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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. ..«\*§§@##
#@§§*\«... ...«\*§§@#
@§§*\«.... ««««********«««« ....«\*§§@
§§*\«..... ««** **«« .....«\*§§
§*\«...... «««««** 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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