,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,. .,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,.~ ~.,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~: :~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.~:= =:~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~:=$ ,, 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 .............. $=:~.,,,,,
,,,,,,.~:= . . =:~.,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~: , THE HUSKY MAY SEEM LIKE A DOG, BUT , :~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,.~ , IT IS ACTUALLY A KIND OF FERRET. , ~.,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,. THIS MAKES IT THE LARGEST OF THE .,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, PHYLUM, AND IT'S THE MOST RECENTLY ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, EVOLVED AS WELL, BRED FOR USE AS A ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, PREDATOR. IT'S MADE MORE DANGEROUS ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,. BY THE FACT THAT IT'S ALMOST .,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,.~ COMPLETELY UNKNOWN TO BIOLOGISTS. ~.,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~: :~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.~:= =:~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~:=$ $=:~.,,,,,
,,,,.~:=$@ @$=:~.,,,,
,,,.~:=$@# #@$=:~.,,,