[The potential for danger may have passed, but Val keeps her sword at the ready. Nothing would be more embarrassing than to let her guard down just because of a deer.]

Me? [Val laughs.] No, not really. More like...I got used to having to be stealthy if I wanted to beat out all the other scavengers looking for goods to haul in. And when stealth didn't work...

[Her grin is very sharp.] Guns usually did the trick.