#¶@%$:-~.. ..~-:$%@¶#
¶@%$:-~... ...~-:$%@¶
@%$:-~.... ....~-:$%@
%$:-~..... .....~-:$%
$:-~...... ......~-:$
:-~....... . . . .......~-:
-~........ . . . . . . ........~-
:-~....... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .......~-:
$:-~...... - - - - - - - - - - - ......~-:$
%$:-~..... :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: .....~-:$%
@%$:-~.... ....~-:$%@
¶@%$:-~... JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA ...~-:$%@¶
#¶@%$:-~.. THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED ..~-:$%@¶#
##¶@%$:-~. AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE .~-:$%@¶##
#¶@%$:-~.. LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE ..~-:$%@¶#
¶@%$:-~... SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE ...~-:$%@¶
@%$:-~.... DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK ....~-:$%@
%$:-~..... WATER. .....~-:$%
$:-~...... ......~-:$
:-~....... ----$$$$$$$$---- .......~-:
-~........ --$$ $$-- ........~-
:-~....... -----$$ 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 .......~-:
$:-~...... DRINK THE NUTRUTIOUS WATER. THE FAIRIES ......~-:$
%$:-~..... DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. .....~-:$%
@%$:-~.... ....~-:$%@
¶@%$:-~... :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ...~-:$%@¶
#¶@%$:-~.. - - - - - - - - - - - ..~-:$%@¶#
##¶@%$:-~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~-:$%@¶##
#¶@%$:-~.. . . . . . . ..~-:$%@¶#
¶@%$:-~... . . . ...~-:$%@¶
@%$:-~.... ....~-:$%@
%$:-~..... .....~-:$%
$:-~...... ......~-:$
:-~....... .......~-:
-~........ ........~-