§$$=~-.... ....-~=$$§
##$=-..... .....-=$##
###§$*=~-. .-~=*$§###
###§$*=~-. .-~=*$§###
###§$*=~-. .-~=*$§###
§$=~~~~~-. . . . .-~~~~~=$§
###§$*=~-. . . . . . . .-~=*$§###
###§$*=~-. - - - - - - - - .-~=*$§###
§§**~..... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .....~**§§
#§*~...... ======================================== ......~*§#
§$=-...... ......-=$§
#§$**=~~-. JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA .-~~=**$§#
###§$*=~-. THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED .-~=*$§###
###§$*=~-. AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE .-~=*$§###
####§*=~-. 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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