.§.§.§..§§                                          .§....§§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§...§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§..§§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ .                  .                   . .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ .       .       .       .      .       . .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ .    .     .     .     .     .    .    . .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ »  »   »   »   »   »   »   »   »   »   » .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ 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.          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ »   »   »   »   »   »  »   »   »   »   » .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ .     .     .    .     .    .     .    . .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ .       .       .       .       .      . .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§ .                   .                  . .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§
.§.§.§.§.§                                          .§.§.§.§.§