Sometimes, characters will leave something — be that footprints, items, a scent, or the like — on the ground as they move, creating a trail of some sort either unwittingly or purposely. Then, whether the character intends it or not, somebody else follows it.

The nature of the trail depends on the situation; for example, the character might be kidnapped and they manage to produce a trail that allows other characters to find and rescue them, or an escaping bad guy makes such a trail on accident and thus leads themself to getting caught. Another situation might have the character put down a series of objects for the sole purpose of guiding another character to a specific destination; alternatively, this kind of trail may be used to lure someone into a trap, typically with something they fancy so they'll pick up the laid down items one by one until they reach and spring it. When used as part of a trap, it may involve a