###%%^«... ...«^%%###
##%%^«.... ....«^%%##
#%%^«..... .....«^%%#
%%^«...... ......«^%%
%^«....... .......«^%
^«........ . . . ........«^
«......... . . . . . . .........«
.......... . . . . . . . . ..........
«......... « « « « « « « « « « « .........«
^«........ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ........«^
%^«....... .......«^%
%%^«...... 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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#%%^«..... .....«^%%#
##%%^«.... ....«^%%##
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