Lycan Lover 441 Yes I am so glad Lily's pettiness is over, cos God even I was getting frustrated with her and she's my character! And Dauntless balls is definitely the right term

Guest Yeah unfortunately Lily really doesn't have any Erudite traits whatsoever, I wrote her as completely recklessly brave to save the innocent, which also means she's against violence so her reasoning has no logic at all, but she's fun to write! I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far!

Pilapila 234 I'm so happy you've enjoyed it so far! Lily's been getting on everyone's nerves, trust me, but it should get better from now, but her character is basically to contrast Avery, who is, indeed a badass! And with Eric- he had to stay rough and mean- that's the way I love him (to the point I write a fanfic about him…XD) The story will be M rated, probably within the next five chapters I think? If not sooner, and I try to update once a week in the weekends, if that helps!

Dear Charlotte,

As I've said before, don't worry about being busy, we all experience it! I totally agree with Avery's skills- we'll see some more of it this chapter (OMG she's so awesome!) Lily as well, I got irritated at her so yeah I also agree with the sadism on Avery's part tripping her! I know what you mean with Eric, I'm missing him already so I sped up time so we can have more of him (hint hint the chapter after this one will be big for Eric). I didn't know whether to completely ruin Ben with rejection or let him down gently, but I decided on the latter because I wanted him to stay in the friendship group, but oh well!

Thank you as always,

TheCloakedShadow

"Mission accomplished?" Jay whispers to me with a smile as he helps me drag Lily off the mats.

"Let's hope so. I mean she fought properly against me but… how she'll react when she wakes up I don't even want to think of the possibilities." I say with a sigh, and Jay pats me on the back.

"Come on, you did good. Can't this whole feud be over?" Jay asks me, and I can see the desperation in his eyes. He hasn't been having any fun in between this.

"You know she's the one deciding that." I say

"She'll be fine, right?" Beth comes over looking worriedly at her friend, and my eyebrows raise slightly. I haven't spoken a word to Beth for weeks, whether it be her ignoring me or me ignoring them.

"Yeah, just a light bash on the head." Jay answers for me, and Ben comes over as well.

"You two really got us good this week…" Ben murmurs, having lost to Jay just before Lily and I's fight. "Do you think she'll forgive you when she wakes up?"

"That would be pushing it." It's a quiet, low groan from Lily, and our eyes turn to her.

"It's the usual afternoon off, don't be late tomorrow." Four taps my shoulder to inform us, giving me a clear look he doesn't want to witness any kind of argument or make up.

"Shouldn't you be paying attention to the fight behind you?" I ask, as directly at his back is Zander and Isobel.

"Why would I bother, you already predicted them for me." Four replies dryly, just as Zander knocks Isobel out. "See?"

I share a smug smile with him before he turns away and I look back to my group expectantly.

"Let's get out of their way, we don't want Eric killing us before we even start this conversation." I say, and Jay moves and puts an arm round Lily as we walk out. God he's smitten with her.

"So, have you changed your view on fights yet?" I ask in the deadly silence, though it's completely clear whom I'm asking.

"…I'll admit I was wrong on some grounds." It's quiet, almost a whisper. But then again, I doubt her stubbornness could let her submit any louder. "But there's something I still don't get."

We stop in the otherwise deserted hallway, and I turn to face her with what I hope is an accepting smile.

"You say you shouldn't hold back if you're the weaker opponent. But I didn't hold back, and you still won, without a scratch. How did it make any difference?" She asks me, but she's confident, and I can tell she already knows the answer.

"It made the different in that you were brave, and fought back, instead of being cowardly." I say bluntly, giving her the words she wants to hear. "Not to mention…" I trail off with a laugh. Damn, I've never shown any opponents that they managed to hurt
me. It makes me look and feel vulnerable. Oh well.

"What is it?" Lily asks, and I take off my long-sleeve jumper into my t-shirt, revealing my already bruising forearms.

"I barely managed to block all your hits, and even blocking left me with this, which is definitely going to get worse. You have more muscle and force in your punches than mine, If I were anyone else they could've cost me the match." I tell her honestly.
"Let me see, who have you fought… against Isobel, Lottie, and possibly Beth and even Mickey, you probably could have won."

Lily eyes me, the question clear in her eyes.

"I'm afraid this time round my concentration was in no way compromised, and the skill difference took care of the rest." I say bluntly, before giving her the question I'm truly concerned with. "What I'm concerned with is whether you'll be able to hold
the same bloodlust against future opponents you have no hatred for."

