##¶§**=~,. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ .,~=**§¶##
#¶§**=~,..  * in the end, it's ride or die. join or ..,~=**§¶#
¶§**=~,... ........  get integrated.  *  .......... ...,~=**§¶
§**=~,.... .. ** eventually they lay their eggs, .. ....,~=**§
**=~,..... . usually in warm, tasty places. it's .  .....,~=**
*=~,...... .. bird elf custom to let others deal .. ......,~=*
=~,....... ................... with the fallout. ** .......,~=
~,........ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ........,~
,......... *** * before their juice harvesting .... .........,
.......... .. organs start to cludge, and before .. ..........
.......... . their wings atrophy, and before their. ..........
.......... . tails start to seek the earth... * *** ..........
,......... **************************************** .........,
~,........ *** these elves have no bell power, the, ........,~
=~,....... ..... fey bells are called by other .... .......,~=
*=~,...... .......................... agitators *** ......,~=*
**=~,..... **************************************** .....,~=**
§**=~,.... *** they feed mostly on plant nectar in. ....,~=**§
¶§**=~,... . their first years, relying on rains to ...,~=**§¶
#¶§**=~,.. ... filter through the vines of the .... ..,~=**§¶#
##¶§**=~,. ............................ island. *** .,~=**§¶##
#¶§**=~,.. **************************************** ..,~=**§¶#
¶§**=~,... ***** * they have built their largest .. ...,~=**§¶
§**=~,.... . colony in the floating tree outside .. ....,~=**§
**=~,..... of venezuela.  any  bird from  any house .....,~=**
*=~,...... ................is welcome here. * ***** ......,~=*
=~,....... **************************************** .......,~=
~,........ ***** there's a desert of fangs to be .. ........,~
,......... ........................ cast into ***** .........,
.......... ~ the largest gathering of such elves .. ..........
.......... ......... will be in the floating tree ~ ..........
.......... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ..........
,......... ~~ although you could find a solitary .. .........,
~,........ .. bird elf hexing you for stepping .... ........,~
=~,....... ... out of lane in your own garden, .... .......,~=
*=~,...... ..... .bird elves flock together ....... ......,~=*
**=~,..... ........................ if they can. ~~ .....,~=**
§**=~,.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ....,~=**§
¶§**=~,... ~~~ they look like dark birds at first ~ ...,~=**§¶
#¶§**=~,.. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ..,~=**§¶#
##¶§**=~,. ~~~~ ~ some practice animal husbandry, . .,~=**§¶##
#¶§**=~,.. .... especially monkeys and snakes ..... ..,~=**§¶#
¶§**=~,... .......... (for fur or scales, ......... ...,~=**§¶
§**=~,.... ........... or quality of blood). ~ ~~~~ ....,~=**§
**=~,..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ .....,~=**
*=~,...... ~~~~ the floating tree above ........... ......,~=*
=~,....... ......................... venezuela ~~~~ .......,~=
~,........ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ........,~
,......... ~~~~~ their claws are long ............. .........,
.......... and root-like, and trail after them in . ..........
.......... .......................... flight. ~~~~~ ..........
.......... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ..........
,......... ~~~~~~ . various dances performed ...... .........,
~,........ ............................... . ~~~~~~ ........,~
=~,....... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ .......,~=
*=~,...... ~~~~~~~~~ later they will learn how to . ......,~=*
**=~,..... .. harvest blood from animals (think ... .....,~=**
§**=~,.... ................... mosquito). ~~~~~~~~~ ....,~=**§
¶§**=~,... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...,~=**§¶