###&%†/«,. .,«/†%&###
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###&%†/«,. .,«/†%&###
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###&%†/«,. . . . .,«/†%&###
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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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#%†«...... ......«†%#