,~«*=&#### ####&=*«~,
,,~«*=&### ###&=*«~,,
,,,~«*=&## ##&=*«~,,,
,,~«*=&### ###&=*«~,,
,~«*=&#### ####&=*«~,
,,~«*=&### , , , ###&=*«~,,
,,,~«*=&## , , , , , , ##&=*«~,,,
,,~«*=&### ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ###&=*«~,,
,~«*=&#### « « « « « « « « « « « ####&=*«~,
,,~«*=&### **************************************** ###&=*«~,,
,,,~«*=&## ##&=*«~,,,
,,~«*=&### 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. ###&=*«~,,
,~«*=&#### ####&=*«~,
,,~«*=&### **************************************** ###&=*«~,,
,,,~«*=&## « « « « « « « « « « « ##&=*«~,,,
,,~«*=&### ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ###&=*«~,,
,~«*=&#### , , , , , , ####&=*«~,
,,~«*=&### , , , ###&=*«~,,
,,,~«*=&## ##&=*«~,,,
,,~«*=&### ###&=*«~,,
,~«*=&#### ####&=*«~,
,,~«*=&### ###&=*«~,,
,,,~«*=&## ##&=*«~,,,