PARTY OF ONE

October 9th, xxxx (Night)

ANIMALS CAN SLEEP THROUGH anything. At least domesticated animals. Animals kept in cages. Animals reared. A thunderstorm could wreck the roof of the barn and they won't wake as long as the barn stands, the roof doesn't shatter and the door doesn't break.

The noise outside of the barn doesn't sound at all like a thunderstorm but if the ruckus bleeds closer, it might. Rowdy soldiers talking at once, like barbarians and like barbarians, their speech is almost incoherent, slurred and loud.

Nia mentally congratulates herself that she'd slinked into the barn before the 'community bonding' started. Once nine soldiers began trooping in, clapping each other on the back and starting bets early, Nia knew it was time to make herself scarce.