A/N: So procrastinating...so here is something to make me feel more productive. Time jump ahead!

Chapter 29 - Life And Games Of Dauntless

Kat

Considering how my first days in Dauntless had gone, the next few weeks pass in almost relative quiet. As much as Dauntless can claim to be quiet.

That morning I had woken up hungover and miserable passed without much more fanfare. Training for the first half went by quickly and I enjoyed working with the semi-automatic rifles we were given to work with. Again I did well but Edward was better.

I didn't begrudge him his success but I itched to get more time to improve mine. So the time we were allowed to work with the weapons ending way sooner than I wanted left me pouting visibly. That pout had continued until I found myself outside of Eric's apartment and then being ushered in by a waiting Zach. Eric and Chase weren't far behind me. They had found it highly amusing I was so upset about having to stop working with the weapons. Eric had promised, with a smug smile, that he was sure they could arrange something at some point.

Lunch went just as quickly and as per our agreement I let Eric tend to me. The worst of my bruising and injuries were to my upper body. I didn't know whether to be thankful that he hadn't asked me to take off my shirt or not. It didn't stop the reactions I had to his hands moving over my skin when they slipped under my shirt instead. I also didn't know what to think by my observations of his very obvious and large reaction to him touching me either.

It had left me breathless and gulping. Then we had this moment where we had just looked at each other for long minutes. My eyes had been burning with the desire flowing through me, making them heavy lidded. It hadn't helped that his eyes were mirrors of mine at that moment. He had let out a breath and scowled before he backed away, helped me down and led me into the dining room for a simple lunch.

That encounter had left me even more confused. I could admit his body might be reacting to me but maybe that was just men. Maybe it was just a physical reaction, involuntary almost, and he couldn't help it. Maybe, judging from his scowl, he couldn't help it and didn't want it either.

My fight against Christina was over quickly. I can at least say she did try and dealt much better with the pain I knew I was inflicting on her. I had started to do my focus exercises from the moment fights started. Even though Tris was put up against Mayra and she was one of the first fights, I continued it throughout. Tris won, pretty easily too, and I had felt proud of the way she handled herself as well as the fight. She didn't get a knock out but her hits were enough to send Mayra to the ground, dizzy and unable to see to even get up and continue.

With Christina putting effort in, it had come down to me knocking her out. I had done so as soon as I could and tried not to draw out my hits so that they caused too much pain. She even got in a few hits on me that had me casting small smirks of surprise but also pride. I didn't miss the look of confusion and then surprise on her face when she recognized this.

I might not like Christina, pretty much couldn't stand her, but I didn't wish her to fail or anything bad to happen to her. What would be the point? I did wish my sister wouldn't insist on still being her friend when it was pretty clear that would never be fully returned. Not the way friendships should be.

That night was similar to my first night in Dauntless. My friends along with my sister and Will found ourselves in the tattoo parlor. We all ended up getting tattoos and most of us got a form of the Dauntless symbol.

With help from Tori, she drew up one for me that we designed together. At the top of my spine was a lotus flower, the dauntless symbol at the heart of the flower and the flames melding into the petals. Underneath that, the flower was being held in hands, cupped and poised as if the hands were lifting the flower up. Not exactly the Abnegation symbol but it had enough similarities that it was hinted at. Then outside of the flower were faint delicate lines shaped into a triangle. The lines were composed of dots, short and long lines in the written version of a language not known to many but that I found books on and taught myself. It is called Morse code and I used that to frame the symbol of rebirth and bravery and a nod to selflessness, with other words that had meaning to me.

While we sat in the Pit after leaving the parlor my eyes often went to where Eric, Chase and Zach stood. Just as often I could see them looking over at me. I also felt flustered when mine and Eric's eyes would meet. In them at times I thought I saw the same impatience and frustration that I couldn't be with him….I mean...them.

I don't think I had ever been as impatient for a night to be over and head to bed as I was that night. Despite knowing that training was going to be hell with both Eric and the others, I couldn't wait for the morning. I thought I would never to get to sleep with how impatient and excited for it I was. My body had had other ideas and my head was barely on the pillow before I was out.

