##*$=-~... ...~-=$*##
###*$=-~.. ..~-=$*###
####*$=-~. .~-=$*####
###*$=-~.. ..~-=$*###
##*$=-~... ...~-=$*##
#*$=-~.... . . . ....~-=$*#
##*$=-~... . . . . . . ...~-=$*##
###*$=-~.. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ..~-=$*###
####*$=-~. - - - - - - - - - - - .~-=$*####
###*$=-~.. ======================================== ..~-=$*###
##*$=-~... ...~-=$*##
#*$=-~.... just off the coast to the baltic sea ....~-=$*#
##*$=-~... there's a freshwater pond, secluded ...~-=$*##
###*$=-~.. among ashen and juniper. a cleft in the ..~-=$*###
####*$=-~. limestone bedrock, sharp-cut from the .~-=$*####
###*$=-~.. surrounding plains, a ninety degree ..~-=$*###
##*$=-~... drop down, down, to the midnight-black ...~-=$*##
#*$=-~.... water. ....~-=$*#
##*$=-~... ...~-=$*##
###*$=-~.. ----$$$$$$$$---- ..~-=$*###
####*$=-~. --$$ $$-- .~-=$*####
###*$=-~.. -----$$ 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. ..~-=$*###
##*$=-~... ...~-=$*##
#*$=-~.... ======================================== ....~-=$*#
##*$=-~... - - - - - - - - - - - ...~-=$*##
###*$=-~.. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ..~-=$*###
####*$=-~. . . . . . . .~-=$*####
###*$=-~.. . . . ..~-=$*###
##*$=-~... ...~-=$*##
#*$=-~.... ....~-=$*#
##*$=-~... ...~-=$*##
###*$=-~.. ..~-=$*###
####*$=-~. .~-=$*####