A few moments later, one of the trackers suddenly stopped and lowered himself beside a patch of disturbed earth near the edge of the estate.
"Beta!" he called.
Marcus crossed the distance immediately, crouching beside the tracker as several others gathered around.
"What have you found?"
The tracker brushed away a thin layer of rain-soaked leaves with careful fingers before pointing to the muddy ground.
"Small footprints."
Marcus studied them closely. Although the rain had softened their edges, the impressions were still visible enough to distinguish their size. They were far too small to belong to any adult and lighter than the countless overlapping tracks surrounding the estate.
The tracker lowered his head again, drawing in a slow breath before lifting his gaze toward the forest.
"The scent is faint," he said, "but it leads away from the estate."
Marcus immediately looked toward Kade.
