“A drink would still my nerves but do nothing for the cold. Though, something tells me you’d think anyone would need a drink, regardless of their disposition.” He laughed slightly to show he meant no harm in the words. The man’s cordiality was infectious, as Herbert, when he did rarely have human contact, always tried to say as little as possible, and certainly never made light of a situation.

Herbert then cast a cursory glance at the bone creature, barely turning his head. He nodded. “I found it not long after I awoke, it took a liking to me, and I hadn’t the heart to turn it away; it was the only thing not claimed by the ice or fire.” Whilst not entirely true, explaining the real reason Herbert wanted to keep the creature would likely be enough to drive off even a man as jovial as the drunk. 

“I shall try to avert my eyes as much as I can then,” Herbert said, gulping unconsciously, but he had steeled himself, and would not be dissuaded by a little blood and gore; he had likely seen, and inflicted, worse. 

He looked at the hand for a brief moment, at a loss, as if shocked that it had been offered, but took it up and shook firmly, having the courtesy to meet the man’s eye. “Well met Dimitri, I am Herbert West of Levisham, retired medical practitioner and chemist.” He took his hand back, the residual warmth quickly dissipating.

“Come then, let me see what horrors abound, before I have the mind to flee.” Next to the big man, however, he felt he might have some hope, but that did not stop the sickly sinister feeling, a terrible lurking fear that buried itself deep in his stomach and made the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Snow plastered his hair, and the winds snatched the clouds of breath away quickly. It made little sense to remain there, so he began walking, forcing one foot to fall after the other. The indistinctive shapes began to come into repugnant focus.