Year of the Crow, First Month, Day 28.

 I felt well enough to travel today, about which I am glad. I could not have coped with more delay after sevendays on end lying around at Silent Thunder. The journey was extremely pleasant; the weather is bright and brisk. There is a distinct chill in the air but the type which induces a cosy feeling when one wears a fur wrap rather than the bitingly uncomfortable kind.

I write today only to note that in the middle of nowhere, a bird found me. Thank the gods, I was alone at the time as we had stopped for a comfort break and I had gone behind a tree. I do not believe anyone else saw it but the ring around its leg contained a note from Aoki. An experiment, he wrote, to try and ascertain whether the birds were perhaps being intercepted. I had the tiniest piece of charcoal in my personal effects so I scribbled one sentence to let him know I had the bird but was not alone and put it back in the ring designated for Aoki and let it fly off. 

We will see now, what happens to it but I shall do my best to try and send a proper note with a messenger when we reach the House in case this bird never arrives at Shimmering Dawn. Since the bird managed to find me out here, I think we can say for certain that they have not forgotten their training. The birds clearly know how to find me which does make me wonder if someone at Silent Thunder was intercepting them. Sasanuma is, of course, the likely suspect unless Kaede herself found some of them... I suppose I shall never know for certain and I must try to put it from my mind once and for all since my lines of communication are back open, perhaps it does not matter...

As I write those words, I know I am lying to myself and that the issue of my birds will continue to gnaw at me until I find an answer but for now, I also know that I must focus on our arrival at the House tomorrow.