@#%;;;~~~. .~~~;;;%#@
##@#$%;=~. .~=;%$#@##
@@@#$%;=~. .~=;%$#@@@
#%;;;~.... ....~;;;%#
##@#$%;=~. .~=;%$#@##
##@#$%;=~. . . . .~=;%$#@##
##@#$%;=~. . . . . . . .~=;%$#@##
#@$%;;==~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~==;;%$@#
###@#%;=~. = = = = = = = = = = = .~=;%#@###
#@$$%;=~~. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; .~~=;%$$@#
##@#$%;=~. .~=;%$#@##
##@#$%;=~. just off the coast to the baltic sea .~=;%$#@##
##%;;==... 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 ......~;%#
##@#$%;=~. bleeding from a thousand wounds. as .~=;%$#@##
####$%;=~. they drink from the dark water, it is .~=;%$####
#@#$$%;=~. in turn drinking the animals blood. .~=;%$$#@#
##@#$%;=~. .~=;%$#@##
##@#$%;=~. the circle is complete, the contract .~=;%$#@##
##@#$%;=~. carried out; the animal is abandoned to .~=;%$#@##
##@#$%;=~. find its own way back. the bushes roots .~=;%$#@##
##@#$%;=~. drink the nutrutious water. the fairies .~=;%$#@##
#$$;;;~... dance in the sunbeams. ...~;;;$$#
##$%%=.... ....=%%$##
##@#$%;=~. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; .~=;%$#@##
##$;;;=~~. = = = = = = = = = = = .~~=;;;$##
##@#$%;=~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~=;%$#@##
#$$;=..... . . . . . . .....=;$$#
##@#$%;=~. . . . .~=;%$#@##
@@@#$%;=~. .~=;%$#@@@
##@#$%;=~. .~=;%$#@##
##@#$%;=~. .~=;%$#@##
#@#$%===~. .~===%$#@#
##@#$%;=~. .~=;%$#@##