to dwell on those feelings.  She wasn't worthy of his affections, and she couldn't afford to let them control her.  She could never love him the way she loved Scissorclaws... admiration and loyalty, on the other hand, were a whole different story.  Kaina was his unwavering servant, and it was for that reason that she kept a lid on her emotions when she interacted with him, and tried not to be a nuisance.  She wanted to please him, and nothing more.  When Kaina saw her daughter, Zaina, she growled slightly.  We leave when Voldemort says so.  You will never do anything, for any reason, if it goes against his will. Suddenly, her expression softened slightly.  Kaina was malicious, but she still loved her pups with what little of her heart was left, and she gave her daughter a nuzzle.  The sooner everyone gets up, the better.  Let's go wake up your brother and sister, ok?

The tip of Thirteen's tail twitches impatiently. She's eager for the Unspeakables to make their departure from the burrow so they can go kill stuff! Once it captures its prey the usual meerkat would just quickly devour its delicacy, but not Thirteen. She takes pleasure in swatting her prey around until it perishes from making impact with something or, if it happens to be a misfortunate small mammals, dies from an overwhelming amount of fear. Indeed Thirteen is developing into one sadistic meerkat. Thirteen shifts her eyes to Voldemort, poised to sprint for the horizon once he makes the call to head out to forage.

Zaina freezes when Kaina growled at her, her heart sinking and her blood running ice cold. But Kaina's expression softens and her heart begins beating normally again. The last thing she would ever do is disappoint or upset her mother. She makes a mental note to remember what Kaina told her... Voldemort must always be obeyed. She nods enthusiastically at Kaina's request, then goes underground to wake up Lucas and Vespera.

ooc: Time to pick this back up

bic:

Voldemort barks a final time at the burrow and begins heading off to forage what he could. The other members could either follow or stay behind; It wasn't like they didn't know what to do without him—They had functioned just fine in the past.

Zombie stretches his patchy legs and follows his brother.

As Voldemort continues his silent walk, he introspected the new ideas that had gestated in his dark mind. He had many plans in the past on what to do by the time he reunited with the Unspeakables, but life and nature reminded him that no matter how hard you plan and prepare yourself,  things could go wrong in the most unexpected ways. This drought was the last thing he anticipated.

But he wasn't defeated.

Being the stealthy spy he is, he knew much of the other groups' weaknesses. And even if he didn't, he still new the statuses of certain 'kats. His brother, Draco—who had betrayed him—, was missing. If not dead. Voldemort had no idea on where he could be, but he knew how to use this as his advantage. The shifting environment influenced his behavior and he became more capricious with petty decisions that once held weight in his personal beliefs.

His lips quirked at a blooming scheme that had been biting at him for some time. He knew Thunder was also missing from the Linklus. It was great news—their best defense had crumbled. He had plans to visit the Linklus today, but not because he wanted a battle, and he would perform this by himself.

He only needed to build up his energy first...

She doesn't even have to think; from the moment she met him as a pup, Kaina knew there was something special about Voldemort, which soon spiraled into a strong sense of loyalty for him.  Her devotion towards her lord and master knew no bounds, although she was still perfectly capable of remaining loyal when he wasn't there.  She wasn't just a blind follower... Voldemort was her entire life, but she wasn't dependent on him, either.  But it was quite obvious where her inspiration came from.  She gave her pups a few nudges, before following him herself.

There's a new development this morning... right behind Voldemort is the juvenile meerkat, White Night.  He's finally gotten over Luchina's death, but only because he has a new master to serve... and hopefully, a new mentor, as well... His gaze is on the ground, however.  He never knew his adoptive father very well, and he never quite got the same approval from Voldemort as he got from Luchina.  However, White Night is not keen to be forgotten as a tragedy of war, he will not blend into the background simply because his previous leader failed.  He's here, and he's going to prove his worth.  He doesn't want Voldemort to love him; White Night had already learned that love was weakness.  But he didn't run away from the Aurelias for nothing... He glanced back at Carnie, whose rage still consumed her to this day.  He did this for her, for Luchina, and for himself.  And now, he did it for Voldemort... He didn't know a lot about the Unspeakables, but one day, he would be a force to be reckoned with, if he had anything to say about it...

(( ooc: I'm considering playing Skarmory instead of Amethyst... Also I can't remember if I'm playing Carnie or if someone else is.  Also I need to give Vespera a new name... ))

Voldemort is eventually greeted by a trickle of luck; He finds numerous insects and even a millipede. How there were even morsels surviving in this sand paradise was beyond his wonder, but he wasn't going to argue. After feeding he comes to a decision and barks at Kaina;

He wants her to watch the group for the time being. She's done this many times, he had nothing to worry about. He informs her that he'll be visiting the Linklu's, but wishes to be alone.

He doesn't wait for a response. He knew she'd obey without question. He snorts and slips away from his territory, braving the harsh environment for the nth time.

