,,,,,,,,^« «^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^« «^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«\ \«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«\* *\«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«\*$ , , , $*\«^,,,,,
,,,,^«\*$& , , , , , , &$*\«^,,,,
,,,^«\*$&# ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ #&$*\«^,,,
,,^«\*$&## « « « « « « « « « « « ##&$*\«^,,
,^«\*$&### \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ###&$*\«^,
,,^«\*$&## ##&$*\«^,,
,,,^«\*$&# 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. $*\«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«\* *\«^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«\ THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETE, THE CONTRACT \«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^« CARRIED OUT; THE ANIMAL IS ABANDONED TO «^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ FIND ITS OWN WAY BACK. THE BUSHES ROOTS ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^« DRINK THE NUTRUTIOUS WATER. THE FAIRIES «^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^«\ DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. \«^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,^«\* *\«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«\*$ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ $*\«^,,,,,
,,,,^«\*$& « « « « « « « « « « « &$*\«^,,,,
,,,^«\*$&# ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ #&$*\«^,,,
,,^«\*$&## , , , , , , ##&$*\«^,,
,^«\*$&### , , , ###&$*\«^,
,,^«\*$&## ##&$*\«^,,
,,,^«\*$&# #&$*\«^,,,
,,,,^«\*$& &$*\«^,,,,
,,,,,^«\*$ $*\«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«\* *\«^,,,,,,