"I don't think I can."

"You have to." It isn't me that speaks, but Jay. "We can't lose you Lily, we're fighting a losing battle as transfers anyhow. Fight for your place here, fight for your life." The emotion is raw in his face, as Lily frowns with a deep sigh.

"I have to then." She concludes, and there's a sigh of happiness and relief.

"Thank God! Now let's go take a break, we haven't hung out for ages!" Ben cheers as we all share smiles, smiles that this is over. But as I find the arm holes in my jumper, my body is shocked cold.

"Are those- are those bruises on your neck Avery?" Lily questions suddenly. Shit, I've been careless. Bloody fucktard why didn't I think?! "Don't tell me someone's hurt you again!"

"Wait have you gotten into another fight?" Jay questions, taking a massive stride towards me as I hurry to get my jumper, but fail to.

"No fights, I promise." I dismiss, but it's Beth who starts laughing.

"Guys, there's no need to worry. It looks like Avery's been getting some serious action whilst we've been holed up worrying about everything else!" Beth grins. "Who was it and when, was it any good?"

"Beth, that is not relevant." I say calmly. Okay, lie, dismiss, and joke, that's what I have to do to get out of this.

"You're kidding me. And here I was worrying about you and your isolation!" Jay exclaims, the shock written on his face as Beth tries to reach for the collar of the round neck t-shirt.

"I need help!" Beth whines as I easily swat her hands away, before my arms are clasped behind my back by Ben while Jay grabs my legs, and almost gets kicked in the face.

"Wow, steady, stop trying to kill me! Beth come on!" Jay yells as Lily too comes at close as I fail to jerk out of their grips. Beth pulls down the collar, revealing the mass of fading bruising.

"Jesus how far down did he go?!" Beth questions excited, just as Lily is covered in a strong blush as Beth pulls the t-shirt down all the way to the top of my sports bra, showing Eric's expansive work.

"By the fading it must be… I'd say around five days old to get this faded?" Beth wanders aloud and I scowl.

"Around about." I mutter, lying straight through my teeth. It's taken close to a fortnight for these to die down this much, but they're still visible with Eric's teeth work, and it has not been easy keeping them hidden.

"Did you get laid then? If he got this far down…" Beth wiggles her eyebrows.

"Okay I don't need to know that." Jay says from his position crouching. I merely keep my face straight, giving Beth a look of pure irritation.

"Okay then we're not getting that answer… who was it then?" Lily questions, lightly prodding the bruises as I continue to struggle.

"Was it Leon? Or Mark? You've been hanging with them a lot…" Beth guesses, and I know I have to answer this.

"No, none of their group." I drawl, and Beth looks at me pointedly. Okay, time to give them options. "You'll never guess." I say with a chuckle. They really won't.

"Wait, you could be lying! Is it one of our friends?" Beth questions.

"Wasn't me." Jay says quickly, holding a hand up.

"Nah she's not lying. Candor-born, remember?" Ben says, looking down from behind me.

"That's a great idea! You question her Ben!" Lily says, moving round to grab my wrists.

"Right." Ben says slightly awkwardly. He avoids my eye contact slightly. He must have talked to Beth for her to be suddenly okay with me again, but obviously he still hasn't gotten over his crush. Oh well, it's a step. "So, someone we'll never guess…
ideas guys?"

"Huh? No way, it didn't occur to me cos of last time we went partying and you danced with Leon- is it a girl? Are you bi? Or something else?" Beth says crazily, and I give her a pointed look. "What? It kinda suits your mysteriousness stuff ish?"

"Who knows, maybe I'm just trying to find myself?" I say innocently, before loosening in Lily's hold of my wrists and elbowing her lightly in the stomach to make her unhand me. When she does, I wrestle a leg out of Jay's grip and shove him to the floor
with a foot on his shoulder.

"God, you guys are so aggressive, once you saw them what was the point of me running away?" I drawl with a smirk.

"She has a point." Ben says, and I roll my eyes.

"You should know me well enough that you're not getting any straight answers here, so why don't you keep thinking up possibilities, while I go and get something to eat." I say smug, turning on my heel as we start walking to the Pit once again.

"Are you sure it isn't Leon?"

"No he's told me he likes someone else." Jay says.

"Mark then?"

"…a possibility I guess…"

"What about DT then?"

"You really think they could ever work? No way!"

