The last hundred and fifteen kilometers took nine days.
They left Bellwether Shelf on day1731 with the next road state checked. The lower shortcut remained closed. The ordinary high route gave them enough places to water the animals, buy food, sleep under roofs when expected, and wait through a half-day of hard wind without borrowing speed from exhausted bodies.
By then, the pace had become familiar.
Vela knew which load settled after the first climb.
Rennit knew which animal wanted another moment at the water before it would stop pulling toward the trough.
Tavin knew who would claim not to be hungry and then eat twice as much when a bowl appeared.
He planned accordingly.
Iven walked with a healthy body and a quiet reserve near its comfortable full mark. About800C. Six places. Twenty-nine retained physical patterns and the passive return. The road did not require him to demonstrate that strength at every bend.
