[Has. It warms her. Sure, he's an adult and all, way older than her (practically ancient but not yet 'was around for the dinosaurs' as Joel is) but she likes that, the present tense. Implies that she's still out there somewhere, and mothers are a matter of wonderment to Ellie. More people deserve to have them.]

Yeah. I bet.

[She tucks her hands back into her pockets, both of them now. Hand off the gun. Still on the knife.]

Well, you probably scared off all the game within a mile with the way you were stomping through the forest, so-- you were heading to the ruins?