##@##%:»,. .,»:%##@##
#%$$::,,.. ..,,::$$%#
#%::»..... .....»::%#
@@##%$:»,. .,»:$%##@@
###%%$:»,. .,»:$%%###
#$»»»,,... . . . ...,,»»»$#
@#%%:,,... . . . . . . ...,,:%%#@
##$»,..... , , , , , , , , .....,»$##
#@##%$:»,. » » » » » » » » » » » .,»:$%##@#
##%$:,.... :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ....,:$%##
#%$»»»»... ...»»»»$%#
#@##%$:»,. just off the coast to the baltic sea .,»:$%##@#
#@##%$:»,. there's a freshwater pond, secluded .,»:$%##@#
#%%$»..... among ashen and juniper. a cleft in the .....»$%%#
#%$$»,.... limestone bedrock, sharp-cut from the ....,»$$%#
#%::,,.... 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 .,»:$$$%##
#@##%$:»,. bleeding from a thousand wounds. as .,»:$%##@#
@###%$:»,. they drink from the dark water, it is .,»:$%###@
#$:»...... in turn drinking the animals blood. ......»:$#
#@##%$:»,. .,»:$%##@#
####%$:»,. the circle is complete, the contract .,»:$%####
#%:,...... carried out; the animal is abandoned to ......,:%#
####%$:»,. find its own way back. the bushes roots .,»:$%####
#@##%$:»,. drink the nutrutious water. the fairies .,»:$%##@#
#@##%$:»,. dance in the sunbeams. .,»:$%##@#
@@##%$:»,. .,»:$%##@@
#$»,...... :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ......,»$#
##$::»,,.. » » » » » » » » » » » ..,,»::$##
#@##%$:»,. , , , , , , , , .,»:$%##@#
#%%:»,.... . . . . . . ....,»:%%#
#$»,,..... . . . .....,,»$#
####%$:»,. .,»:$%####
@###%$:»,. .,»:$%###@
@###%$:»,. .,»:$%###@
@###%$:»,. .,»:$%###@
#$$»»,.... ....,»»$$#