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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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#@£§*%*~:. ~~~~%%%%%%%%~~~~ .:~*%*§£@#
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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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