In other parts of the world, the start of December means that winter is not far away. There is a chill in the air, snow will maybe fall, and many cultures are preparing to celebrate different holidays. In the Kalahari, however, December is different for the rainy season is in full swing and new life is to be found all around.
For one Isikara girl, however, the start of a new month is marred by tragedy. Alyssa is the first to emerge from the burrow and she is notably slimmer. The worse has come to pass and Alyssa had lost her litter. Not long after, Rama emerges from the burrow and sits with her. He had mated with Alyssa back in October and the pups she had been expecting were most certainly is. Although subordinates are not permitted to breed, these two seem rather fond of each other. Jessup and Chloe emerge just a few later and they too seem unusually fond of each other. It is unlikely for Trixie to allow this kind of attention while she is still the boss. What will the four lovers do? They each exchange a look, then suddenly all four bolt off. For Chloe this is not just the chance to be with Jessup, it also safeguards her unborn pups who might be the foundation of a new group.
After a while, the remaining twelve Isikara meerkats emerge from the burrow and begin the morning’s tasks. Trixie, however, has discipline on her mind. Yesterday she had stood idle while Tiffany and Serena attacked Alyssa and evicted her from the group, this morning the sisters are wisely keeping their heads down, but Trixie is not going to buy any excuse for undermining her authority. She sets her sights on Tiffany and attacks.
Only, instead of rolling on her back in submission, Tiffany fights back. And then Serena jumps into the fray. In the blink of an eye, what was meant to be a display of power is now a battle for dominance. Despite the fact that it is two against one, and none of the other meerkats are going to come to her aide, Trixie is able to get the upper hand over Tiffany and drives her off. She then turns to Serena who quickly tries to change her tune, but her mother is furious and this time the whole group joins in the chase.
Trixie has won and will remain the dominant female of the Isikara for a little while longer. But now she has a problem, and that is a severe lack of babysitters. Only female meerkats can produce milk to suckle the pups, which helps when mom is away looking for food to produce that milk. Trixie now only has Tootie and Kat to rely on, and the latter is a teenager at that. Trixie is just going to have to make do with what she has for the time being, for she is not about to let Tiffany and Serena back in the group anytime soon.
Slightly shaken from this morning’s events, Trixie decides to lead the family out to forage, and everyone follows. Except for Noah and Enki who head off in the direction that Tiffany and Serena had gone. It seems the pair are equally fond of their one-time girlfriends. Twelve quickly becomes only eight and there is a risk of danger now. Male meerkats have been known to desert groups that are no longer doing well. If Trixie loses Tootie, then she and Kawit could be left all alone and the Isikara would be no more.
Fortunately for Tootie, Trixie has no intentions of kicking her out yet. While Tootie should be grateful for this kindness, she is instead rather nervous and is torn between keeping her distance and trying to keep on her mother’s good side with proper displays of submission. The reason for her concern is apparent with the bulge of her belly. Tootie is pregnant and looks like she will be due to give birth soon. With Chloe, Tiffany, and Serena now gone, Tootie’s pups stand a good chance. Provided that Grandma Trixie chooses to spare their lives.
The rest of the day passes without any issue and the Isikara soon return to the burrow with bellies full and in good spirits. Tootie is keeping her distance as the others groom or play in the fading light. Trixie seems to be in a good mood and is playfighting with the younger members of the group. As the sun falls below the horizon, the Isikara head down into their burrow one by one.
The morning will bring new questions and answers.
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The next day shows the Isikara are already up and about, the burrow is being cleaned out by some, while others are soaking up the rays. Trixie is keeping watch with Mathayus at her side. The family’s mood is fairly light, even though it quickly becomes clear that Tootie is absent. When she does emerge, she is looking quite slim but is also rather nervous. Trixie gives her a glance but then looks away as her attention is caught by a bird flying overhead. When the group heads out to forage, Kat is left behind to babysit the new pups. So far it looks like the babies are being tolerated by their grandma, but for how long? And Trixie is not the only threat the new litter could be facing.
Another meerkat family is on the move, not the Wombles, but Jaco’s Dune. The leader of this group, Sefo, is actually the sister of Safira and the story of her rise to power is quite miraculous. But that is a tale fit to be told another day, on this day she is leading her family to a new burrow.
While their venturing into the Isikara’s land is a total accident, they seem to be making the most of their visit. The family is making slow and steady progress towards the burrow and if they find Kat and the pups, there will be no prisoners taken. Especially because Sefo's own daughter, Liberty, is also in the "family way". She is lucky that her mother has not evicted her, though it simply could be because Sefo has no pups of her own at the moment.
Unaware of the trespassers, the Isikara are hard at work. Because Kat is very young, she can’t produce milk for the pups. Tootie will have to return home from time to time in order to feed them. This issue is made hard by the simple fact that the family is traveling further and further away from the burrow. It is risky for a meerkat to venture off on its own, so Tootie is hoping that Trixie might lead them home early, but her mother has no plans to do so. Tootie is forced to wait anxiously and in the end, she just might have to take the chance. But doing so may be at her own peril for after a morning spent making steady progress, Jaco’s Dune has stumbled upon the burrow. At first glance, it looks abandoned.
The rookie babysitter is currently underground, tending to her tiny charges. While Kat can’t produce milk for them, she can keep them warm and comforted. She has no idea of the danger they are all in, but maybe they could get away so long as everyone keeps quiet. But Liberty is wanting a good place to give birth and leads the group in to investigate. The smells are clear, this burrow is currently being used by the Isikara group.
The dominant male of the group, Jed, wastes no time scent-marking the burrow, effectively claiming it for his family’s own use. Liberty is the first one to go belowground, checking each passage and chamber carefully. Deep in the burrow, Kat hears strange actively and becomes quite nervous. Her instincts are at odds, to stay and defend the pups or to run for her life (for she realizes rather quickly that this is not her family). She will be no match for Liberty who is older, bigger, and stronger, plus is driven by the needs of her own pregnancy. Liberty soon catches the scent of pups and sitter and her calls bring more Jaco’s Dune into the burrow underground. The situation has become dire and Kat must save herself before it is too late. She finds a tunnel that leads to a back entrance and hurries out. As she emerges from the opening, a group of Jaco’s Dune spots her and gives chase.
The Isikara return sooner than expected, for Trixie has decided to allow the group a midday rest at their burrow. But they are alarmed to find their home overran with enemies. Normally Trixie would be quick to lead her troops into battle, but now...it seems that she finally realizes just how low in number the Isikara is. Eight against sixteen are not impossible odds, but being pregnant and close to giving birth, Trixie cannot risk it unless the outcome is certain to be in her favor.
For Tootie, the situation is equally distressing. She tries to dart forward, almost like she could save her babies on her own, but the effort is clearly half-hearted. She knows that she can’t defeat a group sixteen strong on her own. The Isikara have not been spotted yet, so Trixie quietly leads them away. For the first time in a long time, she is the one who is forced to retreat. It is a massive hit to her pride, but also means that the Isikara, for the first time in a long time, has lost a piece of territory to a rival gang. Unaware of the fact that the owners had come and gone, Jaco’s Dune eventually discovers the pups, and one by one they are dragged out and killed. The group that had chased off Kat return and the family celebrates their victory.
Bruised, bloody, but still very much alive, Kat is able to track down her family and is given a comforting cuddle. Trixie is stoic, her expression blank as she looks out over the desert. The loss of a burrow is bad enough, but the loss of the land around it is even worst. Her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother would be ashamed of today’s defeat. But yet, they would also understand. For now the Isikara must bid their time and the birth of her own litter may set in motion the events needed to restore the Isikara to their former glory.
For now, they wait.
