Sabah - A story to tell

[Mr. Meerkat]

Sabah
A story to tell

Sabah is a Meerkat from my roleplays. She lived the harsh life that was thrown at her, here is her story.
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The Unknowns.
Members: 14
Dominant pair: Lisa & Henry
Names: Lisa (F), Delilah (F), Venus (F), Luna (F), Solar (F), Snowdrop (F), Bloom (F), Henry (M), Rover (M), Izeno (M), Black (M)

Pups: Satan (M), Neptune (M), Pluto (M)

M = Male
F = Female
WM = Albino Male
WF = Albino Female
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Chapter one - Life beguins

It was a cold stormy evening, showers with thunder sweeping across the Kalahari, promising the end to a long, dry wet season. A small herd of Elephants trumpeting in the distance, filling the air with excitement. The small birds franticly fly back to their nesting trees, preparing for the long chilly and wet night.

Under that tree where many birds rest, there are holes. The area full of activity as a small group of Meerkats return from a shortened but otherwise uneventful foraging trip. A perticular Meerkat acting differently as she normally would. Her stomach area large and heavy. Her lover sitting by her. His strong and powerful build making it no suprise he is the Dominant Male of this group.

The Dominant Female nuzzles Her lover "Henry.. it is time." Henry nods, knowing exactly what she ment. "Okay dear, good luck." He remembers from experiance she prefers privicy. He only sits and watches as the Dominant Female gets up then makes her way under ground.

A flash followed by a crash of thunder rages across the darkening sky, instantly the younger members go under ground, leaving Henry above ground with his brother Rover.

"So the first litter of the year will be born tonight" Rover says, seemingly talking to himself. His thinner fur blowing with the breeze, the flashes making his eye scar stand out in a way to make others shiver nervously.

Henry nods, knowing to be weary about his smaller brother. Rover has a disposition to cause trouble, and has once tryed to mate with the Dominant Female behind Henry's back.

Henry growls, disliking the company of his cheeky but cunning brother. "You stay away from her" he snaps, knowing Rover can be a threat to his mating rights. "Oh We'll see" Rover replys, "you never know, but she might come to me." Henry snaps again he gets up before biting Rover on the leg as a warning.

"Know your place" he growls before entering the burrow leaving Rover to follow half an hour later.


Deep within the burrow, the Dominant Female lays near the huddle. A younger member sitting by her. "Lisa whats going on?" She asks. Knowing little about birth, she misunderstands whats wrong with her mother. Bloom is a late teenager within this group, she can be alittle naughty at times but she never got herself in serious trouble.

"Bloom, join the huddle, all will be fine" Lisa answers, her breathing kept at a good pace for a laboring mother.

Bloom does as told, joining the huddle nearby.


During the night, Lisa would give birth to three healthy, female pups.

[Mr. Meerkat]

Chapter two - The World is bigger than a hole
Three weeks since Chapter one.

It has been one week since the last major storm. The Kalahari desert looks transformed from the rains. Where there was once sand and dry and dead plants, there is fresh greens growing. Where there was once a dried up riverbed, there is a river.

The animal life is blooming, offspring being born shows new oppetunities for predaters to hunt for their own young. A sly Jackel hunts in the distance, her hunt is sucessful when she pounces a Ground Squirral suddenly. She takes her prey off where she will consume it in peace.

A young Wilderbeast with it's mother trots by near the Meerkat group, it was half an hour ago they emerged therefore most of them are sunning themselves through. Others have begun burrow work, franticly digging in preperation for todays big event.

Venus watches the Wilderbeast wearily, if they get to close she knows to bark in alarm. Fortunately they dont come too close as they change their course into the bush.

Henry sits by Lisa, he is mate guarding as she is currently letting off a scent that signals she is in heat. Lisa however seems to be more interested in the burrow work, she continues to dig.

Underground Luna leads three pups towards the burrow exit. Sabah, Daisy and Cherry have had a very good start to life, they have been born in the perfect time of year. However today is going to be a big day, and things are not to be as easy as it was.

Pluto, Neptune and Satan playfight outside the burrow, they are all teenagers however at their age they should beguin to learn responcibility. Rover watches them, he is pretending not to show interest in the Dominant Females condition. Any oppetunity he can get he'll take.

After half an hour of burrow work, the group finish. Lisa sits at the top of the burrow exit watching as Luna exits the burrow, three tiny heads try to follow behind her.

Never before has Sabah seen the outside world. Like her siblings, the light is overwealming her eyes. It takes acouple of moments before her eyes adjust to the light, she then starts climbing up the mountain (as it seems) towards her small family.

Cherry is first to reach the top, followed by Sabah. Daisy seems to struggle to reach the top, but with alittle encouragement from Lisa, she makes it. All three pups start suckling from their mother, the much needed milk will help them get stronger as time goes on.

