.^~=*%&### ###&%*=~^.
..^~=*%&## ##&%*=~^..
...^~=*%&# #&%*=~^...
....^~=*%& &%*=~^....
.....^~=*% %*=~^.....
....^~=*%& . . . &%*=~^....
...^~=*%&# . . . . . . #&%*=~^...
..^~=*%&## ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ##&%*=~^..
.^~=*%&### ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ###&%*=~^.
..^~=*%&## ======================================== ##&%*=~^..
...^~=*%&# #&%*=~^...
....^~=*%& 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. &%*=~^....
.....^~=*% %*=~^.....
....^~=*%& ======================================== &%*=~^....
...^~=*%&# ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ #&%*=~^...
..^~=*%&## ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ##&%*=~^..
.^~=*%&### . . . . . . ###&%*=~^.
..^~=*%&## . . . ##&%*=~^..
...^~=*%&# #&%*=~^...
....^~=*%& &%*=~^....
.....^~=*% %*=~^.....
....^~=*%& &%*=~^....
...^~=*%&# #&%*=~^...