The voices were getting closer, accompanied by the sound of people moving through the undergrowth with the kind of casual confidence that suggested they were familiar with this terrain. I had about thirty seconds to make a decision about how to handle what was about to become a very awkward social situation.
Three people emerged from the tree line, all wearing casual outdoor clothing that had seen significant use. They looked like locals who spent considerable time in the forest, with the kind of weathered appearance that came from regular exposure to the elements. Two men and one woman, probably in their thirties or forties, all scanning the area with obvious concern.
"Hey!" one of the men called out when he spotted me. "Have you seen a jaguar around here?"
