..,«^=§@@# #@@§=^«,..
...,«^=§@@ @@§=^«,...
....,«^=§@ @§=^«,....
.....,«^=§ §=^«,.....
......,«^= =^«,......
.......,«^ . . . ^«,.......
........,« . . . . . . «,........
........., , , , , , , , , ,.........
........,« « « « « « « « « « « « «,........
.......,«^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^«,.......
......,«^= =^«,......
.....,«^=§ 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. §=^«,.....
......,«^= =^«,......
.......,«^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^«,.......
........,« « « « « « « « « « « « «,........
........., , , , , , , , , ,.........
........,« . . . . . . «,........
.......,«^ . . . ^«,.......
......,«^= =^«,......
.....,«^=§ §=^«,.....
....,«^=§@ @§=^«,....
...,«^=§@@ @@§=^«,...
..,«^=§@@# #@@§=^«,..