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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 #@@^^«:...
.:«*^$@### SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE ###@$^*«:.
:«*^$@#### DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK ####@$^*«:
....:«*$$@ WATER. @$$*«:....
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.:«*^$@### ««««^^^^^^^^«««« ###@$^*«:.
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.:«*^$@### «««««^^ FAIRIES LIVE HERE. ^^««««« ###@$^*«:.
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.:«*^$@### ««««^^^^^^^^«««« ###@$^*«:.
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.:«*^$@### THEY SPEAK TO THE SLOANE, CARESS IT, ###@$^*«:.
.:«*^$$@@@ URGE IT TO GROW THICKER, TANGLED, WITH @@@$$^*«:.
.:«*^$@### LONGER AND SHARPER THORNS. THEY TELL IT ###@$^*«:.
.:«*^$@### TO STAY JUST BELOW THE GRASS, SO THAT ###@$^*«:.
.:«*^$@### THE ANIMALS WHAT COME TO DRINK THE ###@$^*«:.
.:«^$@#### WATER CANNOT SEE IT BEFORE IT DRAWS ####@$^«:.
.:«**^$@## THEIR BLOOD. CLOSER TO THE POND, THE ##@$^**«:.
.:«*^$@### SLOANE CAN GROW TALLER, BEING ABLE TO ###@$^*«:.
.:«*^$@### HIDE ALSO IN THE JUNIPER. ###@$^*«:.
.:«****$@@ @@$****«:.
......«^$# THE FAIRIES WILL BECKON THE ANIMALS TO #$^«......
.:«*^$@### PUSH FORWARD, TELL THEM THAT THEY'RE ###@$^*«:.
.:«***^$$@ ALMOST AT THE WATER, THAT THEY MAY @$$^***«:.
.:«*^$@### DRINK SOON. AND THEY WILL TUG ON THE ###@$^*«:.
......:*^@ 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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