##@§%===,. .,===%§@##
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@%%==,.... = = = = = = = = = = = ....,==%%@
###@§===,. ======================================== .,===§@###
§§==,..... .....,==§§
###@§===,. 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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