Cruise-meerkat

Dear Arabella, It’s Sassafras! How are you doing? How’s Sashabella? And Yonina, and Sevan? We’re doing well over here. Pancake is fretting, as usual, and Youssarian is…being Youssarian. Misty doesn’t talk much so I don’t know about her, and Eli’s being his usual self. Oh, and my friend Jaycee says hi. Anyway, I know I normally don’t send out letters but…this is a special occasion. Can you guess what it is? If you guessed something along the lines of six baby meerkats bouncing around and screaming their heads off, you guessed right! That’s right, my children were finally born. I’m sure y

Hujambo! My name is Ada! I am 13 years old, and, as you can see, this is, of course, my story. Let me tell you a bit about myself. I have already said I a 13. I live in an African village called Kwetehe, a Swahili pell-mell word meaning “Comfortable Home”, which is what our little village is! I have a twin sister named Aba. We are finally women - big girls, that is what they call them when we were still children. Wasichana, or girls, become women at 13. We dance in rituals, make bead jewelry, make dresses, watch the children, and, above all, have children. But, I am too young at the moment, and I really don’t want to be bothere

HEAD LEADER - Eze, 46 HERBAL - Tahir, 50 MEN - Abdul Diallo, 22 Haamid, 21 Rashad, 25 Zareb, 28 Zuri, 28 Ulan, 29 Odongo, 29 Iman, 28 Baakir, 28 Abdalla, 24 Bekele, 24 Adebayo, 24 Ajala, 23 Kizza, 23 Kelile, 23 Dahnay, 20 ELDERY MEN - Donkor, 45 Unika, 48 Zuka, 49 Olumjimi, 56 WOMEN - Ada, 13 Aba, 13 Arria, 13 Asale, 14 Omorose, 16 Sabah, 17 Teleza, 17 Taiwo, 17 Fayola, 18 Folasade, 21 Thandiwe, 21 Zaire, 26 Zesibo, 26 Yaa, 28 Layla, 30 Kianga, 32 Kiah, 34 Kyalamboka, 36 Nnenia, 36 Nombeko, 38 Nkiruka, 39 Aadaeze, 45 Adanya, 46 Sage, 63 CHILREN - Ashley, 11(Kianga)(female) Ayah, 10 (Layla)

It was a dark, cold night. A female meerkat nuzzled her three pups. She looked up at her mate, a large male with a scar over his left eye. “Youssarian…” she began uncertainly. Youssarian nuzzled her fondly, and responded, “What is it, Pancake?” Pancake gently pushed Youssarian away; this question was serious, important. It could decide the fate of her mob, the Lazuli. “Do you…think they have Vivian’s powers?” Pancake tentatively said. She whispered it; though the whole mob knew of the legendary Vivian’s powers, if her pups contained their grandmother’s legacy, then it would be for her an