*****Page Break*****

Waking up I was surprised to find how much better I felt. Breathing since my fight with Drew had been difficult and seemed to be taking forever to become easier. Even keeping my ribs wrapped up hadn't completely eased it.

No matter how well I felt when I woke up it didn't stop me going to bed feeling almost as battered as the day before.

Morning training with Eric hasn't been as brutal. It helped that Eric wasn't pissed about anything to make him be that way. He might not have been as brutal but he was by no means easy. Like the day after my drinking incident, he always sets about cleaning me up. And just like from that first day, I refused to let him make me look any less like I had just gotten my ass handed to me.

Eric didn't like it but I knew he realized it was necessary. He still made me bargain with him every time. Two weeks has gone by in a blink. My days are pretty set between my morning coffee with Eric, Chase and Zach before Eric and I go to the training room or sometimes his office, but mainly the training room. We have been working mainly on my combat skills and he says that will continue until fights are over. I still leave those training sessions bruised and battered looking because he is always upping the skill levels. I am also proud to say I get some damn good ones on him during those times.

Breakfast is almost always at Eric's apartment unless he has to attend a meeting or some other leader duty. I think he has been putting off some of these because a few times he has been pulled from training by some person or another and he always looks annoyed about it.

Training is still focusing on physical with our fitness, fighting and firearms...or as I like to refer to it the triple F's. Not very clever but it made Will and Tris laugh a little. My body is changing and I know Tris' is too. She has the most changes going on because she hadn't had as much physical preparation before coming as I did. We are both improving and I wonder if we are going to be in the top five. We haven't been given updates on the rankings and I haven't felt it right to ask the guys.

Zach had asked if I was curious about my ranking during breakfast one morning. I had told him that I was but I would wait to find out when all the other initiates do. I think my tone and the look in my eyes had told them all that I wouldn't accept anything different either.

We are wrapping up stage one finally. I have mixed feelings about that, having some idea of what is in store for the next stage. I worry about what kinds of fears I will have to face but I can't focus on that. It doesn't stop my dreams from being invaded by that worry at night though.

For this morning's bargaining with Eric, I had to agree to have dinner with the guys instead of my friends, take the meds they gave me and head straight to bed. They wouldn't say why they were being so damn insistent that I not hang out in the pit. They were being cryptic and had way too much excitement going on for there not to be something up with them.

I was able to drag Tris with me, stating that I was completely tired and felt that my fight the next day was going to be a lot more difficult. It wasn't exactly a lie. I had already faced two fights that I would term as having been too easy. Mayra and Al. Al hadn't even really tried even though I had tried to provoke him a few times. He never gave in and instead went down faster and harder than he should have after one punch to the head I delivered. I couldn't prove it but I think he did it on purpose. I wanted to call him out but Four had called the match as good. I got the win but it hadn't felt like one. I felt deprived, angry and a disgust for Al that was hard to keep from showing.

I knew my easy fights couldn't last though. I knew I would be paired against Edward, Peter or Will soon and looked forward to it. I wanted the challenge and there was no way that Eric wouldn't put me in with them either. So it was coming and I thought that maybe tomorrow would be the day.

*****Page Break*****

I was wrong. It wasn't fights the asses were excited about. I found this out when the door to the dormitory crashes open with people piling in. I think Tris and I had been asleep for about an hour or two before this. I was groaning before anything else even happened.

Flashlights are shining by the people in the doorway but one figure stands out, at least to me, and I recognize him before he even speaks.

"Everybody up!" Eric roars and a flashlight is moved just in the slightest, enough to make the gauges in his ears glint a little.

Surrounding him are several Dauntless members I know, including Chase, Zach, Four, and Zeke. Initiates were scrambling but Eric moved his eyes over to see me laying still in bed and held me with his gaze. I was blushing under his scrutiny and hadn't moved. I guess something made him break the moment first because next thing I know is he is glaring in Tris' direction.

"Did you go deaf, Stiff?" He barks out.

This snaps me out of my daze and has me scrambling out of bed only to see that Tris was apparently still in bed as well, looking flustered.

I grab clothes that were laying on a chest at the end of my bunk. Clothes that were not there when I passed out or that I would pick out for myself considering they are too specific for what I am assuming is in store for us. I catch the drift and shake my head as I start to put them on.

