Chapter 8

Training begins today. The initiates first task? Learning to fire a gun. Four is leading the activity, and presents a flawless demonstration, his bullet piercing straight through the center of the target. Tris takes a shot (literally!) but can't seem to get it right. After receiving some sass about her accuracy issues from Will, she focuses more intently and finally hits the edge of the target. Once her bullet strikes the target, she feels a sense of power. This scared me when I first read it, since I was thinking she was going down the mental path of a violence obsessed lunatic.

At lunch, idle conversation lulls Tris into a daydream until she is interrupted by Christina's blabbermouth. Don't get me wrong, I like Christina, but she doesn't know when to keep her mouth closed. However, from the conversation Tris gains insight about some of the other factions and initiates from those factions. At first I was overwhelmed by all of the details at once, but I figured that if there was something extremely important to take note of for a later part of the book, this conversation would be emphasized more than it was.

The next test is hand to hand combat. Today is merely used for practice however. Four gives demonstrations, but pays focuses on Tris, giving her advice to improve her fighting strategy. I think he likes her. Either that or he has a special hatred for the others. He certainly is paying a lot of attention to her. She doesn't mind it either. I sense a fling.

After dinner, the day is theirs to do with what they please, so Tris, Christina, Will, and Al explore the pit. They head on over to a tattoo parlor because Al makes the impulsive decision to get himself some ink. Before Tris and Christina meet the boys there though, they make their way to a clothing store so Christina can work her magic on Tris's wardrobe. A new look for a new person, right?

Back in the tattoo parlor, Tris finds herself admiring the bird tattoo designs that are displayed on the wall. Shortly after a raven design catches her eye, she hears a voice mention it. Who ever could it be other than Tori, the Dauntless woman who gave Tris her aptitude test! Tris is filled with the hope that she may have found the one person she can discuss her divergence with, but Tori bursts that bubble quickly. Even though she is discouraged, Tris still decides to continue talking to Tori. She is convinced to get a tattoo on her collarbone of three birds flying toward her heart. One bird for each of the family members she left behind.

"This is someone whose eyes claim mine and don't release me; this is Tris."