A gentle, cool breeze sweeps across the burrow, the air has the distinct scent of fresh leaves fill the Meerkats thoughts of easy prey in todays foraging trip.

After a while, the pups finish feeding from their mother, they take little time before exploring the outside of the burrow. "This hole is huuggee!" Sabah barks excitedly. Venus approches Sabah. "This is no hole young one, it's the world" she corrects. Sabah just grins, facinated.

The other two pups start playfighting near the burrow enterance, trying to copy the teenagers behavior. Unknown to them is that playfighting will help them gain the skills they will need to suvive in the world, but for now it is just fun and games.


After an hour since the pups emerged, Lisa stands up, she starts barking in lead calls. "Time to go foraging, follow me" she barks. Most of the group follow, leaving behind Luna and Solar for babysitting.

Cherry tries to follow, however she doesn't get far before Solar catches her up then returns her to the burrow with the oter pups.


The day passes eventless, the pups playfight frequently. At one point however, a large bird of prey flies over the burrow area. Luna and Solar sucessfully get in the burrow with the pups, so no harm is done. After they re-emerge from the burrow, they all relax. For a three week old pup, first day out of the burrow is exhasting.


When the evening finally draws in, the family return from a highly productive foraging trip. The pups are quick to feed from their mother Lisa. And Henry seems calmer than he was earlier, no longer mate-guarding like he was earlier.

When evening draws to a close, the group all go underground, huddling close together for warmph.

During the night, thunder is heard from the distance, more rain heading towards the area. Next day, the pups will emerge again to a cloudy morning.


The pups will stay around the burrow for a week, each day learning more and more about the world while working on their skills and abilities through play.

[Mr. Meerkat]

Chapter three - It's a whole new world to explore
One week since Chapter two

It was a misty morning over the Kalahari desert. Rain had once again poured overnight. Wildlife plentyful this morning, small birds making the most of easy prey.

A Slug slides carelessly along the damp sand, oblivious to the danger it is in until a Glossy Starling swoops down and makes a meal out of it. This goes to show that carelessness can cost your life.

At the Unknowns groups burrow, Izeno is first to emerge. His fur blowing as the small breeze sweeps across the burrow area. He stands on his hind legs, scanning the area for danger.

It is after the mist retreats, he decides it's safe, he barks to the rest of the group "It's safe!" He then starts to sun himself through just as Rover and Snowdrop exit the burrow.

Underground, the adults are actively heading towards the burrow exit. Henry leading the three pups towards the exit area. "Come on kids, it's a big day for all of you" he cherps.

"Whats going on today father?" Sabah asks timidly. Henry just chuckles.

"You'll see."


By that time, all the adults excluding Henry are above ground sunning themselves through. Rover and Snowdrop have already begun burrow work in preperation for the big events. Lisa watches them.

Today will be the day the pups leave the burrow area for their first foraging trip. One in four pups die before they reach alulthood, so Lisa will be relying on the group give Sabah, Daisy and Cherry the best chances they can get.

The rest of the adults join in with the burrow work, each eager to leave for todays foraging trip. It doesn't take long before a chainlink is formed, they each work together for the best results.

Within afew moments the burrow work is complete. Lisa barks into the burrow, informing Henry it is time to let the pups emerge from the burrow. Henry barks back, he then exits the burrow followed by three excitable pups.

Sabah is first to reach the top, followed by Daisy then Cherry, instantly they all beguin playfighting under the watchful eye of the group.

Delilah sits by Lisa "it's been a while now.. since we last took pups foraging." Lisa frowns. "Last time only one of them returned home, I prey that we dont get another attack like that again." Delilah sighs "it wasn't your fault, no one saw them coming."

"... I could have kept a better eye out myself. We might have had a better chance of seeing those damn Jackels... Anyway we should move on from the past, we have this litter to tend too." Lisa looks back at the group, deciding it is time to go foraging.

Lisa stands on her hind legs, her body looking nicely groomed, it shines as the morning sunrays hit it. She then barks out lead calls. The pups look up curiously when Neptune speaks up "Come on kids, your coming with us today."

All three pups look up suprised, although with more encouragement, they start following their family. Daisy shys at first but she follows acouple of seconeds after Cherry.


After about acouple of hours foraging, the group settle in a good patch, they dig sucessfully here, each one taking turns to feed the pups.

Cherry was brought a Giant Millipede, quite a big meal for such a young pup. In the end, Daisy steals a chunk of the feast, running off as Cherry chases her. Sabah moves in and steals the forgotten Millipede.

As the heat of the day beguins to become unbarably hot, the whole group rest in the shade of the trees. All three pups lie down exhasted, the first day out can really take a tole on their little legs.

