It has been four days since Britney, Vicky, Veronica, and Star have decided to go rogue. To Trixie and the rest of the Isikara, they are as good as dead and life continue as usual. This morning the group is spending some extra time at the burrow, which suits Papyrus just fine as he gets some extra snuggle time with mom. Kat and Stein are back to their usual antics, though this time they have enticed Carter and Sadie to join the game. The mood among the Isikara seems to be unusually light as if a great weight has been lifted off of them. When Trixie finally stirs, the rest of the family follows except for Sadie who is to be today's babysitter. This is her first time doing such an important job and one might question the wisdom behind it. When you are very small, standing at only twelve inches tall, and the desert is full of things that are out to get you, there is no place in a mob for a weak link. Every meerkat must do his or her share of the duties or face the alternative, life without a family to rely on. Sadie seems rather proud at being tasked with such an important job, though it is a known fact that she is one of those who get bored fast and often act before she thinks.

Sometime after the family has vanished from sight, Sadie gets a visitor. It is a young male of wild origins who is out roving for the first time and he has found the Isikara burrow. Sadie has spotted him and watches as he steadily makes his way closer. Any other meerkat might try to see him off or maybe hide belowground with her charge, but Sadie just sits and watches and waits. The young male gets closer until he is finally sitting beside Sadie and starts to lightly groom her. Sadie clearly thinks this is nice and allows it to happen, though she should realize that this could land her in some hot water with mom. Eventually, his careful attention wins her over, and Sadie follows him to somewhere more private.

As if he is aware of the fact that he is now home alone, Papyrus emerges from the burrow to find Sadie missing in action. He has no idea where she has gone or when the rest of the family will be home. For a tiny creature in a big landscape like the Kalahari, the odds are certainly stacked against him and Papyrus seems to realize that he is safer underground. Sadie eventually returns, but she is not alone for her suitor has decided to join her. This may be due to the fact that he is inexperienced, for among meerkats it is not advisable to stick around to meet the family. 

When the Isikara arrives home for the evening, they are appalled by the sight of a strange meerkat lurking around their den. King Tut and the boys waste no time in seeing the young rover off...but then something strange happens. After being chased off, the young male returns and slinks closer to the group. His body language is fully submissive and he focuses his attentions on King Tut who surprisingly enough lets him near. Maybe this rover had lost his family, or maybe he sees a chance to one day have a shot of being the male head of the Isikara in the future. Whatever the reason, he wants into the group and King Tut lets him in. Trixie has the final say in such matters but seems to approve and the young meerkat known as Walt becomes an official member of the Isikara clan. Sadie couldn't be happier with this turn of events, but she has bigger things to worry about because Trixie happens to smell Walt on her fur. If this new member is going to stick around, then he must learn to keep his paws off the subordinate females. There are only two meerkats here who will be allowed to breed and that is the dominant pair which Sadie and Walt are not, not yet at any rate. 

It has certainly been an interesting day for the Isikara and everyone is ready to call it a night. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a little less exciting. 

 After the trials and tribulations of last season, the Isikara are ready for a good year. None more than Trixie who finally got a new mate and now is on her second litter with King Tut as the proud father. While the family prepares for the debut of their newest members, the two pups from Trixie's previous litter are enjoying a game of chase under the watchful eye of their older brother Chip. At four months old, Kat and her brother Stein are still young, but they no longer are the babies of the group and soon will be expected to do their share of the hard work. For now, they are more interested in fun and do not seem to notice when the work stops around them. All eyes are on the opening to the burrow where a little face is peeking out. The pup seems very unsure about himself and tries to go back down the tunnel that leads to the main sleeping chamber. His older brother, Carter tries to encourage him with some reassuring peeps. When that doesn't seem to convince him, big sister Sadie settles for an easy solution. She plucks the pup up and carries him up to where everyone else is waiting. If Trixie disapproves of the rough handling, then she shows no sign of it as she grooms her little son. The family waits, but no other pups emerge. Meerkat litters can range from one to seven pups, though some have had eight. For little Papyrus, this means that there is a lack of competition from littermates for the adults' attention. This also could give Trixie an excuse to move the family if she should feel the need.

Right now, however, the family will stay put until Papyrus is old enough and strong enough to go out with the grown-ups. He will be in the capable paws of his sisters, Tiffany and Serena. Kat and Stein have decided to stick around for some reason, so it pays to have two capable babysitters to ensure that neither pup nor teenager will come to harm.

The Isikara are not quite as numerous as they once were, this is due to some deaths and also a few of the older males leaving for new roving activities. King Tut has his work cut out to keep rovers away, but he does have the support of Chip, Amos, and Carter to help in a pinch. While some meerkats are no longer around, a few thorns still remain in Trixie's side. Well aware of how close they had come to face serious punishment, Britney and Vicky are either staying out of Trixie's way or groveling before her. For now, she is still their queen and they will best remember who has the final say in everything.

Winter had recently come to an end and the rains had returned to the desert. There is warmth and food, but it still requires some hard digging. Like any good leader, Trixie does her best to lead the family to a different part of their territory each day. This helps previously visited places to have the chance to restock the things that meerkats like to eat. Today the Isikara are visiting a part of their territory that is covered with tall grass. Despite the risk they face, meerkats prefer open spaces where they can have a clear view of approaching danger and can also easily dig at the soil. The tall grass also makes it easy to get lost. By the time they emerge on the other side, Trixie can tell that there is a very big problem. Britney, Vicky, Veronica, and Star are missing. She sends out lead calls to guide them to safety, but there is no answer. Maybe they will catch up later. 