Everyone around me is doing the same thing. All except for Christina. I look up to find her standing only in her t shirt, legs bare, arms folded over her chest and staring at Eric. At first, I think I must be seeing things, the way she is looking at him. Then I realize I am definitely not seeing things and her look is one of invitation.

I get a sharp elbow to my side and whip around with a scowl on my face to see my sister looking at me with wide and worried eyes.

"Are you ok, Kat? You were….I mean...you were kind of growling." She gets out in a hurried whisper.

"You have five minutes to get dressed and meet us by the tracks." Eric calls out and I don't even need to look at him to hear the amusement in his voice. "We're going on another field trip."

I don't answer Tris at first, instead I turn back to look at Eric, who isn't even looking in Christina's direction. He casts a look at me with a smug tilt to his lips before turning and walking out.

I scowl at his back for a second before I yank on the rest of my clothes and boots. Tris is watching me worriedly and I sigh. "This sucks. I need coffee." I mutter out and hope she thinks I am just upset about being woken up and my caffeine addiction. I really do need coffee so it isn't all a lie.

Tris giggles a little and links her arm with mine after we both toss our hair up into messy ponytails. She pulls me along with her, Christina just in front of us. We have to run along the paths and shove our way through the Pit.

A few members I know at least by face and have talked with before clap my back and murmur things like 'good luck' or 'don't die'. Tris looks to them as we pass with wide eyes and paling slightly.

"Relax Tris. I am sure they are at least partly joking." I inform her with a playful smile.

We make it to the tracks just behind the Dauntless born and I am the one pulling Tris now. Next to the tracks are bags of gear and I let my curiosity and excitement rule me. I forget I am even pulling her until she curses when I practically run and lunge for the bags. Letting out a squeal of glee at what I see inside.

The first bag has a cluster of guns with longer barrels than normal and trigger guards on them. I grab one and then quickly reach into the bag that has boxes of what I can only assume is ammunition. I am shoving that into my pockets, wide smile and bouncing on the balls of my feet, when Christina scowls into the bags.

"Are we going to shoot something?" She hisses out.

A wicked smirk crosses my face and I don't even let Tris answer. She had just straightened up after putting away her own box of ammunition.

"If the gods are kind we will be shooting….someone. Hey Christina, wanna be my huckleberry?" My voice is purring with the thought of getting a shot at the bit….urm...girl.

There is choking from beside me and I turn to see Chase standing beside Eric, acting as if something went down the wrong windpipe. Eric winks at me before quickly turning away.

"You really think they will have us shoot each other." Christina looks to Tris, her complexion just slightly paler and then looks back to me every once in awhile with a wary expression.

Tris shrugs, a frown in place. "I don't know Christina but they do have us fight each other, so…" She trails off as Eric had called to everyone that hadn't figured it out yet to grab a weapon.

"Everyone grab a gun!" He shouts out and I move out of the way of the rush that is about to occur. Christina must have figured getting away from me was a good thing. She wasn't near when Uri, Mar, and Lynn joined Tris and I where we were standing.

Lynn raised her eyebrow at me, having heard my words to my sister's friend earlier. I shook my head and sighed. I didn't regret it and was still really looking forward to getting to put a few in her if I could. I just didn't like what I knew was causing it.

Jealousy.

It wasn't something I was really familiar with. I had been jealous here and there before. Small things and most to do with how much I wish I could have been Tris along the years. Those were just fleeting flashes and nothing like the feeling seething inside me right now. Now I knew what Lynn was talking about. How uncontrollable it feels and how much you can hate that part of it by itself.

"Time estimate?" Eric turns to Four with his question. He had been talking with Chase and Zach who were laughing about something.

Four checks his watch after rolling his eyes. "Any minute now. How long is it going to take you to memorize the train schedule?"

"Why should I, when I have you to remind me of it?" Eric replies and I hear the smirk in his voice as he shoves Four's shoulder. It is probably supposed to look like a playful gesture but I know it is anything but.

When the train comes, Four is the first on. It shouldn't really surprise me that Tris ran after him and was the next on. It doesn't surprise me that I did something pretty fucking similar when I saw my three guys taking off. Of course one was more the focal point of my attention.

