@@@#*%\=-¨ ¨-=\%*#@@@
##@#*%\=-¨ ¨-=\%*#@##
@@@#*%\=-¨ ¨-=\%*#@@@
##@#*%\=-¨ ¨-=\%*#@##
##**%\-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-\%**##
#%%%\-¨¨¨¨ # ==================== # ¨¨¨¨-\%%%#
#@@#*%\=-¨ \ 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. ,.~;†§&&¤¤
##@¤%*^»^¨ ¨^»^*%¤@##
#@@@¤%†»,. .,»†%¤@@@#
#£@%;»=,.. ..,=»;%@£#
@&¤=:~,¨.. ..¨,~:=¤&@
#¤†«~:~--, ,--~:~«†¤#