..::==$$#@ @#$$==::..
.:-=$@## ##@#&$=-:.
..:-==$&&@ @&&$==-:..
...--=@# #@#&=--...
.:-=$@## ##@#&$=-:.
.:-=$@## .. ferrets ##@#&$=-:.
.:-=$&&&@@ @@&&&$=-:.
.:-=$##@ ...:::-===$&&@@@####@@@#&&&$===-:::... @###&$=-:.
.:-=$@## ##@#&$=-:.
.:-===$#@# you see something move in the corner of #@#$===-:.
......-$&@ your eye - probably one of these. @&$-......
.:-=$#@### ###@#$=-:.
.:-=$@## backbone animals. ##@#&$=-:.
....--=&@@ 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 #@&&=---:.
.....-$@ completely unknown to biologists. @#&$-.....
.:-=$@@@ @@@#&$=-:.
..::===$## ##$===::..
.:-=$&@### ###@&$=-:.
.:-=$@## ##@#&$=-:.
....-$&& #&&&$-....