.......... ..........
:......... .........:
«:........ ........:«
=«:....... .......:«=
==«:...... ......:«==
$==«:..... . . . .....:«==$
§$==«:.... . . . . . . ....:«==$§
#§$==«:... : : : : : : : : ...:«==$§#
@#§$==«:.. « « « « « « « « « « « ..:«==$§#@
#@#§$==«:. ======================================== .:«==$§#@#
@#§$==«:.. ..:«==$§#@
#§$==«:... JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA ...:«==$§#
§$==«:.... THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED ....:«==$§
$==«:..... AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE .....:«==$
==«:...... LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE ......:«==
=«:....... SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE .......:«=
«:........ DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK ........:«
:......... WATER. .........:
.......... ..........
.......... ««««========«««« ..........
.......... ««== ==«« ..........
.......... «««««== FAIRIES LIVE HERE. ==««««« ..........
.......... ««== ==«« ..........
:......... ««««========«««« .........:
«:........ ........:«
=«:....... THEY SPEAK TO THE SLOANE, CARESS IT, .......:«=
==«:...... URGE IT TO GROW THICKER, TANGLED, WITH ......:«==
$==«:..... LONGER AND SHARPER THORNS. THEY TELL IT .....:«==$
§$==«:.... TO STAY JUST BELOW THE GRASS, SO THAT ....:«==$§
#§$==«:... THE ANIMALS WHAT COME TO DRINK THE ...:«==$§#
@#§$==«:.. WATER CANNOT SEE IT BEFORE IT DRAWS ..:«==$§#@
#@#§$==«:. THEIR BLOOD. CLOSER TO THE POND, THE .:«==$§#@#
@#§$==«:.. SLOANE CAN GROW TALLER, BEING ABLE TO ..:«==$§#@
#§$==«:... HIDE ALSO IN THE JUNIPER. ...:«==$§#
§$==«:.... ....:«==$§
$==«:..... THE FAIRIES WILL BECKON THE ANIMALS TO .....:«==$
==«:...... PUSH FORWARD, TELL THEM THAT THEY'RE ......:«==
=«:....... ALMOST AT THE WATER, THAT THEY MAY .......:«=
«:........ DRINK SOON. AND THEY WILL TUG ON THE ........:«
:......... SLOANE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THORNS CUT .........:
.......... DEEP. WHEN THEY FINALLY FIND THE PATH ..........
.......... DOWN BETWEEN THE ROCKS, AWAY FROM THE ..........
.......... BUSHWORK AND INTO THE CLEFT, THEY ARE ..........
.......... BLEEDING FROM A THOUSAND WOUNDS. AS ..........
.......... THEY DRINK FROM THE DARK WATER, IT IS ..........
:......... IN TURN DRINKING THE ANIMALS BLOOD. .........:
«:........ ........:«
=«:....... THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETE, THE CONTRACT .......:«=
==«:...... CARRIED OUT; THE ANIMAL IS ABANDONED TO ......:«==
$==«:..... FIND ITS OWN WAY BACK. THE BUSHES ROOTS .....:«==$
§$==«:.... DRINK THE NUTRUTIOUS WATER. THE FAIRIES ....:«==$§
#§$==«:... DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. ...:«==$§#
@#§$==«:.. ..:«==$§#@
#@#§$==«:. ======================================== .:«==$§#@#
@#§$==«:.. « « « « « « « « « « « ..:«==$§#@
#§$==«:... : : : : : : : : ...:«==$§#
§$==«:.... . . . . . . ....:«==$§
$==«:..... . . . .....:«==$
==«:...... ......:«==
=«:....... .......:«=
«:........ ........:«
:......... .........:
.......... ..........