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