While folding my smalls, I started thinking about the Wicket scene (which is redundant and largely removed in SSWR's Video mockup).
I visualised replacing Wicket with some deer like creature which Leia could befriend instead (arrr Bambi defuses arrr Teddy Bears):
It sniffs the air and runs.
The scouts attack Leia, she shoots one and out from the forest arrows shoot the other.
We don't know what happens to her next until we see her in the Ewok village.
Possibly impossible to do but it would have maintained the suspence because Leia would be in the power of unseen warriors who can silently kill Imperials and were watching her being both respectful to forest creatures but also fighting their enemies.
This would lead to the surprise that these warriors are small bear like creatures.