Derailment: Day 2

Word Count: 12,012

Summary of Events:
Fox Paw and her mother had a serious discussion about her behaviour when Badger Ears had last visited. Matthew drove on through the prairie thinking about all kinds of things, eventually coming around to how greatly he missed Josephina. Fox Paw noticed her father behaving oddly outside the house of one of his other wives and came to the conclusion that the great sickness that had stricken their tribe once before had returned. Matthew was cooking supper when Adonikam found a garter snake and Matthew caught the snake and showed his son more about it.

Excerpt of the Day:
"The sound of several sets of hasty feet she heard through the ground until finally they were close enough she could see the feet. She recognized Badger Ears' moccasins among them, along with those of several of her brothers, and also those of her mother.
They slowed along the river and the mens' feet split up into two groups and went either way, but her mother stayed still by the water's edge, absolutely silent. Fox Paw watched her, trying not to breathe so hard from her exertion.
"You see me, O my daughter," her mother said. "You have fled in fear again, after displaying peace and confidence with Badger ears. Now what brings you fear that you have fled?"
Fox Paw hid her face as tears came to her eyes again. She tried diligently to maintain her composure, but eventually she began to sob softly into her arm and the ground on which it laid.
"My child, my child," her mother said soothingly and nearer. "You are so taken with fear. Fear is not good in such quantity; fear may well take your heart and sunder you by death if you continue in such fearfulness."
A hand lightly touched her shoulder, then hands took hold of her, pulling her out from under the shrubbery. Fox Paw aided her mother's effort at least far enough that she could drop her face onto her mother's lap and weep.
Her mother said nothing for a long time; Fox Paw wept in terror into her mother's lap until finally it seemed as if her last tear was completely spent. Finally she raised herself up and looked into her mother's face.
Tears shone watery in her mother's eyes, distress showed heavily on her mother's face; she was vexing her mother by her fleeing and tears. Fox Paw felt her sadness renewed, but no tears came for it.
"What is it now?" her mother asked.
"Armadillo Shell," Fox Paw replied. "He paces before the house of Bobcat Ears in great distress. Many look at him, but none go nigh to him; neither does he enter the house of Bobcat Ears, but remains outside, looking in and increasing in distress with each gaze."
Her mother nodded.
"I fear the great sickness has returned," Fox Paw whispered.
A wave of slight paleness washed over her mother's face and her mother shook her head surely, as if such could not be true.
"I cannot wed now," Fox Paw whispered. "This must pass, otherwise surely I — or even he, strong though he is and great as well — shall be taken by it. If we remain apart I believe we shall be safe, but we cannot be joined."
"What you speak is sage my daughter," her mother said. "But now rise, speak to Badger Ears, tell him as you have told me, and return to such work as you had been doing prior. I shall speak to my husband of this matter.""