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$†«~...... « « « « « « « « « « « ......~«†$
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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. $$««««« .........~
.......... ««$$ $$«« ..........
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~......... they speak to the sloane, caress it, .........~
«~........ urge it to grow thicker, tangled, with ........~«
†«~....... longer and sharper thorns. they tell it .......~«†
$†«~...... to stay just below the grass, so that ......~«†$
$$†«~..... 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. .~«†$$¤£##
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£¤$$†«~... 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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