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###¤%^:«,. 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. ...««^^%%#
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¤¤%%:,.... ««««^^^^^^^^«««« ....,:%%¤¤
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¤%^^:,.... «««««^^ FAIRIES LIVE HERE. ^^««««« ....,:^^%¤
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###¤%^:«,. 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. .....«:%¤#
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#%%%:,.... 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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