Delicate and restrained as that swipe is, a lack of retaliation would have tripped him up more. But of course Di Feisheng doesn't miss a step in this dance even in this shape, and with every move Li Lianhua gets to learn a little more of it. Miss Iris remains ignorant of how lucky she was. A private smirk crosses his lips at the thought, or possibly just at Di Feisheng and his surprising (delightful) tolerance of being pet in general, even while his eyes are locked on the prize.

And what a prize it is. He carefully examines the size and texture of the bones, taking note of the different knife marks and the tools used for drilling the holes and putting everything together. "Animal bones," he finally decides. In case anyone was curious. "Likely not her own kills, a butcher took these apart." So it's not the materials that matter to her, but the final product. "Expert work on the cleaning and bleaching, that would have taken a lot of effort... Only, I don't recall anyone in town offering that service." So her own work, and not the first time she's done it. Is that why she was so protective of it?

But there's obviously more to the damn thing, he heard that himself. He turns to pace a few steps away from the panther, lost in thought. She clearly didn't hide a little ghost in the pipes, so it must be something about the placement of the holes creating the words. But words are too numerous and complex to be made by singular holes... unless he rubs his lil fingies together it's made to speak a very different tongue. Of course a series of whistles and notes could carry meaning. And once there's meaning, whatever assures all the people here understand one another would do the rest.

It still takes great skill and precision to carve those holes and place the thing perfectly into the wind to assure those notes would be played more or less in the right order. Not unexpected of that woman, but certainly interesting. Should that be her own tongue, then? Or one of many she knows?

Why, still, put so much effort into making this? Just to see others react to it, maybe. To learn more about how languages work in this realm. Sentiment, if it is indeed her mother tongue? More sentiment, if she knows one person capable of understanding it without help.

Li Lianhua's expression sharpens into an unkind smile down at the instrument in his hands. "She's not done with you until she gets this back, you know." As if the attempted murder over a toy hadn't given that away already.

Oh well. With a shrug, he tosses the mess carelessly over his shoulder, high into the air and barely in the panther's general direction.