.....~=*$§ §$*=~.....
......~=*$ $*=~......
.......~=* *=~.......
......~=*$ $*=~......
.....~=*$§ §$*=~.....
....~=*$§# . . . #§$*=~....
...~=*$§## . . . . . . ##§$*=~...
..~=*$§### . . . . . . . . ###§$*=~..
...~=*$§## ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ##§$*=~...
....~=*$§# ======================================== #§$*=~....
.....~=*$§ §$*=~.....
......~=*$ 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. $*=~......
.......~=* *=~.......
......~=*$ ======================================== $*=~......
.....~=*$§ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ §$*=~.....
....~=*$§# . . . . . . . . #§$*=~....
...~=*$§## . . . . . . ##§$*=~...
..~=*$§### . . . ###§$*=~..
...~=*$§## ##§$*=~...
....~=*$§# #§$*=~....
.....~=*$§ §$*=~.....
......~=*$ $*=~......
.......~=* *=~.......