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.,«^^$§### ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ###§$^^«,.
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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 ####§^^«,.
.,«^^$§§§# LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE #§§§$^^«,.
.,«^^$§### SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE ###§$^^«,.
.,«^^$§### DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK ###§$^^«,.
..,«^^^$## WATER. ##$^^^«,..
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.....,«^$§ «««««^^ FAIRIES LIVE HERE. ^^««««« §$^«,.....
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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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