[You are sleeping peacefully when your senses arouse you. You quickly realize that there are noises in your immediate surroundings, and you open your eyes.]

Lem was interrupted from his meditation when his simulated self was awoken from his sleep again.

The first sight he was greeted with was a wolf standing a few meters away.

From his detached perspective, Lem thought it was predictable, but his simulated self nearly jumped back in surprise.

He quickly regained control of himself, rising to his feet.

It was another peaceful wolf with the aura of domestication. It cocked its head and rolled out its tongue, as it stared at Lem’s simulated self. Or, more specifically, at his midsection, where the spiritual lily was.

If it weren’t for its sharp, glinting teeth, Lem’s simulated self might have been tempted to pet it. He put a hand in his cloak pocket, and touched the water lily, reassuring himself that it was still there.

Meanwhile, it appeared that the wolf had lost interest. It turned its head and began trotting in the direction of the harvest tree.

[You see a wolf standing nearby, staring at you, and you are shocked to full alertness, but you quickly calm down.

The wolf walks away, and you quickly make the decision to follow it.]

“If I didn’t know better, I would think that you came over just to wake me up,” Lem’s simulated self muttered to himself.

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The wolf stopped and turned its head.

“Go on,” he gestured with his hand.

The wolf continued to stare at him, so he gestured more emphatically.

“Let's move!’

He shooed the wolf forward with both of his hands, and it finally turned around and kept walking.

The spirituality began to increase again as they walked forward. A minute later, they joined a line of wolves. The wolf continued moving, but Lem’s simulated self stopped.

Lem could feel a wave of nervousness run through his body.

His simulated self had sensed that his emotions were being stirred into giddiness. It was dangerous. Now that his body was no longer in constant pain, there was nothing to countervail the pleasant sensation.

If he walked further, the ambient spiritual energy would only affect him more and more.

Lem knew that his simulated self was debating whether to go forward or back.

Was it really worth investigating the little wolf ritual?

What were the chances that anything good would come out of that?

Lem thought that the sensible choice was to return.

Eventually, his simulated self came to the same conclusion, turning back around.

“I’ll see you another time,” he muttered to the wolf.

It stopped and stared at him. A few other wolves turned their heads.

[You feel that the increased spirituality is affecting you adversely, so you turn back around and begin to return to your campsite.

You see a couple of wolves who are heading towards the line. They turn their heads and watch you pass by…

You reach your campsite, and lie down, curling up into a ball around the spiritual lily to keep it away from any wolves that might get too close for comfort.

You hear a few small sounds and ignore them, assuming that another wolf is passing by…

You fall back asleep…]