@%\===.... ....===\%@
#§%%===... ...===%%§#
##@@§%\=-. .-=\%§@@##
#@#@§%\=-. .-=\%§@#@#
##@@§%\=-. .-=\%§@@##
@@%=-..... # ==================== # .....-=%@@
@@%==..... \ 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. ¨.¨-»»=#£#
#@#¤$$/».¨ now its wolves see further. ¨.»/$$¤#@#
####§=;».¨ ¨.»;=§####
###§$==--¨ ¨--==$§###
#@£§^=~=^. .^=~=^§£@#
¶§//,,¨.¨, ,¨.¨,,//§¶
¶#§*^†^-:. .:-^†^*§#¶