"Girls then, she didn't say she wasn't Bi? Wait... Lily?"

"No!"

"Ha! That would've been a plot twist!"

12321

The next week passes, getting back into how initiation life was before. There were surprisingly few moments of awkwardness between us, well actually I guess not that surprising, being in Dauntless. We even started all going as a group to train extra after
dinner.

"Do we really need to do extra? We're all doing pretty well in transfer class, I mean I never thought we'd all get so good at shooting!" Ben exclaims, before he moves towards a punching bag.

"Well there's always fights." Jay says.

"Yeah, but out of us, Lily is the only one who can make a difference with that, we're running out of opponents." Beth says.

"Exactly, plus… well Avery the two people you haven't fought are both in this room, and I'm not optimistic enough to hope against that." Ben remarks with his hands up in surrender.

"That's exactly why we're doing extra training." I say thoughtfully. It's what's been on my mind since Lily and I sorted things out. We're running out of opponents, we could have rematches, but there's such a small number of transfers… plus something
Eric said, about our last month of physical getting interesting… it means something.

"Of course, under your tutelage, I'm sure we'll improve, but there isn't much room for improvement in ranks." Ben sighs.

"That's because we only see half of it." I say elusively, and Jay holds my gaze.

"What are you thinking?" Jay asks with a smirk. "You've caught onto something, haven't you?"

I raise my eyebrows and shake my head.

"Don't you remember one of the first things Four told us? By the end of physical, Transfers and Dauntless-born are ranked together." I say, and the others all look over to me in question. "They've already started integrating us, paintball and sniping.
In the areas we aren't mixed, we have to prove we're better than them. They say usually only a few transfers make it, we have to change that."

"So we have to convince Four and Eric we're better than the Dauntless-born? Is that even possible?" Lily asks, only looking more pained.

"Hey, you already proved your better than most of them, you got picked for sniping!" Jay says comfortingly.

"It doesn't matter what we've already proved, it's what we have to prove." Beth says determined, and I nod.

"Come on then, let's get to work. Jay, up for a spar?" I ask, and he grins, beckoning me up to the mats.

"It's payback time!"

With that, we all start working on either sparring or knives, until around eight or nine when we take a break.

"Do you think anything will change? I know repetition will help up get better and all, but I'm kinda getting bored of everyday training." Ben says as we sip on water.

"We could always make it interesting. Any ideas?" Jay looks around, and Lily speaks up.

"Well, we could simulate that group tactic Four taught us the day before yesterday, you know, to subdue opposition." She suggests. "I'm sure it will give us a feel of what they really do in Dauntless, too."

"That would make sense, Avery could be the enemy, then it will take more than a few seconds to run it." Beth says thoughtfully.

"That would be brilliant! Avery's a… mercenary who's broken into Dauntless headquarters and stolen something, we have to apprehend her?" Jay questions and I look to him suspiciously.

"Isn't this just an opportunity for you guys to team up against me? Isn't it a little one-sided?" I drawl sarcastically, and Jay grins.

"Well two out of us four have a nail to pick with you, so I'd watch out." He says rolling his shoulders as he stands up.

"How about we give you a head start, then it's fair." Lily suggests, and the others nod while I just frown. Are we seriously doing this?

"So, let's say we use the entire compound? Let's avoid the Pit, people will be drinking by now, and no going into shops, but all hallways in the compound are free. Avery has to stay free until 10." Beth draws up the plan, and I sigh. This is going to
be a lot of running, I don't know whether I have the energy for this.

"We'll give you two minutes to start okay?" Lily says, looking at me worriedly and I scoff at her expression.

"Just because we haven't been doing runs recently, doesn't mean you guys should forget." I chuckle as I walk backwards to the exit. "You really shouldn't give me a head-start, I'll just outrun all of you for the full hour." I grin, before turning and
sprinting straight out the training room.

I move straight into the complex of hallways I'm extremely sure I know on a much grander scale than any of them. Ina real situation, I'd try to get to an exit of the compound to escape, but since the goal is to stay free until 10, a hiding place would
be ideal. I can think of many places, but that would also defeat the object of this drill, so…

I've got to set a trap. And I can think of the perfect one.

Comfortable with the winding path I've taken to through them off my route, I head to the opposite side of the compound, where not far from the Pit, lies the intense climbing wall I had been climbing with Mark, Leon, Kray, Raven and DT, and sure enough
a couple of them are on there now.