Eric is the first of them to get on with Chase being the last. He extends his hand out for me and I grab it for him to help me in. When I am in he smiles at me and motions with his head for me to join my sister at the other side of the car.

She is sitting but I don't feel like I could even begin to stay still right now. So I stand beside her and bounce a little as I wait for the others to join us.

"Oh for goodness sake, Kat." Tris grumbles and stands beside me. "You were hurting my head to watch you bounce like that." She says with a grin once she is standing beside me.

Once everyone is in, Four speaks up.

"We'll be dividing into two teams to play capture the flag. Each team will have an even mix of members, Dauntless-born initiates and transfers. One team will get off first and find a place to hide their flag. Then the second team will get off and do the same." Four says this all from beside the door of the car, holding onto the frame to keep himself balanced.

"Well...what do we get if we win?" Will shouts from near the back of the big group.

"Sounds like something a non Dauntless would ask." Four says with a smirk and quirked eyebrow. "You get to win and the bragging rights that goes with that. A very big deal in Dauntless." His smirk gets even bigger as he looks to Eric.

Eric's lips thin slightly and his jaw clenches. "Four and I will be your team captains." He looks to Four after he announces this. "Let's divide up transfers first, shall we?"

Anticipation and uncertainty starts running through me. I am suddenly worried, very worried, that Eric won't want me on his team. That he won't pick me. The thought makes me more sick to my stomach than I would like to admit.

"You go first." Four says offhandedly.

Eric's eyes move over the group and hesitate on me for a second. Then he shrugs. "Edward."

I deflate a little and feel Lynn nudge me pointedly. At that my back goes back to being straight and nod to her.

Four leans casually against the doorframe and nods. He too scans all of us and his eyes hesitate as well. They also flicker between Tris and I causing me to pale and start to shake my head slightly.

No, I don't want to be on your team you asshole!

And I don't. I know he will pick Tris, I just do. I know he will also try to pick me and I don't want to be on his team! I feel like stamping my foot and pouting like a little kid throwing a temper tantrum.

His eyes move away from us quickly. "I want the stiff."

There is faint laughter all throughout the car and I feel myself getting a scowl.

"Which one?" Someone calls tauntingly from the side and I recognize the voice as Molly's. "Or does it matter and they only count as one person because they are that useless?"

"If we wanted your input, Initiate, we would ask for it. Also, before you open your mouth I would urge you to remember that next to those two, you barely have any skills with weapons." Eric gets this all out with the deadly soft voice he uses when he is trying to contain his rage, his eyes hard as he pins her with them.

She gulps with a nod and he looks back to Four. "She has a good point though. Who are you going with?"

Four narrows his eyes for a second and I can't tell what he is thinking. He shrugs and motions with his head towards...Tris. "Tris will do."

Eric smirks, pleased or smug I don't know. "Got something to prove? Or are you just picking the weak ones so that if you lose, you'll have someone to blame it on?"

I almost sigh at that. He wasn't wrong about his and Four's thing they have going on. He just can't help himself and neither can Four.

Four only shrugs again. "Something like that."

Tris tenses from beside me. I want to grab her hand and assure her he doesn't mean that. He can't exactly announce that either though.

"Your turn, Eric."

Eric still has a smirk to his lips. "Kat."

Four bristles at that, almost glaring at Eric. Then he wipes it from his face and shrugs. "Deciding it is a good out for you if you lose again this year?"

Eric doesn't answer back, just shrugs. "Your turn now, Four."

It is like watching a chess match with hot heads as the opponents, wondering when one of them is going to flip the hell out and flip the table. They make some good moves and then between their glares and taunts, really shitty ones. Only I get the feeling we, the pawns in the game, are going to be the ones that bare the brunt of any failures that happen in their power struggle.

When all's said and done I am on a team with:Edward, Peter, Molly, Al, Mayra, Allison, and Mar. Along with a few other of the Dauntless born I have come to know through my friends.

I recognized the pattern of both Four and Eric. They only deviated it from it a few times, Eric with choosing me but then having been left with Mayra as a last choice. Eric went for strength and power. Four went with small or slim and agile.

