She

The hunted

As Jessica continued to follow the trail of the wolf, her concern grew. The trail was becoming erratic, suddenly straying off it's original path. Continuing on Jessica found the meat it was carrying partially hidden in the brush, with signs it had quickly sped off into the forest. Something scared the wolf. Enough to abandon a meal it needed? What was going on? An Apex predator that appeared in trouble.
Jessica cursed herself for not scouting after the wolf earlier. She did only hear one howl after all... Taking note of the direction the wolf was heading, she wondered if it had a den that way. Possibly pups. That meat was meant  for others...

Instinct made Jessica start to change form. With her right hand on the closest tree, starting from her fingertips, her skin started changing its appearance akin to the bark of the tree she touched. The change spread at a remarkable rate. Her whole body started to take on the appearance of the tree. Along with her skin looking like the bark, she developed branches and leaves, with her hair taking on a new appearance. Her eyes turning a blended shade of green and Amber.
Jessica now looked less human and more like a humanoid version if the tree. Concentrating more she focused on altering her scent so she smelt more like that of the forest. Of the trees, the grass, the soil...

Yes this was strange. She didn't always know she could transform like this. Each transformation came in stages. With no one to teach her, she learnt on her own. It all happened at different moments. Usually discovered when under extreme stress. Such as her beast forms, when she was a child and being bullied. Or her tree forms when she was running from angry humans and leant against a tree, trying to hide in desperation thinking she was going to die and she transformed into a smaller replica of the tree...

The memory, now from a long time ago. That moment was like a miracle. She didn't understand it at all. Fear, surprise and a strange relief washed over her in a moment. Plus the instinctual need to slow her breathing and heart beat. She heard them and smelt them. Not hard as they were yelling at each other and bashing through the undergrowth in a mad hunt for her. The strong smells of their body odours, the leather and burlap of their clothing, the metal of their weapons, the burning acrid smell of the rag wrapped oiled torches.
She froze hoping that they wouldn't see her and would keeping running past. She tried to keep calm and still, closing her eyes. The moment felt like it was taking forever. They stormed past cursing. They kept on with no idea of where she was. Started scrambling around, confused spreading out. One passed by her so close she was certain he would know she was there. Yet he just kept on going past. Fear can do strange things.

Then the one leading the group called out.
"Where ever you are witch child, we will hunt you down if the forest doesn't get you first! " Brief silence... "Everyone, it's looks like we've lost her for now. Pointless going in circles in this forsaken forest looking for a small child. For our sakes let's hope the wolves get her."
With that announcement followed by a few grunts they all regrouped and headed back to their village.

Jessica didn't want to stay with that memory for too long. It was tied to too many painful memories, including what caused her to be running in the first place, and it was a precursor for more events.

The tree morphing skill was a lifesaver. Now she would use that skill to see if she can save that wolf, if it wasn't too late. That memory also reminded her of how brutal humans can sometimes be. Maybe that was the answer to the current puzzle. Human hunters...