Roleplay - 29th of October

Lavender seems to be finding only beetle grubs. She grumbles a bit frustrated but keeps digging. She'll eventually find something more filling.

Lancaster sounds the watchman's song, letting Linda and Lavender know that it's safe for them to forage in peace.

Linda emerges with a millipede in her mouth. She rubs the toxins off and eats it quickly. She looks around, hungry still.

Lavender sniffs at the ground as she picks up the scent of something more promising. She furiously digs into the ground determined to get to the potentially yummy prize.

Lancaster continues to keep his concentrated stare on the horizon whilst sounding the watchman's song. So far he sees nothing to be wary about but isn't taking any chances and keeps his gaurd up.

Linda eyes Lavender curiously, then looks away. No. Stealing food from her brother is one thing, stealing food from Lavender is another. She starts digging again, looking for more to eat.

Lavender has submeged herself into her large hole, unaware that Linda had the intentions of stealing from her once she emerged with something. Lavender backs out of the hole with a scorpion in her mouth. She chews the large fiesty meal but struggles to swallow it down as it fights to escape. A sting from its tail causes Lavender to spit the scorpion out of her mouth.

Lancaster makes a brief glance at Linda and Lavender then returns his attention to the horizon and sky.

Linda sees the scorpion on the ground, easily within reach. She refrains from taking it though. She continues to stare at it. Scorpions are her favorite...

Lavender sees Linda eyeing her scorpion. She can see the temption of wanting to steal it in her eyes and growls softly warning her that she'll met with fierce resistance if she tries. Lavender swiftly picks the scorpion up by the stinger, this time eating it, stinger and all.

Lancaster sees something move off in the far distance and tilits his head to the side. What was that? He peeps a warning for the girls to be alert. It could be danger. Lancaster scans the horizon trying to catch sight of what it was.

Linda lets Lavender have it. She hears Lancaster and stands, looking around for whatever it may be.

Lavender hears Lancaster's warning call and looks up. She looks around wondering what's gotten him anxious.

Lancaster sees the movement again through some vegetation. He stares closely at the bits and pieces of what could be a predator, trying to make out what it could be.

Jackie also looks around for the movement, warily.

Snowflake sits by Jackie.

A jackal appears from behind the distant vegetation. Lancaster stays quiet. The wind is isn't blowing their scent towards the jackal and if he sounds an alarm he worries that it could draw the jackal's attention towards them.

Lavender sees the jackal and sounds a soft alarmed peep. She watches the jackal warily. It's only her first day on babysitting duty and already there's some kind of action. Perhaps babysitting isn't as uneventful as she thought it would be.

ooc- The jackal's at the burrow Meerkats. The foraging party has already left.

ic- Linda watches anxiously as the jackal comes into view. She's not taking any chances. She heads into the burrow for her own safety and to check on the pups.

Lancaster stands stern outside the burrow mouth and blocks the entrance. If the jackal takes notice of them and the pup filled burrow, he'll fight to the death to prevent the jackal from digging out Linda and the pups.

Lavender stands by Lancaster's side, blocking the left side of the burrow mouth. She tilts her head to the side and sneers as she keeps her eyes glued on the predator. She too refuses to let anything bad happen to the pups.

Linda lays down in the chamber the pups are at. Laying down her life isn't such a good idea for her. She has a litter of her own to protect. She wraps around the pups in the burrow and peeps softly to them, trying to keep them calm.

Lancaster narrows his eyes at the jackal as it moves slightly closer towards the burrow but the babysitters are lucky that the jackal hasn't yet noticed them. The jackal appears to be too busy keeping its nose to the ground to notice the babysitting burrow.

Lavender growls and gets down on all 4s with her tail raised. She's poised to lay down her life to protect the pups if the jackal discovers the oppertunity to fight its way to get to them.

Linda looks into the tunnel from within the chamber. She doesn't feel it's safe to stay out there. Hopefully the jackal won't see them. It will be disaster if they lose another member.

The jackal starts to move away and Lancaster calms down slightly but he keeps a stern close eye on the predator incase it comes back. The group just can't afford to lose another member and he refuses to let it happen.

Lavender sighs in relief but also keeps up her gaurd. She stands poised to charge if the jackal makes its way back around.

Linda lets the pups feed as she watches over them. She's not coming out until the threat's gone.

As the jackal moves out of sight, Lancaster loosens up his tightened muscles and nearly faints from how close they got to potentially losing another member. Lancaster can feel his legs shaking from the adrenaline that's still surging through him.

Lavender pokes her head into the burrow and sounds an all clear, letting Linda know that it's safe to come out when she decides she wants to. Lavender then starts to groom Lancaster to calm his nerves.

Linda emerges and looks around. All seems fine to her. She gets back to foraging near the burrow.

Lancaster chirps thanking Lavender for soothing his nerves. He returns the grooming. As he grooms Lavender, he starts to think about his brother Tank. The predator scare has gotten Lancaster thinking about how he still could be out there somewhere in this dangerous predator filled environment alone. Even as a strong group, the Willows are struggling to survive. He worries how his brother could be fairing alone, that is if he's still even alive.

Lavender grooms down Lancaster's neck. She's greatful to offer some relief from his anxiety.

Linda stops foraging and grooms Lancaster as well. She's also stressed, but about different things, so it helps to groom eachother.

Lancaster goes back and forth with grooming Lavender and Linda. His stress level drops dramatically and he starts to feel relaxed.

Lavender continues to groom Lancaster and occassionally grooms Linda as well. After what's just happened, everyone could use a nerve soothing grooming session.

Linda grooms Lavender as well, making a meerkat grooming circle. The grooming really helps sooth her nerves, but she knows it won't last. She won't be able to truely rest easy until she's certain her pups will live in safety.

Just about all of Lancaster's stress and worries lift off his shoulders but it'll only be temporary. He won't fully relax until he knows that his brother is still alive. If Tank doesn't return over the next week, then Lancaster will once again set out to try to find him.

Lavender churrs contently in her grooming. Spending time with close family members also helps to relief the stress.