"Your team can get off second." Eric nods towards Four.

"Don't do me any favors." Four replies with a small knowing smile. "You know I don't need them to win."

Oh god, Eric don't fall for it!

I am praying Eric at least sees what Four is doing. One look at Eric tells me he does but his pride is also warring with his reason.

"No, I know that you'll lose no matter when you get off." Eric says and takes his bottom lip into his teeth for a moment. "Take your scrawny team and get off first then." He grumbles and I silently groan looking to Chase and Zach who just roll their eyes.

Four's group all stands up and in small groups, jump off the train. I feel a small pang at seeing my sister jumping. I don't like seeing her going off like this. I don't like the thought of her being on an opposite side either. It makes the hairs on my arms stand up and my stomach roil.

"You know Four's team is going to be going all out after us, right?" I say lowly to Chase who is walking beside Mar and I after we have all jumped off the train as well.

Eric is walking further behind the group, having to make sure all of the initiates stay with the group. The Dauntless members will be participating but are also protection. Apparently the initiates and instructors will be running the show and members will be trying to make sure there is no interference from Factionless. It had happened before in the past and now there are extra guards put into play for the night.

Chase nods. "He usually does. Eric knows this too he just lets Four get to him."

I nod but don't reply because I am in thought.

If I were facing an enemy that has stealth and being fast on their side, along with Will who has a damn good mind as well, what would be the best way to counteract this? What would they be most likely to do?

They would need to see where we are before they would move out. Being fast will mean shit if they don't know where to go. The rule of the game is that our fluorescent flags have to be put out and cannot be covered up. They have to be visible. There is no set height they have to be at, they just have to be out in the open in some way.

We are in the heart of the city but have been told there are boundaries. There are a combination of multiple story buildings along with ruins of collapsed ones. If I were them I would get high to get a visual on the flag or any movement. I would also keep someone high to act as a lookout but wouldn't necessarily have that as where I put my flag. That would be too obvious and take away from that person's job.

I am running through scenarios in my head, everything whirling, as we pass buildings on our way to wherever Eric has in mind. "Alright this is far enough." I hear faintly around me but I am still zoned out.

"Earth to Kat." Mar calls and nudges me.

I frown and look at her, then around me. The group is gathered around Eric, Chase and the other Dauntless members. I had apparently kept walking. Blushing a little, I followed her to join them.

"Glad you decided to join the group." Eric says as he looks to me quickly with a frown before looking back to the others. They were in the middle of being told what to do. "It is up to you to come up with the strategy. We cannot help you decide but know we take this very seriously. What you come up with, if you contribute, how well you do and more importantly if we win; will all count to your points and ranking. You have been warned."

His warning in the tone and the way he emphasized certain words let us all know he will be very upset if he...we...lose tonight.

Ideas are tossed around and I am standing beside Edward. He looks to me and I look to him when we hear really idiotic ones being called out.

"Something you two want to share over there?" Eric growls out, snapping us both out of our shared amusement.

Edward's back straightens and he loses his amusement while shaking his head at Eric.

I sigh and chew my lip. "Actually, yeah there is. I was contemplating what the best way to counteract an enemy with speed and stealth on their side is. I was wondering...what would be their first steps? Being fast will mean dick unless they know where to go. The only way to get a good bead on an enemy in our terrain would be to…"

"Get high." Edward finishes for me with nod. "They will get as high as possible. Which isn't a bad idea at all, for us too."

I nod with a smirk to him, excitement coursing through me. "Exactly. It would be good for us to get high to not only be able to see their movement and find out where their flag is but we need to keep someone high, separate from where our flag will be, preferably. We don't even need to put our flag up high. Just in an easily defended place. Somewhere where we can limit the ways of approach."

"So….a choke point?" A Dauntless born named Dante asks, rubbing his chin in thought.

I smile wickedly. "That would be perfect. Then we could defend that with people on the ground but also up high. Snipers I guess. Two really good shooters with good line of sight in a choke point could almost double our fire power just by good placement alone."

Matching grins start to spread across initiate and member faces alike. Then the planning, real planning, started to take place. Adrenaline was starting to fill me and we hadn't even started the game in earnest yet.