In the opening scene, a fawn drinks from a puddle in the forest before being chased and captured by someone. As this scene plays out, Bella can be heard cryptically saying, "I'd never given much thought to how I could die, but dying in the place of someone I love seems like a pretty good way to go. So I can't bring myself to regret the decision to leave home." At this point, nothing is known about Bella, so the sequence fosters confusion. Since the scene segues straight into Bella leaving Phoenix, the meaning of those first few moments is unclear.
Author Stephenie Meyer admits that this passage was confusing even in the book — not to mention it occurs much later in the book than the movie. "Sometimes, things in the story are so clear to me that, when I write them, I don't flesh them out or explain them well enough. Usually the editor will catch these kinds of things. However, if it's just as clear to her, then confusion slips through."
She explains that she now knows that this went over some people's heads, so she continued: "So, to clear it all up: James is 'the hunter.' I think this term has caused some of the confusion, because later, he is a tracker. But he is hunting Bella, so, in that moment, that is how she thinks of him." Meyer also clarifies on her website that Bella's thoughts on dying are heard in the dance studio, near the end of the book.
