Marrick found Juna's marked map beneath his cheek and woke the registry by knocking his ink bottle across the patrol routes.
Hajin saved the northern corner before the spill reached it, carrying the map outside where Elise waited beside Sable and three saddled horses.
Juna had already checked the animals, though her attention remained on the ridge where the scouts had disappeared before dawn.
"The official road gets two passes each shift," Sable said, tracing a route from the gate to the mine bend. "I take the north trail while Elise covers the fields."
"That leaves the ridge shortcut empty," Elise replied, tapping the narrow line above the road. "People use it whenever they do not want gate clerks seeing them."
"Scouts use it for the same reason," Sable answered, folding the map's lower edge. "We need to secure the proper roads first before shortcuts."
