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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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¶&*$:«^,,, ««««$$$$$$$$«««« ,,,^«:$*&¶
&*$:«^,,,, ««$$ $$«« ,,,,^«:$*&
*$:«^,,,,, «««««$$ FAIRIES LIVE HERE. $$««««« ,,,,,^«:$*
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#¶&*$:«^,, ,,^«:$*&¶#
##¶&*$:«^, 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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