"Oi Avery!" Leon yells, and I smile and wave, before jumping up onto the rock face and climbing up steadily until I reach them, around half way up, and I perch myself comfortably on some deeper footholds.

"What's up, we haven't seen you in a while." Mark says, and I smile.

"Finally managed to put my point across to Lily." I murmur, and Leon smiles.

"Great, that was taking way too long." He exclaims frustrated as I chuckle.

"Actually, could you to help me blend in? We're playing a group capture, and I'm the so-called mercenary." I ask, and Mark looks at me obviously intrigued.

"Explain."

"The other four are trying to subdue me. I would've just gone and hid, but I thought I'd hang here until they find me, and I have a plan that will make them work. Plus it'll be fun." I say.

"We will gladly be accomplices, what are we doing?" Leon says excited.

"Well…" I explain my plan to them, and then we just stay chatting there, for a good ten fifteen minutes really, until I see Lily's blond hair in the growing numbers of Dauntless at the bottom, who have spread out from the Pit for a more casual scene.

"Let's go." Mark says and I nod, before turning and making obvious eye contact with Lily, Jay, Beth and Ben who are approaching from different sides. Too bad they'll have to abandon their formation to climb the wall. I definitely didn't think of that.

Mark and Leon merely taunt the others as they get closer and start to climb the wall, obviously not used to the hard rock face, black with no signs of how to climb it.

"We're getting you Avery, don't think this will slow us down!" Jay yells, but just as Jay gets within a couple of metres of us, we start climbing. And the difference in speed is obvious.

Mark, Leon and I race to the top, scrambling on the handholds we know well, though them a little better than me as we reach the top. Mark pats me on the back as I merely watch them climb up from the top, and Leon and Mark start climbing down to distract
them. Beth is significantly held back by Mark, Ben by Leon, but Lily, who isn't far behind Jay, both get past. But once again, as soon as Jay gets within… three metres of the top I grab hold of the metal contraption at the top, and grasp it tightly
in my hand with a smile.

And jump off the side.

My laughs are heard as I drop straight down, before pulling the clip in my hand to clamp down on the rope guiding my fall, causing it to abruptly stop being let out at the top, and I swing towards the rock face, holding on tight to the bottom knot of
the rope. My feet cushion the hit against the rock face, before I drop off to the floor which is barely a metre from me, and start to run into the crowd.

I'll admit, I'm mightily impressed on how short a time it took them to get of the rock face, but I'm ready for the oncoming combat.

Beth, who was nearest to the floor comes at me first, and I simply dodge her punches before ducking under Ben's attempt to tackle me. Then it's Jay, who comes at me with a barrage of fast jabs, which I block hastily with my arms, but I realise he's just
delaying me so they can get into formation, surrounding me.

Jay takes a step back, and all four of them are surrounding me, arms up, as I turn on the spot, arms up, my mind swirling at how to go about this.

Jay is the biggest threat, he'll be last to takedown. I should start with Beth, who is most unused to my fighting, followed by Ben who I should be able to topple because of his height. Then Lily, her base has always been weak in comparison to her upperhand
hits, so I'll pull her out be the ankle as well.

And sure enough, they come at me.

I duck out of Lily's first punch, and spin in order to get closer to Beth who I block two punches from before pulling her ankle out with my foot and she falls to the floor. I only have a small amount of time to do this in.

Ben's next, but both him and Jay have reached me at the same time, and I have to bend over backwards to dodge both of their hits.

Who am I kidding, why I am holding back in a four vs one, I haven't even kicked anyone yet.

After bending over on my back, I land firmly on my hands, and spin, landing a solid hit to Ben's neck which should keep him down, but Jay and his faster reflexes allows him to back out of the way.

Now Lily. I land back on my feet, but lower my body and kick my right foot up to block her hit, before going through an intense rally of blocks and jabs to her torso, all of which land before she catches my right kick. However, I drop my body to the floor
and let my left leg push her ankles back, and I move my body out of the way just as she lands on her front, banging her head slightly on the floor. It wasn't that hard of a fall, she'll be alright.

And now Jay. He doesn't relent, and I have to concentrate switching my right and left legs between attack and holding me up, but I don't find an opening before Beth is back up, and goes for my back. I see it coming though and step out of Jay's reach,
and aim a swift roundhouse kick into her whole torso from the side, and a rapid punch to her shoulder topples her to the floor.

