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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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###@**:«-. . . . .-«:**@###
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