##@@$%/«~. «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« .~«/%$@@##
#@@$%/«~.. $ in the end, it's ride or die. join or  ..~«/%$@@#
@@$%/«~... ........  get integrated.  $  .......... ...~«/%$@@
@$%/«~.... .. $$ eventually they lay their eggs, .. ....~«/%$@
$%/«~..... . usually in warm, tasty places. it's .  .....~«/%$
%/«~...... .. bird elf custom to let others deal .. ......~«/%
/«~....... ................... with the fallout. $$ .......~«/
«~........ «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« ........~«
~......... $$$ $ before their juice harvesting .... .........~
«~........ .. organs start to cludge, and before .. ........~«
/«~....... . their wings atrophy, and before their. .......~«/
%/«~...... . tails start to seek the earth... $ $$$ ......~«/%
$%/«~..... $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ .....~«/%$
@$%/«~.... $$$ these elves have no bell power, the~ ....~«/%$@
@@$%/«~... ..... fey bells are called by other .... ...~«/%$@@
#@@$%/«~.. .......................... agitators $$$ ..~«/%$@@#
##@@$%/«~. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ .~«/%$@@##
#@@$%/«~.. $$$ they feed mostly on plant nectar in. ..~«/%$@@#
@@$%/«~... . their first years, relying on rains to ...~«/%$@@
@$%/«~.... ... filter through the vines of the .... ....~«/%$@
$%/«~..... ............................ island. $$$ .....~«/%$
%/«~...... $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ......~«/%
/«~....... $$$$$ $ they have built their largest .. .......~«/
«~........ . colony in the floating tree outside .. ........~«
~......... of venezuela.  any  bird from  any house .........~
«~........ ................is welcome here. $ $$$$$ ........~«
/«~....... $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ .......~«/
%/«~...... $$$$$ there's a desert of fangs to be .. ......~«/%
$%/«~..... ........................ cast into $$$$$ .....~«/%$
@$%/«~.... « the largest gathering of such elves .. ....~«/%$@
@@$%/«~... ......... will be in the floating tree « ...~«/%$@@
#@@$%/«~.. «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« ..~«/%$@@#
##@@$%/«~. «« although you could find a solitary .. .~«/%$@@##
#@@$%/«~.. .. bird elf hexing you for stepping .... ..~«/%$@@#
@@$%/«~... ... out of lane in your own garden, .... ...~«/%$@@
@$%/«~.... ..... .bird elves flock together ....... ....~«/%$@
$%/«~..... ........................ if they can. «« .....~«/%$
%/«~...... «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« ......~«/%
/«~....... ««« they look like dark birds at first « .......~«/
«~........ «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« ........~«
~......... «««« « some practice animal husbandry, . .........~
«~........ .... especially monkeys and snakes ..... ........~«
/«~....... .......... (for fur or scales, ......... .......~«/
%/«~...... ........... or quality of blood). « «««« ......~«/%
$%/«~..... «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« .....~«/%$
@$%/«~.... «««« the floating tree above ........... ....~«/%$@
@@$%/«~... ......................... venezuela «««« ...~«/%$@@
#@@$%/«~.. «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« ..~«/%$@@#
##@@$%/«~. ««««« their claws are long ............. .~«/%$@@##
#@@$%/«~.. and root-like, and trail after them in . ..~«/%$@@#
@@$%/«~... .......................... flight. ««««« ...~«/%$@@
@$%/«~.... «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« ....~«/%$@
$%/«~..... «««««« . various dances performed ...... .....~«/%$
%/«~...... ............................... . «««««« ......~«/%
/«~....... «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« .......~«/
«~........ ««««««««« later they will learn how to . ........~«
~......... .. harvest blood from animals (think ... .........~
«~........ ................... mosquito). ««««««««« ........~«
/«~....... «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« .......~«/