,,,,,,,-~= =~-,,,,,,,
,,,,,,-~=* *=~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~=*% %*=~-,,,,,
,,,,-~=*%§ §%*=~-,,,,
,,,-~=*%§# #§%*=~-,,,
,,-~=*%§## , , , ##§%*=~-,,
,-~=*%§### , , , , , , ###§%*=~-,
,,-~=*%§## - - - - - - - - ##§%*=~-,,
,,,-~=*%§# ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ #§%*=~-,,,
,,,,-~=*%§ ======================================== §%*=~-,,,,
,,,,,-~=*% %*=~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~=* 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. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,- -,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,-~ ======================================== ~-,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,-~= ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ =~-,,,,,,,
,,,,,,-~=* - - - - - - - - *=~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~=*% , , , , , , %*=~-,,,,,
,,,,-~=*%§ , , , §%*=~-,,,,
,,,-~=*%§# #§%*=~-,,,
,,-~=*%§## ##§%*=~-,,
,-~=*%§### ###§%*=~-,
,,-~=*%§## ##§%*=~-,,
,,,-~=*%§# #§%*=~-,,,