,,,,=:*&@@ @@&*:=,,,,
,,,=:*&@@# #@@&*:=,,,
,,=:*&@@## ##@@&*:=,,
,,,=:*&@@# #@@&*:=,,,
,,,,=:*&@@ @@&*:=,,,,
,,,,,=:*&@ # ==================== # @&*:=,,,,,
,,,,,,=:*& : 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. @@@%†-:¨,,
¨.,,^~*$&@ now its wolves see further. @&$*~^,,.¨
,¨...:~\%¤ ¤%\~:...¨,
..,¨~~/§£¶ ¶£§/~~¨,..
.,.~»\%#¶@ @¶#%\»~.,.
,,:==$¤@@# #@@¤$==:,,
¨:~†%&@### ###@&%†~:¨