At the edge of the trees, the smell of decay hit Alicia like a brick wall. It had lingered in the trees, but here, so close, it was still thick enough to be nauseating. Her hand rose quickly to cover her mouth and nose, the warm smell of her perfume did little to cover the smell. She could feel her stomach begin to twist.
She focused for the moment on breathing through her mouth and listening to Tonks.
Ghosts. It was something she should have considered, coming here. She had been so concerned with preparing herself to face all the death that waited her, that she hadn't considered the possibility. Of course it made sense-- so many people died quickly and violently. Wrongly. As she considered the possibility of having to fend off rather angry ghosts, another thought occurred to her.
She didn't get far before Dennis' outburst derailed her thoughts. His anger seemed to radiate through the decay-thickened air. It was chilling. She hadn't been particularly surprised by the callousness shown to the dead that lay just before them. If they could kill children they most certainly could just leave them laying about. But hearing it-- it caused sadness to rush through her. Her free hand rose to rest lightly on his upper arm. She could feel the tenseness of the muscle beneath the layers of clothing. She squeezed his arm in an attempt to be comforting. It was doubtful that it would help.
She turned back to Tonks, her pace slowing a little as she spoke again. "Were any of them-- Are there inferi?"