Derailment: Day 13

Word Count: 78,008

Summary of Events:
Fox Paw arrived home and was somewhat found out by her mother — although her mother presumed Matthew dead. Matthew read to her some more from the Bible, which he'd begun to read to her from the beginning, and they had a lengthy discussion about a variety of topics after Matthew cried due to his reading the death of Rachel, which was quite similar to Josephina's death. Fox Paw came again and got into thought about about Matthew's resiliency. Matthew got up and went outside for the first time in awhile and was shaken by the sudden thought that maybe he should marry Fox Paw.

Excerpt of the Day:
"As he ate, Fox Paw gazed at his chest still wrapped with many poultices, although some of the smaller cuts she'd already been able to unwrap, and Matthew had removed the sinew, leaving just the scars on his skin to continue healing.
Matthew was a strong man, he had power comparable to many of the men she knew, although his skin definitely had not seen the sun as much as the other men she knew; and parts of it were still discoloured yellow, blue, and purple with bruising.
The worst was his back, which was mostly purple still, it stirred revulsion inside of Fox Paw every time she saw it; but no matter how much she poked and prodded at his back, no matter how tightly she wrapped the poultices, no matter how he had to move, Matthew didn't complain. He'd grimace, but he wouldn't complain.
The ability he had to bear pain was awing to Fox Paw; that he wouldn't regularly bemoan the fact that he was so badly beaten, that he never spoke curses or angry words about the men who had beat him, it was incredible.
Fox Paw knew for a fact that her father, brothers, or even Badger Ears would've been speaking curses on their attackers almost unceasingly. They would have been seething, and as soon as they were well enough to walk they would've gone out and severely beaten — if not killed — their attackers in return.
Matthew not once spoke curses, and he had yet to say anything about intending to injure his attackers in return for the wounds that he'd suffered. Fox Paw was admittedly especially surprised being as he was a white man, and from all she'd heard, white men were at least as violent as her own people, if not even possibly more so.
"What has you so deeply in thought?" Matthew asked. Fox Paw startled and straightened, looking at Matthew with wide eyes.
Matthew looked at her kindly and patiently as Fox Paw recovered from her shock; she hadn't thought he would have noticed her thinking. She hoped he hadn't been trying to get her attention.
"Why, why you no speak curses against my father, brothers, other men?" Fox Paw asked. "Why you not so much moan you in pain?"
"It is not their fault that I suffered my wounds," Matthew replied. "It is my own fault; they told me I was not welcome among them, and that they would kill me, should they ever find me within the borders of their camp again. I was found in their camp again, and so they rightfully punished me. I have gotten only what I deserve.""