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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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#..##.#... ~~~~********~~~~ #....##.##
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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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