Ellie nods, recognizing that John needs to move away from what's obviously on his mind. Frankly, it's not something she likes to think about either. They need to get the fuck out of here, for all of their sakes.

She eases down to sit next to him, leaning back on a hand.

"Some," the admits, draping her forearm across one knee. She turns her wrist, a vague, unhappy sort of movement.

"I had a mentor. Joel taught me most of what I know, starting when I was fourteen. I traveled with him for about a year, all across the country." A story there, to be sure. "We started in the summer, and he got hurt. In the late fall. So... I had to pick up a lot of things really quickly. We got through it."

Barely.

"We settled in a township, later. I joined up with the patrols as soon as they'd let me. It was mostly quiet, but it kept me from getting soft."