```python
def carve_shift(start: int, end: int, span: int, rest: int, least: int) -> list:
    """
    Carve a work shift into stretches of at most span units, separated by rest units,
    and return the stretches in order as [from, to) pairs.
    """
    if not all(isinstance(arg, (int, float)) for arg in (start, end, span, rest, least)):
        raise ValueError("All arguments must be whole numbers.")
    
    if start >= end:
        raise ValueError("Start must precede end.")
    
    if span < 1 or rest < 1 or least < 1 or least > span:
        raise ValueError("Span and rest must be at least 1, and least must be between 1 and span.")
    
    stretches = []
    current_from = start
    
    while current_from < end:
        stretch_length = min(span, end - current_from)
        
        if stretch_length >= least:
            stretches.append((current_from, current_from + stretch_length))
            current_from += stretch_length + rest
        else:
            break
    
    return stretches
```