Alucard was following Voldemort. Walking with him was his son, Bane... The younger pup showed much promise. He obeyed orders without question... And without hesitation. He had been proud when he had once brought a frog to his son and... told him to kill it. And Bane did... So thoroughly. He did not even give the frog a chance... Alucard was proud his son was growing into a promising killer. He was young... But he would grow into a great member of the Unspeakables. He had been working with him and his daughter, Red, as well. He had to groom them to be promising members... He watched as Voldemort left, saying he would go and visit a different mob. He stops, and Bane mimicked his father, also stopping.


Lucas was asleep with his sister Vespra. Unlike most of the mob... he was the opposite of them. He was gentle, kind... Not exactly what the Unspeakables stood for. He was also hesitant... He did not like the killing the mob did. He had been also especially upset over the fact he had been forced to kill, even when he didn't want to. He was just hoping they would lighten up on him... But would it ever happen..? Some times... He wished he could run away... Find a nicer mob... One that wasn't filled with death and bloodshed... But he was still young, and needed his parents. And the mob. Perhaps when he was older... And he had been feeling sympathetic toward Amethyst and her brother... And had been trying to befriend them... He wanted to show not all of the Unspeakables were merciless... But would his attempts work, or just go in vain? He did want a friend who wasn't one who would rip their prey apart...

What?! Voldemort doesn't want the rest of the Unspeakables to accompany him to the Linklu? This is preposterous! If it's absolute chaos and pandemonium he wants to create for the enemy he should at least enlist the help of a few henchmen. Thirteen would be more than delighted to be one of them. She feels so bored right now and is in the mood for some action. But nope, looks like Voldemort has other plans, whatever those may be... Thirteen plops down on her haunches and huffs, like a child that didn't get their way. Not fair you big meany Voldemort!

Kaina is always a little disappointed whenever Voldemort decides to do something without her, but she never lets it show.  Her loyalty to him never wavers, and it has no bounds.  If he wants to go to the Linklu alone, he probably has a very good reason for it... a tactical reason, no doubt.  Besides, she's used to it by now, and knowing that he trusts her in his absence is more than enough compensation.  She tries not to show her pride as she nods to her lord and master.  As you wish, Voldemort.  I will do all in my power to keep things running smoothly here, in your absence.  She watches him go solemnly, and as soon as he's gone, she turns to the group.  As sadistic and volatile as Kaina is, her loyalty to Voldemort comes before any selfish desires she has.  It's probably the only reason she does so well in this position; she understands that Voldemort is the true leader and only does what's necessary.  She is not power hungry and does her best not to abuse the opportunity.  

White Night is a bit more disappointed than Kaina is, seeing as he wants nothing more than to prove to the mate of his former mentor than he can be a valuable asset.  However, he remembered how often Voldemort would leave the Anklebiters back in the old days, and so isn't quite as bothered by it as Thirteen is.  Like Kaina, White Night is a loyal follower, and knows he'll have other chances.  He does notice Thirteen's behavior though, and growls at her.  Voldemort is our leader, he calls the shots.  It's our job to follow his lead.  White Night knew very well what happened when Voldemort's subordinates defined him, if the Anklebiters and Luchina were any indication... He starts digging in the dusty sand, hoping to find at least some sustenance, but glances over at Thirteen occasionally as he does so, looking for a reaction.  If there's a pecking order among the youngsters here, he wants to be on  top.

Amethyst gazes at White Night with a look of disdain.  She doesn't particularly like living here in the Unspeakables, especially after the adult that cared for her and her brother, Demona, disappeared.  Things in this mob have become a lot less bearable since then.  The two of them simply aren't as violent as the others, but in the past few months, a lot has changed in Amethyst.  She's always been the bolder of the two pups, but she's become quite brave.  It hasn't dulled her spirit or kindness though, and although still very young, she's quite mature and quick to comfort any pups in the group who aren't quite as vicious.  More than anything, she's there for her brother, Skarmory.  There are really only two reasons she's still here, though.  Mostly, Voldemort brought her here, and she's still too young to leave.  And she hasn't forgotten what he told her about the Lavas.  Uncle Tuhi and other meerkats she cared about were still there, and she still wants to free them someday, and punish Poison for everything she's done to her family.  Being young and naive, she still doesn't understand that Voldemort is manipulating her, even if she doesn't like him at all.  She forages close to her brother, keeping a close eye on White Night.  She didn't know where he came from, but had a particular dislike for him... The two had already butt heads a bit.  

Unknown to her, White Night noticed her staring... he was used to meerkats disliking him, and the way she reacted, it reminded him a little of Phoebe... He disliked her just as much, but it was different here, because meerkats like Phoebe and Amethyst were the minority.