The teenagers playfight nearby, the adults and pups alike can only wonder where they get their energy. Izeno soon decides to join in the playfighting fun.


Much later on that day, the group continued to forage sucessfully, each of the pups gained a great feeding on their first outing.

Lisa starts to lead the group home, each member full. The pups have had a tiring day out, so the adults move at a slower pace to help the pups keep up.

All seems safe for now, however little do the group know they are being stalked by a killer. It is only after it blows it's cover it is spotted. Rover barks in a terrified alarm call.

The group scatter, Izeno picks up Cherry while Daisy is picked up by Solar. Henry picks up Sabah. All the adults flee from the attacking hunter, a Jackel. However a loud yelp is heard.

Lisa identifies the yelp, knowing instantly who it was. She knows nothing can be done so along with the rest of the suvivers, she heads home.

That night, Henry and Sabah didn't return.

[Mr. Meerkat]

Chapter Four - A dangerous night
Later that night

Night. The hours of danger, where the nocturnal life appers in it's dangerous. Night is the hours of death, where the danger is at it's most secretive. It is at these hours the night hunters emerge to kill.

It was a chilly night, the scent of rain from a distant storm from the east filling within the breeze. It was not long ago one of the Kalahari residents lost it's life to feed another, or was it two? No, one has suvived the attack. Underneath a bush, a terrified life form cries, hoping to grab the attention of it's family, however in vain.

These calls can attract danger, but this little pup doesn't understand that, her tiny cries have already grabbed the attention of a large Owl not far away, fortunately the Owl is unable to reach in at the Pup under the shrub.

Sabah continues to cry, still in vain. Her tidy body shivering in both the cold and fear, only hours ago she was dropped on the sand, a moment after her father was harshly grabbed by the jaws of death, she could only watch as Henry was killed right in front of her.

Eventually she stops crying, realisation sinking in. 'Could this be the end?' she thinks. Only half a day ago, she was in the safe and securety of her family. But now she is alone, and vunerable and very cold.

She cant stay here, not in the open, it's too cold. She exits out from under the bush, carelessly dashing across the open, risky. Fortunately she doesn't grab the attention of a ground based predeter, however the Owl has seen her, it swoops down silently trying to catch her.

A lucky move, Sabah suddenly turns into a bush, completely oblivious to the fact she was just seconeds away from being picked off by hungry talons. The Owl flies back up to perch on a tree, watching and waiting.

Sabah stays in the shrubs, her will to live is strong so she starts looking for a burrow. Fortune smiles when she finds one half an hour later. So lucky. She instantly dives in, looking for the deepest reaches, unaware that she is not alone tonight. A Puff Adder curled up in a chamber can post another theat if it detects her.

Sabah finds herself a chamber only a meter away from the Adders chamber, she curls up on herself in a effort to keep warm.

This is going to be a long, cold, lonely night.


The sun shines, a welcoming sunny morning blooms over the Kalahari desert. The Unknowns group are up and active early today, despite the loss of the Dominant Male and a pup, most are in high spirits. Rover has already asserted Dominance, hoping his brother doesn't return.

Black and Saten playfight at the edge of the group, joined shortly after by Pluto. Sand flies everywhere by these cheeky teenagers antics.

After half an hour of work and play, Lisa decides to lead the foraging group out. Venus and Delilah stay behind for the two pups, Daisy and Cherry.

Lisa leads them towards the same place they were yesterday. Mostly for good foraging, and partly for the small hope that their two missing members might have suvived.

Everyone stops around the attack grounds, they start searching for any signs of life. However their hopes are dampened after Izeno discovers blood, the blood of Henry. He makes warning calls instinctively.

Pluto, who is at the edge of the group hears sounds. Sounds aroused by the warning calls. He follows the sounds towards a bolt hole. He notices the distince apperance of a snake trail exiting the burrow, he instinctively becomes weary. The cries continue from deep within the burrow.

Pluto finally gains the courage to enter the burrow, wearily searching for the source of the sound. His efforts come with prize when he discovers the cold form of a lost pup. A quick sniff determins who it is. "Sabah" he cherps, excitement in his voice as the pup cuddles up to him, he is happy to warm her up for a moment.

After a couple of minutes, Pluto picks up Sabah and takes her out of the hole. Apon returning to the group, excitement fills the air as a reunion takes place.

Suviving a whole night alone, Sabah is given much needed attention from the whole family that are there. Later that day, after a sucessful foraging trip, Sabah is returned to her siblings, where they playfight until the night draws to a close.

[Mr. Meerkat]

You need to go to the first page at the begining to get the story.

There might be a few spelling mistakes and all that but i did not have time to correct it all so.

And if there is anything wrong with it plz tell me.

Thank you and enjoy reading