Get closer, but be careful

"We should see who it is before we take any action," you suggest. "If we're careful, they shouldn't even see us as they go along."

"Good idea," Siora nods. "And if they're dangerous we can keep the element of surprise."

Siora silently steps behind the tree, crouching down to get into cover behind the underbrush. You follow suit, the two of you making your way in the general direction that you were headed earlier but at a much slower pace. Every few feet Siora stops and listens again, making sure she's on the right track. With Siora's knowledge of the forest you make steady progress and so far there seems to be no indication that you've been spotted.

About 10 minutes in, when Siora stops again, you can finally hear it, too! The distant but steady sounds of several people conversing and multiple pairs of boots marching through the forest. You get so excited that you nearly yell out to Siora, just barely stopping yourself before your first word escapes your mouth. Instead you motion to your ear, then in the direction you hear the noises. Siora gives you a thumbs-up with both hands before continuing her sneaking.

Only a few more minutes of this and you both find yourselves crouching behind a large blackberry bush. The noise of this other group is louder than ever, and it sounds like they might pass right by you in the next few minutes!

"All right, this looks like a good place to hide," Siora whispers. "We can formulate our plan here and be ready before they arrive." You nod back, your mind already abuzz with ideas for what to do next.