Cactusthorn drops from the muddy tunnel into a neglected orchard behind the adobe estate. The lantern glow is faint here, blocked by leaning trunks and hanging dust. Somewhere beyond the trees, guards are still searching.
By a dry irrigation ditch, a lone scout sits with his back to a broken stone lip, watching the tunnel mouth. He does not reach for a weapon. He looks tired, and familiar with bad news.
The Scout
You picked a lively place to crawl out of. If you want out clean, don’t go over the west wall. They’ve got eyes there now.
Cactusthorn
The orchard is boxed in on two sides.
The Scout
The Abbot’s mark spreads fast. Men vanish, then come back listening for orders that are not theirs. I’ve seen it from Tucson to the old road south.
A distant shout crackles from the estate yard. The scout rises in one smooth motion, still calm, and points with two fingers toward a gap in the trees where the ditch bends low.
The Scout
If you are running, run low through that cut. If you are hunting, be careful who answers when you knock. The wrong man wears the right face these days.
✓ Quest Accepted
Reach the orchard route to freedom