Around Midday, it is very hot and Trixie wants to check on her pups. The four females have yet to make an appearance and Trixie is only mildly concerned about it at the moment. Later on as dusk begins to settle over the desert, Trixie begins to worry. Although all four of the missing females are potential rivals due to being old enough and appealing enough to roving males, they are also key babysitters and their absence drops the group's numbers down from eighteen to only fourteen. Perhaps they will be back tomorrow.

Early the next morning and in a bolt hole that is a mile away from the main burrow, Britney is first to emerge. She is soon followed by Veronica and Star. It is almost an hour later before Vicky decides to finally rouse herself, but when she does all four of the lost Isikara girls take the opportunity to get some sun. They should really be trying to make their way home, for even four meerkats can find it rough living without the safety of the group. None of them seem in a hurry to do so, in fact when they do finally set out it is in the opposite direction of the burrow. By midday, they have crossed the border into unknown territory and it is clear that this is the start of something new. As of today Britney, Vicky, Veronica, and Star are no longer members of the Isikara tribe, and their troubles have only begun.

The Isikara Cast for Season 2

 Trixie: Dominant Female

King Tut: Dominant Male

Britney

Chloe

Vicky

Veronica

Star

Tootie

Alyssa

Chip

Tiffany

Serena 

Amos

Carter and Sadie

And...

The Pups

This is Rise of the Dynasty, Isikara Style. 

 The promise of pups is always good for a group that needs the numbers, but only if the litter survives. The mood among the Isikara is grim and Trixie knows that it is only a matter of time before things truly fall apart. The numbers have fallen instead of grew and this could be seen as a sign of a leader who is losing her grip on power.

Hope comes in the form of Maryann and Alyssa's new pups. Having been born three weeks ago, the two pups come out for the first time and the family eagerly welcomes them. Even Trixie seems happy to see the pair and has no issue with them trying to suckle. Yet under the feelings of good cheer, there seems to be something troubling. Both pups are small and weak, which means their chances of survival are lower than normal. The Isikara will have to work hard to ensure their survival since this brood is currently all they have. A heavily pregnant Molly had gone below and never resurfaced. She is most likely dead and her pups with her. With everyone present and hungry, Trixie wastes no time in leading the foraging party out. Except that Ruby and Sadie are left behind on babysitting duty. This is their first time and neither girl knows really what to do. If they are lucky then it will be a slow day, if not...

It just might be Trixie's lucky day for a male meerkat has been spotted in their territory. His slightly faded dye marks and the fact that he does not seem to mind human presence is quite interesting, a sign that he has been habituated in the past. And so he has, for this meerkat is King Tut and he is not really a stranger to these parts. Six years ago, the Isikara was under the rule of Trixie's grandmother and King Tut just so happened to be a part of her last litter before the Isikara suffered a group split. The fact that he is there and is clearly not dead could be seen as a measure of hope that maybe the rest of the missing group is out there alive and well somewhere.

King Tut is not interested in returning to his current mob, for he has his eyes on the Isikara. Though he was a part of this group at one time, enough time has passed that he will be seen as a stranger and could be in serious trouble if caught by Cosmo and the other males. Unbothered by the potential risks, King Tut is slowly making his way closer to the group and he has his eye on the prize. Trixie has caught his eye and the rover can tell at a glance that there is an opening for the right to be her king. He just needs to play his cards right.

So far King Tut is able to get past the attention of the sentries who are on duty, their eyes are on the sky where a familiar silhouette is making everyone nervous. Deciding that it is time to take shelter, the Isikara duck down the nearest bolt hole. King Tut wisely moves into a sheltered spot beneath a large bush, for being alone is not good when there is a predator nearby. The eagle lets out a scream of frustration and moves on to find less cautious prey, allowing the family to leave the safety of their bolt hole. While the rest of the Isikara are trying to calm down with some grooming and playfighting, Trixie spots the hopeful suitor and has no intention of being denied this time. While the family is distracted, Trixie wanders off into the bush and eventually gets her man.

The Isikara spend the rest of the day foraging, but Wanda has noticed that her mother is missing. When Trixie still does not appear at the end of the day, it is Wanda who leads the family back to their burrow. By now the rest of the group has picked up on the fact that their boss is missing and they are wary. Before Vicky can get up to her old tricks, however, Trixie suddenly appears and she is not alone. King Tut has spent the entire afternoon with her and Trixie decides that it's time for him to greet the family. Wisely, Trixie had scent-marked the male, and the fact that he smells like them makes Cosmo and the other boys reluctant to attack him. King Tut won't let them get the chance, he approaches Cosmo first and asserts his dominance over the younger male. Cosmo submits, as does Timmy, Sparky, Chirp, Julius, and Amos. King Tut is now the dominant male of the group and Trixie is noticeably different as she goes to work putting the girls in their place. 

It has been a wild year for the Isikara, but now the future looks brighter. Trixie and King Tut will soon be the proud parents of a new litter of pups. 

It doesn't get better than this.

The End of Part One