@@@&@§==,, ,,==§@&@@@
@@@&@§==,, ,,==§@&@@@
&§§=,,,,,, ,,,,,,=§§&
&§=,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,=§&
@@@&@§==,, ,,==§@&@@@
@@§===,,,, # ==================== # ,,,,===§@@
@&&@§=,,,, = 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&§exactlyhow§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. .-=\=@&@##
##$***«~,. now its wolves see further. .,~«***$##
#@¶@$§;«-. .-«;§$@¶@#
¤^=.,.,.¨. .¨.,.,.=^¤
###¤£%*=^, ,^=*%£¤###
###£&*==., ,.==*&£###
##^*=~.¨¨¨ ¨¨¨.~=*^##