......^-=*                                          *=-^......
.......^-=                                          =-^.......
........^-                                          -^........
.......^-=                                          =-^.......
......^-=*                                          *=-^......
.....^-=*%     .. FERRETS                           %*=-^.....
....^-=*%#                                          #%*=-^....
...^-=*%#@ ...^^^-===*%%%####@##@####%%%*===-^^^... @#%*=-^...
..^-=*%#@#                                          #@#%*=-^..
.^-=*%#@##  YOU SEE SOMETHING MOVE IN THE CORNER OF ##@#%*=-^.
..^-=*%#@#    YOUR EYE - PROBABLY ONE OF THESE.     #@#%*=-^..
...^-=*%#@                                          @#%*=-^...
....^-=*%#            BACKBONE ANIMALS.             #%*=-^....
.....^-=*%         CAT-SNAKES, OR SO CALLED.        %*=-^.....
......^-=*       COMES IN DIFFERENT FLAVOURS.       *=-^......
.......^-=                                          =-^.......
........^- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ THE MINK ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ -^........
.......^-= ^                                      ^ =-^.......
......^-=* ^ MINKS, ALSO CALLED THE SNOW FERRETS, ^ *=-^......
.....^-=*% . MAKE UP THE "WANDERING FOOD SUPPLY"  . %*=-^.....
....^-=*%# . USED BY THE SHAMANS AND UNDERLINGS   . #%*=-^....
...^-=*%#@   OF KIRUGU VARGIR. WHEN CALLED UPON,    @#%*=-^...
..^-=*%#@#   THEY PRESENT THEMSELVES, AND CAN BE    #@#%*=-^..
.^-=*%#@##   CAUGHT.                                ##@#%*=-^.
..^-=*%#@#                                          #@#%*=-^..
...^-=*%#@ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ THE MARTEN ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ @#%*=-^...
....^-=*%# ^                                      ^ #%*=-^....
.....^-=*% ^ THE MARTEN IS THE SNEAKIER ONE HERE, ^ %*=-^.....
......^-=* . OFTEN USED FOR SPYING, OR STEALING.  . *=-^......
.......^-= . IN THE OLDER TALES ABOUT VIDMI,      . =-^.......
........^-   THESE ARE PROBS THE FERRETS THAT SHE   -^........
.......^-=   WAS SAID TO CONTROL. THIS CONNECTION   =-^.......
......^-=*   MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY MANY DENIZENS HAVE   *=-^......
.....^-=*%   THIS AS THEIR MAIN "PET" GOD.          %*=-^.....
....^-=*%#                                          #%*=-^....
...^-=*%#@ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ THE ERMINE ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ @#%*=-^...
..^-=*%#@# ^                                      ^ #@#%*=-^..
.^-=*%#@## ^ THE LUSHER ONE IN THE FAMILY IS THE  ^ ##@#%*=-^.
..^-=*%#@# . ERMINE. USED AS BEDWARMERS, OR       . #@#%*=-^..
...^-=*%#@ . HARVESTED FOR THEIR BEAUTIFUL FUR,   . @#%*=-^...
....^-=*%#   THE WHITE COAT, VERY PRETTY,           #%*=-^....
.....^-=*%   ALTHOUGH RARE.                         %*=-^.....
......^-=*                                          *=-^......
.......^-= ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ THE MEWN ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ =-^.......
........^- ^                                      ^ -^........
.......^-= . ONE OF THE MOST NOTABLE IN KIRUGU    . =-^.......
......^-=* . LORE, THE OTTER FERRET? IT GOES IN   . *=-^......
.....^-=*%   RIVERS. THERE ARE A LOT OF FERRETS,    %*=-^.....
....^-=*%#   BUT FOR SOME REASON, THIS OTTER ONE    #%*=-^....
...^-=*%#@   IS HARDLY EVER SEEN. IT MIGHT BE       @#%*=-^...
..^-=*%#@#   THAT IT IS UNBOUND...?                 #@#%*=-^..
.^-=*%#@##   LOCALS USE IT FOR SPORT FISHING.       ##@#%*=-^.
..^-=*%#@#                                          #@#%*=-^..
...^-=*%#@ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ THE HUSKY ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ @#%*=-^...
....^-=*%# ^                                      ^ #%*=-^....
.....^-=*% . THE HUSKY MAY SEEM LIKE A DOG, BUT   . %*=-^.....
......^-=* . IT IS ACTUALLY A KIND OF FERRET.     . *=-^......
.......^-=   THIS MAKES IT THE LARGEST OF THE       =-^.......
........^-   PHYLUM, AND IT'S THE MOST RECENTLY     -^........
.......^-=   EVOLVED AS WELL, BRED FOR USE AS A     =-^.......
......^-=*   PREDATOR. IT'S MADE MORE DANGEROUS     *=-^......
.....^-=*%   BY THE FACT THAT IT'S ALMOST           %*=-^.....
....^-=*%#   COMPLETELY UNKNOWN TO BIOLOGISTS.      #%*=-^....
...^-=*%#@                                          @#%*=-^...
..^-=*%#@#                                          #@#%*=-^..
.^-=*%#@##                                          ##@#%*=-^.
..^-=*%#@#                                          #@#%*=-^..
...^-=*%#@                                          @#%*=-^...