I don't have any time to react to Jay's tackle, but as soon as it happens I bend back, my hands on the floor. I use his momentum as his arms are wrapped around my middle, and walkover backwards with him, so he lands on his back on the floor and I just
manage to land on my feet to turn and kick his own shoulder to keep him on the floor before I step away.

"An impressive performance." My ears sharpen as my head whips to the voice, and I realise stupidly the few dauntless groups casually drinking whilst enjoying the show.

But the voice belongs to Max, the Dauntless leader. Flanked by Eric, Axel, and a woman, slightly older, that I don't recognise, with a fierce look in her eyes.

"Jeez that was intense, you couldn't have gone easy on us?" Lily jokes, not realising who the man talking to us was. Oh this is the worst group of people for her not to see.

"Sir." I acknowledge, bowing my head slightly as my friends slowly get up from the floor. Lily turns slightly pink as I see their eyes mostly look to Eric, who is the one they really recognise.

"These are the transfers then, what are you doing fighting outside of training?" Max questions, raising an eyebrow to Eric. "Surely discipline is needed for fights outside of class."

Eric's gaze turns stormy, as I try desperately to keep my eyes off him. We haven't had any sniping sessions this week, he's been too busy, so I haven't seen him at all. My eyes look for him at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but I barely catch glimpses
of him. It's now been well almost three weeks since I really saw him.

"We weren't picking fights, we were trying out the tactical formation Four taught us to apprehend a fleeing enemy." Jay says politely, and Max chuckles slightly.

"You obviously didn't learn very well then." The woman, at a guess another higher-up, jokes, and there's a dark feeling in my stomach, in hope her words don't start any more arguments between us. Max looks questioningly at Eric over his shoulder.

"Avery, amity-born, secondranked." He says bluntly. I see Jay roll his eyes. Even though I beat him, the rankings haven't been renewed since, so he is technically still ranked above me.

"I've heard a lot about you recently. I was quite surprised really, I had passed you off as waste the first few months. Anyone who breaks themselves with a broken arm… not really up to our standard." Max says, the threat in his voice subtle, but there.

I hold eye contact with him, but bow my head slightly.

"I would hope what you hear from now will be good then." At this Axel laughs as he grins at me.

"Max, I wouldn't play the intimidation game with her, you'll never get anywhere!" Axel jokes, patting Max's shoulder, who looks over at him irritably.

"Axel stop ruining this! Honestly you can't keep your mouth shut." Max reprimands, but his tone shows the humour between them. "It didn't look bad, for transfers. Eric's told me you're a particularly strong year for transfers, despite the earlier problems.
Let's hope you don't disappoint."

We all nod, and my eyes flicker to Eric, truly examining him.

He looks tired, extremely tired, exhausted even, but I already knew he'd been working too much. His physique looks much the same, in his usual black garb, but every single nerve in my body is on fire, as his blue gaze is darkened on me, his lips carved
into a smirk, and there's something I can't place in his eyes, just burning…

"Your attacking form was pathetic, your weak characters attack first, which just left the stronger more vulnerable. Jay should've centred the attack, but he was the afterthought. You thought nothing of diversions or escapes, your attacks were even more
fucked up that normal, your movement was stunted. Your punches were sloppy and you were all too slow." Eric reprimands sharply, with a harsh growl as he overlooks my friends, and even after he's finished he glares at every one of them, before his
eyes land on me.

"Don't taunt your opponent, it wastes time and gives them the advantage." He snarls at me, but all I feel is my stomach unfurling as my breathing quickens, and all I can do is revel in the blue of his eyes, because I have no idea how long it will be until
I'm allowed to hold his gaze like this.

"Come on Eric, they're not in training, let's go get a drink before the last of that report…" Axel firmly pushes Eric by the shoulder, making eye contact with me as he smirks with a shake of his head before walking away.

But my eyes don't leave them, and just before they leave my sight, Eric's head turns, and all I can see is the blue fire in his eyes.

Another chapter is up! This one is longer than usual in fact, so I hope you enjoy the little extra! Now that the problem with Lily is over, I am back to yearning for some good old Eric, so trust me we will be getting some interaction cos I need it if anything! I've got some new interest planned for the last month of physical initiation, which will start with the next fights, and I'm super excited! I think I have decided to either change this book to M rated or start a new book entirely rated M once mental stages start cos hell I'm not waiting any longer! Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! I won't lie, I think my next update may be late as my whole week is completely packed, but for now, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, read and review as always!