......^«** **«^......
.....^«**§ §**«^.....
....^«**§# #§**«^....
...^«**§## ##§**«^...
..^«**§### ###§**«^..
.^«**§#### . . . ####§**«^.
..^«**§### . . . . . . ###§**«^..
...^«**§## ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ##§**«^...
....^«**§# « « « « « « « « « « « #§**«^....
.....^«**§ **************************************** §**«^.....
......^«** **«^......
.......^«* 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. §**«^.....
......^«** **«^......
.......^«* **************************************** *«^.......
........^« « « « « « « « « « « « «^........
.......^«* ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ *«^.......
......^«** . . . . . . **«^......
.....^«**§ . . . §**«^.....
....^«**§# #§**«^....
...^«**§## ##§**«^...
..^«**§### ###§**«^..
.^«**§#### ####§**«^.
..^«**§### ###§**«^..