They had been mutilated. Maria shouted and attempted to back away, but she was encircled. The people, if they could still be called that, were closing in on her. But suddenly there was a sudden burst of light, and the animals recoiled in fright. A man came from the darkness, a burning torch in one hand. That was the same person Maria had seen before, the one wearing the piece of clothing she had recovered.
That was an ancient lady, bent and twisted with age. Yet there was a firmness in her gaze that made Maria feel safer. "Come with me, kid," the elderly lady replied, taking Maria's hand. "We have plenty to discuss."
The elderly lady escorted Maria to a clearing in the forest, where a gathering of people had gathered. They were all clothed in bizarre attire, and their faces were covered with symbols. "Who are you?" Maria demanded, her voice trembling. "We are the children of the forest," the elderly lady replied. "We have lived here for centuries, hiding away from the world." She revealed to Maria that they were being sought by a group known as the Hunters, who considered them an abomination.
The elderly guy who had caught Maria was a hunter, and he had been using her to try to track down the children. Maria had gotten into a deadly game, one she knew she had to get out of. But the children had other intentions.