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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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