..&&&..&.& .&..&&.&&&
.&..&.&&&& &&.&.&&..&
&&.&&&...& .&&&&.&.&&
.&&..&..&. &...&&&&..
&.&.&&.&&. &..&...&..
&&&&.&&.&. . . . &.&&..&&.&
...&&.&&&. . . . . . . &&.&.&.&&.
..&.&&..&& , , , , , , , , .&&&&&&.&.
.&&&.&.&.& ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ &.....&&&.
&..&&&&&&. **************************************** &....&..&.
&.&.....&. &...&&.&&&
&&&....&&. 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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