.§.§..§§.§                                          ..§§§§..§§
.§.§.§.§..                                          .§.§§§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§..§§.§.§
.§.§.§.§..                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.. .                  .                   . .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ .       .       .      .       .       . .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.. :    :     :    :    :     :     :     : .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ ~   ~   ~  ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~ .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.. 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.          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ ~   ~  ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~ .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.. :     :     :     :     :    :    :    : .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ .      .       .       .       .       . .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.. .                   .                  . .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§..                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§..                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§