Meerkats
These small mammals form large groups and live in dens with extensive tunnel systems and numerous exits in the deserts and grasslands of southern Istervyn . They are revered by the Ushaans for their dens, intelligence, and ability to kill and eat snakes and scorpions. They can be quite vicious fighters and meerkat battles leave many meerkats dead.
Elemental and Fei Touched Meerkats
The most commonly found elemental or fei touched meerkats are flame touched ones. Their fur looks like flickering flames, they are even more resistant to the heat than their fellows, they are burning hot to the touch, and they can have some other minor fire related abilities. Earth touched, wind touched, and metallic fei touched are also fairly common as far as elemental and fei touched meerkats . Gem fei touched are rarer and wave touched meerkats are extremely rare. Elemental and fei touched meerkats can rise further in social status than they would have had they not been elemental or fei touched.Basic Information
Anatomy
Meerkats quadrupeds but are often found standing upright on their hind legs. Patches of dark fur around their eyes reduce the sun's glare, a trait Ushaans often mimic with dark eye makeup. Meerkats are excellent diggers with long claws, special eye membranes, and ears that close to protect themselves from derbies. They have long tails and sharp teeth which are their primary weapons.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Meerkats eat roots, insects, birds, fruit, tubers, and lizards. They have a natural resistance to poison allowing them to eat venomous creatures like snakes and scorpions. They are able to go without drinking water, gaining moister from roots, tubers, and fruits.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Meerkats live in large groups that can contain forty different meerkats. Meerkat groups often share territory with other groups but avoid direct conflict because of the high loss of life, instead preferring posturing. Meerkat groups are matriarchal and are often lead by the dominant female. They often hunt in groups, using their superior numbers to their advantage versus such dangerous opponents as snakes.
Domestication
Ushaans sometimes use meerkats as holy animals as their poison resistance and ability to survive without water is seen as blessings from the deities. They are also sometimes used as rodent catchers by the Ushaa because of their excellent hunting skills.
Average Intelligence
Meerkats can be quite intelligent, each group has multiple dens with many different exits, sleeping chambers, and toiletry chambers. They often have several lookouts posted around the den who have the locations of dozens of different bolt holes memorized.
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