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##...##..# - - - - - - - - #.#.#.##..
.#..#.#.## ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ######.#.#
##.#####.# ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .....#####
.##....### ....#.....
#.#...#..# 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. .###.....#
##..#..... #..#....#.
.#.##....# ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ #.##...###
###.#...#. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ##.#..#..#
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