Siegfried sighs and takes a drink. "Part of the problem is that I've gotten used to having skilled assistants," he admits with a frankness that might shock James, and would certainly shock Tristan, if they were present to hear it. "Divide and conquer, and all that. But it's not the animals sending for me, it's the people. Some wouldn't express urgency even if their horse had impaled itself on a fence, and others have never met a symptom that wasn't a signal of oncoming death. Once I get to know the people better I'll have a better sense but right now, I can't tell, and the animals can't tell me about their pain or how long the symptoms have been going on."

He shrugs. "At present, I'm inclined to give the benefit of the doubt when I can, but I can't be everywhere at once."