####§*;»:. .:»;*§####
###§*;»:.. ..:»;*§###
##§*;»:... ...:»;*§##
###§*;»:.. ..:»;*§###
####§*;»:. .:»;*§####
###§*;»:.. # »»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»» # ..:»;*§###
##§*;»:... ; 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. ¨.-~:†$£##
#@¤*^«^.¨¨ ¨¨.^«^*¤@#
##¶£^/-,¨. .¨,-/^£¶##
####@%/~,. .,~/%@####
###%*=«-,, ,,-«=*%###
@@%**~.,,, ,,,.~**%@@