Val stepped out of the water, soaked to the bone. She had tripped on a stone as she hurried to catch up to the small band of children she'd seen heading off into the woods. She was glad that nobody had seen her fall. Normally, she'd be busy with an endless list of chores, but today her father was passed out from a hard night of drinking, so Val figured she could slink away for a few hours and he'd never be the wiser. Besides, how often did the village kids all gather up to explore forbidden territories!!
Wringing out her pretty blonde hair, Val smiled warmly as she soggily jogged up to the cluster of kids gathered around a thoughtful looking Elise.
"Hey guys!" she said cheerily, "What kind of plot are we hatching?"