...

SHE HAD CROSSED THE distance slower than she'd liked, her legs a bit numb from not having moved so long. But she knew exactly where to hit the first guy in her path, years of experience making the movements flow as smoothly as water. A red band colored her wrists as she angled it and hit the person in front of her, making sure to put enough power behind it to knock him down.

When the second guy neared, she already had the feeling back in her legs. People started shouting around her, but she didn't pay it any mind. This was her zone, the one she was in before every match. Nothing could disturb her now.

A high kick floored him, a punch to the gut the next. She had her hands tangled in the fourth guy's hair before he could react, pushing him downwards as her knee collided with his face.

And even though she knew she had screwed up, even though she knew she had just ruined any chance she had of leaving this camp unscathed, she couldn't help that familiar rush of adrenaline and excitement coursing through her veins. Oh, she loved to fight, the thrill of it, the challenge.

Trevor's mouth was agape, but he quickly recovered, barking orders as they all got over the initial shock. The fifth guy blocked her blow, the pure strength of a guy overpowering her for a second as he pushed back.

But she hadn't trained so many years for nothing.

She quickly ducked, swiping his feet away as he fell to his knees, before kneeing the side of his head. The guy beside him took one look at her, at his groaning friends and ran away.

Ella turned around towards the person she had reserved for last, a slow smile playing on her lips as her eyes gleamed with the thrill of the fight.

"Payback time," she purred.

"What the fuck," Trevor breathed," I thought you couldn't fight? Never mind, on this level -"

"You're not in a position to be asking questions," Ella interrupted, her voice like honey.

The sweet taste of revenge was already vivid on her tongue, the temper she had reeled in with so much difficulty all this time finally lashing out. She was burning with unadulterated anger, the need for violence buzzing off her like electricity on her fingertips.

"What -" Trevor began, but she quickly crossed the distance, hitting him before he could finish his sentence.

He dodged her by a hair's breadth though and she hit air. She quickly recovered though, jumping back to assess the situation. As she tilted her head to the right, shaking her wrist loose, a devious grin tugged at her lips.

"How do you think you'll feel once I smash your head on the ground?" she smiled.

Trevor snarled, ready to jump at her, anger overwhelming his surprise. But before he could even come close, she was already looking at Will's back. The guys were in front of her, Levi standing toe to toe with Trevor as Alex and Will turned towards her.

"You could fight?" Will said, his big eyes wide.

Alex just stared, so dumbfounded that not a single word crossed his lips. Ella shrugged awkwardly, not sure how to explain the whole situation or whether she even wanted to right now.

"Maybe," she said.

Alex' eyebrows shot in the air.

"What do you mean maybe?" he shouted," you took down six guys!"

"No, I didn't," she deadpanned.

Alex snorted, disbelief blending with the amusement on his face. "What do you mean no you didn't? We saw you."

Some part of her had hoped she still could have  casually played this off, but it seemed like lying wouldn't get her out off this one. She widened her eyes in a last attempt at feigning innocence, but Will and Alex just stared.

Finally she sighed, giving in.

"I could've taken down more if you guys weren't standing in front of me," she said.

"We're protecting you, El," Will said.

"Now I'm wondering why," Alex said," it doesn't look like you need any protecting at all."

Ella smiled, pleased with the fact they finally understood that she could take care of herself just fine. Before Will and Alex could question her any further though, the sound of someone crashing into a tree resounded through the forest.

They turned their heads simultanously to see Levi slamming Trevor down on the ground. A few bruises colored his own arms, but he didn't pay it any mind as he continued to hit the guy.

Different hues of red flashed through the air every time Trevor moved, his fiery hair and dark blood blending as he tried to dodge Levi, his teeth bared.

"Levi," Will said, more a question than anything else.

But Levi didn't pay him any mind, continuing to hit Trevor. It was only when Ella grabbed his arm, putting in all her strength to stop his fist from connecting again, that he froze.

"Normally I would be all for promoting violence," Ella said," but if you hit him any more, he will be knocked out and our troubles will only become bigger."

"I don't care," he snapped.

"I do for once," she bit back," so just stop, okay? It's enough."

He grit his teeth, his fist inches away from Trevor's face. It was only then that Ella's features softened a bit, her grip on him easing as she looked at his face.

"We're all fine," she said," there's no need to hit him any more."

Levi abruptly let Trevor's collar go, the guy falling to the ground. Just as Ella wanted to say something, he grabbed her shoulders, inspecting her from head to toe.

"I'm fine," she insisted, but he didn't listen.

His eyes darkened when they reached the bruises on her cheeks, the red bands around her wrists. A low growl left his lips, but she just slapped him gently in a chastising move. Trevor spit blood on the ground behind them, his eyes still filled with pure anger despite the injuries on him.

"You'll regret th -" he began.

Before Levi could even react, Ella raised her leg and kicked him in the gut. Hard.

"Just learn to shut up," she said.

Something undecipherable flashed in Levi's eyes for a moment. If she hadn't known better, she would've said it was something akin to fondness, but the emotion just seemed foreign on Levi. He didn't look away for a moment and she just stared back at him. Something about his presence made the tenseness ease out of her shoulders, her posture relaxing before she even knew it.

"You fight well," he said.

"I know," she replied.

"Stop flirting with her just because she became your type," Alex scowled as he stepped in between them, his back towards Ella and his arms spread out in protection.

Ella rolled her eyes, but Levi just cocked an eyebrow.

"I was flirting with her even before that," he said," but this only adds bonus points."

As Alex' mouth fell open in shock, Ella leaned to the right to look past him.

"I thought I already had all those bonus points?" she said.

A faint smile appeared for a moment, disappearing as soon as it came, but it still brought a grin to Ella's own lips.

But before any of them could even revel in her newfound fighting skills any longer, a voice pierced through the air. Ella closed her eyes, having forgotten where she was for a moment.

When she opened them again, she was looking right in Clarkson's face.

"What the hell has happened here?" he shouted.

Nunnery, here I come.