“Easy, stranger,” a voice called out. The human did a double take and shuffled away from the fire with a yelp. “I said easy!” the voice insisted. “It’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you… Not that you’d be in any condition to stop me anyway.” The voice belonged to a strange creature that lay across from him on the far side of the fire. It was smaller than he was but not by too much. It looked like someone had performed mad science on a white-coated lion and gave it large wings and the head of an eagle. The griffon regarded him curiously with sharp, red eyes. Four large feathers swept back from its light, grey head and flopped behind, swaying gently in the wind. It crossed its forelegs over one another as it opened its beak to let out a yawn. It lifted one claw and pointed over to shoddily-made wooden rack. “Your coat’s over there if you’re wondering. You were soaking. You’d have caught a fever or something if I left you here. You’re welcome, by the way.”