Carnie is in worse shape than White Night is, and still mourning the loss of her mother.  She had taken it out on the other pups for a while, and had been trying to assert herself to make up for it.  With Racine gone, it was even worse, but at least she still had White Night.  She was never far from him.  She looks up from digging at the rest of the group, she's a little bored...

Unlike some of the other members, Zaina isn't upset that Voldemort left to visit the Linklus alone. She takes a page from Kaina, and realizes that he must have some purpose in his mind to go by himself. Kaina said she should always have loyalty to him, so that means that she must trust that he knows what he's doing! Nodding to herself, she begins to forage, luckily coming across a baby skink. She pounces on it, but it melts into the sand beneath her paws. She tries to dig after it, but the morsel is gone. Frustrated, she bats the ground and moves on to a different patch.

Thirteen scoffs at White Night, flicking her tail as a way of blowing him off. She obeys no one, not even her own dad. So everyone can forget about her being a daddy's girl. She'll do whatever she wants as she pleases, and if anyone dares to assert their authority over her, she won't hesitate to retaliate. Averting her eyes from White Night, Thirteen scans the landscape with a smirk of mischief on her face, thinking about sneaking off to explore.

White Night got the reaction he was waiting for, and abandoned his hole to approach Thirteen with narrowed eyes.  What she said hadn't angered him... not as it might have angered Kaina, for example.  He already knew what happened when Voldemort was displeased, and it wasn't his responsibility to put Thirteen in his place... her father would do that himself, and he was fairly confident that she would learn her lesson the hard way.  But she did have an attitude, and he wasn't about to be outdone by her... just because she was related to their leader by blood didn't make her better than him.  He had been trained by Luchina and there were two traits that made White Night especially dangerous... loyalty, and ambition.  He wanted to prove himself to Voldemort, but he was also used to being on the top of the pup hierarchy and was determined to keep it that way.  But he wouldn't attack her... yet.  He pretended to forage near her, waiting for an opportunity...

Kaina sniffed the ground, they were near the Anklebiters border... she hadn't led them here on purpose, and she didn't like doing things without her lord's permission, but perhaps some scent marking wouldn't hurt... their scent was stale, anyway, indicating that they hadn't been here in a while... She began marking the border as theirs, somewhat hesitantly at first, but eventually, began to grow bolder...

***

Meanwhile, an old face has made an appearance in Unspeakables territory.  Unknown to the group, he has in fact been here before, to watch the group in secret.  It's likely that very few of them would even recognize him... especially in the last month that he's been a loner.  Yes, this black figure was none other than Makuta, and he was scanning his surroundings for the group.  But what was he doing here? He might not have been alone; his adopted daughter Kenja was here with him; but what about his mob? Where were the Shadow Deaths? Well... they had long since moved on.  And Makuta had decided not to go with them.  To be honest, Makuta had had a midlife crisis; he was getting older, and he wasn't getting what he wanted out of life anymore as a dominant male.  Being a leader had always been a means to an end for Makuta; he was born different, and his father had planted thoughts in his head at a young age that had perverted his thinking to the point where, as a young adult, he did not approve of the mob he was living in and got fed up with the social isolation... so he had decided to take matters into his own paws.  But that was back before he realized that there were other meerkats like him... that he wasn't alone in the Kalahari.  Makuta had the ability to lead... but it wasn't what he liked doing.  The everyday life of a dominant male was growing tiresome, and he didn't feel he was making a difference.  There were a lot of things he missed doing... tricking naive females, fighting in battle, and other challenging activities that made him feel alive.  But he also missed raising pups as he felt they out to be raised, and more importantly... one strange thing about Makuta is that he did quite enjoy supporting other meerkats like him.  He could be a leader, but he could also be a follower... and by supporting the next generation of meerkats like him, Makuta hoped to make a difference... it just might allow him to do those other things, too.

And that was what had brought the lord of shadows here... he had first met Voldemort when the ex-Lava was still a pup... he'd had so much potential, even then, and Makuta had hoped to recruit him at the time.  Instead, Voldemort had taken his own path, but Makuta wasn't disappointed.  In a way, Voldemort was like a younger version of himself, and Makuta had always been fascinated by him.  He would be proud to support the male, and was more than happy to live out his last days here in the Unspeakables.  After all, he still had quite a few years ahead of him.  He was eager to prove his use, but first he would have to gain Voldemort's trust...

A rumble of hunger enters Thirteen's ears, interrupting her thoughts of where she'd like to start exploring. Damn stomach. Well, one must build up their strength before embarking on an adventure, she guesses. With her back facing White Night, Thirteen starts to scratch around at the sand for a juicy morsel, unaware her rival is watching and waiting to strike the moment she pulls something to the surface.

Zaina watches Kaina start to scent mark over the stale Anklebiter scent, and immediately follows suit, imitating her mother's experienced technique.

OOC: Again really short... but I need to develop Zaina a little bit more... waiting for a little bit more action to happen in this group.