He can agree there--being shot at is not very fun but ultimately not terribly distressing, but actually being shot is much more unpleasant--but he wonders by her wording if perhaps the latter had happened to her during the Forest Talker attack specifically.

He doesn't ask, though, as her answer to his question is a surprise. "I'm familiar with Mr. Hickey. I was with him last time as well." As he doesn't know if she might feel positively about Hickey, James does his best to keep his tone neutral, but some bitterness might make it through anyway; with any luck she might read it as simple displeasure at the situation.

"I was fortunate enough that the first time had been with someone who had already been through it once. He had a sense of what needed to be done." Which was very much for the best, as James is not entirely sure he ever would've gotten to the point of telling the kind of secrets this cave seems to want otherwise. He'd probably still be in that first cavern, along with whoever had been unfortunate enough to get stuck with him.

...He'd almost definitely still be in that first cavern, actually, as despite knowing what needs to be done in this case, he continues to stall instead.

"Had Mr. Hickey told you what needed done, or was it his first time as well?"