"They said that they found the bodies like this already and they were not responsible for killing them. There is that, at least," the onmyoji relayed, bowing politely in greeting when the lady came about. Though their interactions were few, Seimei respected Rosethorn greatly.

"The decay is not very far in. The corpses are rotted, but hardly desiccated. Perhaps a poison?" he remarked, folding his hands into his sleeves obediently as not to touch anything accidentally.

"Were there any wounds before you started eating?" he asked, addressing the birds again, dark eyes following the younger avian heading for Duke, lips quirking in a vague smile. It pleased him that the creatures were gradually adapting o their presence and less inclined to violence. There was hope for the world yet, perhaps.