Alternate POV: The cave's victim

The village of Norde is a peaceful farming village. It is surrounded by woods and marshes. It is, however, by no means an unknown village in the middle of nowhere. Due to its location on a shortcut path that connects two big cities, travelers often stops by to rest at its inns.

As described, recently several women have been missing in the vicinity of the marshes. These ladies never knew what would befall them.

Some of them were local inhabitants who foraged too far into the woods, some were travelers who strayed from the regular path. Some girls and mothers said they were searching for rare mushrooms and herbs near the marshes, and were last seen heading to that location. Hours before their family realized that they never came back. Some rich wife was last seen scurrying towards farthest outhouse while cussing and rubbing her belly, some see her entering the outhouse at the distance and closing the door behind her. Not very long after, screams were heard. People were rushing toward that direction, only to find empty outhouse with door that was forcibly broken into.

Some well dressed ladies, might be noblewomen, ladies of the church, or some rich mistresses of some important person, were passing through the forest near the marshes. They were merely traveling by the regular path with their companions, some were sitting comfortably inside their fine carriage. But whether by neglect of routine movements, disdain for village outhouses, bad food or too much spices, the fine ladies had the misfortune of being hit by a certain natural urge. They decided to leave the protection of the group and scurry into the bushes or behind the trees to do their ease, a bit far from the path. The last thing their entourages knew were scream of terror. Or long, uncanny silence before they realized that the lady simply never returned.

And some were women who were important enough to make the kingdom notice the problem.