##§§§*»^.. ..^»*§§§##
#§§§*»^... ...^»*§§§#
§§§*»^.... ....^»*§§§
§§*»^..... .....^»*§§
§*»^...... ......^»*§
*»^....... . . . .......^»*
»^........ . . . . . . ........^»
^......... ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ .........^
.......... » » » » » » » » » » » ..........
^......... **************************************** .........^
»^........ ........^»
*»^....... 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. ...^»*§§§#
##§§§*»^.. ..^»*§§§##
###§§§*»^. **************************************** .^»*§§§###
##§§§*»^.. » » » » » » » » » » » ..^»*§§§##
#§§§*»^... ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ...^»*§§§#
§§§*»^.... . . . . . . ....^»*§§§
§§*»^..... . . . .....^»*§§
§*»^...... ......^»*§
*»^....... .......^»*
»^........ ........^»
^......... .........^
.......... ..........