..&..&&.&. .......&&.
..&&.&.&&& &......&.&
&.&.&&&&.. .&.....&&&
.&&&&...&. .&&....&..
.&...&..&& .&.&...&&.
.&&..&&.&. . . . &&&&&..&.&
&&.&.&.&&& . . . . . . .....&.&&&
..&&&&&&.. , , , , , , , , .....&&&..
..&.....&. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .....&..&.
..&&....&& ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; .....&&.&&
&.&.&...&. &....&.&&.
&&&&&&..&& 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. .......&&.
.&&&&&.&&& .......&.&
&&....&&.. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; .......&&&
..&...&.&. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ &......&..
..&&..&&&& , , , , , , , , &&.....&&.
..&.&.&... . . . . . . &.&....&.&
&.&&&&&&.. . . . &&&&...&&&
.&&.....&. &...&..&..
.&.&....&& &&..&&.&&.
.&&&&...&. &.&.&.&&.&
&&...&..&& &&&&&&&.&&
..&..&&.&. .......&&.