,,,,,::=§@                                          @§=::,,,,,
,:=*§&@¶##                                          ##¶@&§*=:,
,:=*§&@@@#                                          #@@@&§*=:,
,:=*&@¶###                                          ###¶@&*=:,
,:=*§&&&@@                                          @@&&&§*=:,
,:=*§&@¶##         # ==================== #         ##¶@&§*=:,
,:=*§&@¶##         * the wolf pool exists *         ##¶@&§*=:,
,:=*§&&&@@         * in a stale timeline, *         @@&&&§*=:,
,,,===*&@@         *  branched way back   *         @@&*===,,,
,,,,,=*§&@         *  when kirugu vargir  *         @&§*=,,,,,
,:=*§&@¶##         *  was almost barren,  *         ##¶@&§*=:,
,:=*§&@¶##  comprised mostly of rock and arid soil, ##¶@&§*=:,
,:=*§&@###  and plants were only starting to grow,  ###@&§*=:,
,:=*§&@¶##         *        at all...     *         ##¶@&§*=:,
,:=*§&&@@#         # ==================== #         #@@&&§*=:,
,.=//$$*#&                                          &#*$$//=.,
,:»/=§£###     misplaced explorers traverse the     ###£§=/»:,
.~-=%&#@##   landscape, searching for a way back,   ##@#&%=-~.
,.~\%£¤@#¶ finding instead only stone and dirt and  ¶#@¤£%\~.,
¨,«†=$¤¶@#  roots that are as hard as the ground.   #@¶¤$=†«,¨
¨,~*%£####   it's getting dark, they are thirsty,   ####£%*~,¨
.¨,¨,^^%&#     and about to find the wolf pool.     #&%^^,¨,¨.
.¨¨.,.,^§£                                          £§^,.,.¨¨.
.~=††*£###                   .#¨                    ###£*††=~.
..«;%*@£¤#                                          #¤£@*%;«..
¨,»=*%££##    the pool lies in a small meteorite    ##££%*=»,¨
¨,,...-=@#   impact crater, sixty meters across.    #@=-...,,¨
¨,=*^$#¶##   it's surface is pitch black and even   ##¶#$^*=,¨
,.~^†&#@¶¶  though it's not well protected, it is   ¶¶@#&†^~.,
,-~/**¤###           undisturbed by wind.           ###¤**/~-,
¨¨,,,,»*$#                                          #$*»,,,,¨¨
¨-==†££¶@#                   .#.                    #@¶££†==-¨
.^«:*¤§@##                                          ##@§¤*:«^.
,,.^:^=$@£     as they stumble on the pool, the     £@$=^:^.,,
,^~^%&£###  explorers first believe it to be water, ###£&%^~^,
,~=;†$&@##    which is something they all desire    ##@&$†;=~,
¨--†\*@%#@   greatly at this point. they fail to    @#%@*\†--¨
..-\*%£#@@ notice that the stars do not reflect on  @@#£%*\-..
.,~:*¤§@##   its surface. one of them crouches to   ##@§¤*:~,.
.~=::*£¤##    drink, forms a cup with his hands,    ##¤£*::=~.
¨^»/*$§###       lowers the cup into the pool.      ###§$*/»^¨
.¨¨.,..;*#                                          #*;..,.¨¨.
,-~^*§=%¤#  he tries to resist at first, but is too #¤%=§*^~-,
¨~~†^&¤¶##  close, and he quickly gives up as the   ##¶¤&^†~~¨
,,«;†£&$@@  liquid flows into his mind. the others, @@$&£†;«,,
¨:~*%%£#@#   » not understanding the=danger, move   #@#£%%*~:¨
,,-;=%££##       closer to help their¨friend.       ##££%=;-,,
.~»;†$§###       .      «    =            : ,       ###§$†;»~.
,.,¨¨,^^*#    and¨then,the,pool¨announces.itself    #*^^,¨¨,.,
,:~:**¤¶@#     to.them¨-.sudden..¨thoughts.of,      #@¶¤**:~:,
,..^«~\^*¤   ¨.=dark-wolves-,climbing,out.of,:~=    ¤*^\~«^..,
,.,-:=*&&£    ««=the=pool,-surrounding:them^-*;/    £&&*=:-,.,
,¨,,.~»§&£    ;sudden\thoughts^of~~;climbing*=%     £&§»~.,,¨,
,^~\^$&@@#   into*the*pool,†their†thirst^flaring$   #@@&$^\~^,
.,^~/§*#§#     %**bright*-%£a£sudden£$awareness#    #§#*§/~^,.
,.=\%&¤¶## #$of$§exactly@£how#they&had§traveled,§#  ##¶¤&%\=.,
.,~†*%&@##  #@of@the£way@home¶@to¶the@time#from¶@   ##@&%*†~,.
.,,,,~\†£¤   #@where#they@came,###@@##and@then###@  ¤£†\~,,,,.
,-=/^£####   #####the#feeling#of#this$knowledge=«   ####£^/=-,
,,¨.,.~=%£   »~being » stolen ~= from =«« them. ,   £%=~.,.¨,,
,,~^$@££#@          -» ¨  --- ,  »¨  ,=  »          @#££@$^~,,
.,~;§*%$&¤    ,   ~^          -                ,    ¤&$%*§;~,.
.¨,,¨,.~%§        ¨      ,          ¨      †        §%~.,¨,,¨.
,,-=$@@¶##                                          ##¶@@$=-,,
,-«†$¤§£@#                    .#.                   #@£§¤$†«-,
.,¨^=»~=§§                                          §§=~»=^¨,.
¨^:-,=^%§@                   and,                   @§%^=,-:^¨
¨,¨,,~†%¶#                                          #¶%†~,,¨,¨
..~/§$&###  now the reach of the pool has widened.  ###&$§/~..
..,¨,.-$@#       now its wolves see further.        #@$-.,¨,..
¨-=†=&&£##                                          ##£&&=†=-¨
¨,-\=%££@#                                          #@££%=\-,¨
.:«%*§#@##                                          ##@#§*%«:.
¨-~;%%%§#@                                          @#§%%%;~-¨
,,==*£&###                                          ###&£*==,,