Animals go insane

The Guardians were pale, strange creatures. In exchange for their blood,
they took care of certain burial details when a vampire died, extracting each
corpse’s inner organs and brains, draining its body dry. Many vampires
chose to be sent down a mountain stream when they died. If their corpses
weren’t fully cleaned out in advance, animals would feast on their
poisonous organs and go insane.

Larten didn’t like the Guardians – they had an aloof air and seldom
answered if spoken to – but he wanted to learn as much as he could about
the clan and its workings, so he studied them as dispassionately as possible.

***

The Saga of Larten Crepsley: Ocean of Blood, Chapter 12