Derailment: Day 7

Word Count: 42,009

Summary of Events:
Matthew discovered that Weasel Nose's fever broke and so the two of them were taken to the sweat lodge. Fox Paw heard drums and feared Weasel Nose was dead, but instead discovered that Weasel Nose was alive and that everyone was rejoicing. After Bobcat Ears' home was burned to destroy the sickness Matthew was offered Weasel Nose as his wife, which he refused as she was only nine years old, instead he asked them to listen while he presented the Gospel as payment; he then went to get Shelomith and found the woman caring for her wanted to keep her for another month yet, he was then invited to supper with Fox Paw's family. After Matthew fell asleep due to exhaustion Fox Paw and her family discussed her brother's opinion of Matthew.

Excerpt of the Day:
""I do not like him," Raven Claw said quietly. "He does not worship the Spirits."
"He is a white man," Fox Paw said. "White men do not worship the Spirits."
"But do we go telling others of the Spirits?" Raven Claw challenged. "We do not need to be told of what he worships."
"It was what he wanted for payment," their mother said.
"For payment?" Raven Claw asked, looking at his mother incredulously.
"Yes," their mother replied. "He would not accept a wife as payment for healing Weasel Nose, he wanted us to sit and listen to him."
"That is silliness," Raven Claw said. "How can such be payment?"
"I know not," their mother replied. "But it was satisfactory to him."
"And it was rather interesting," Fox Paw said. "He speaks well."
"It was all foolishness," Raven Claw said.
"I thought it was like when the elders tell stories of when our people were free to roam wherever we chose, and things that their elders told them when they were young children," Fox Paw said. "It was a good tale."
Raven Claw was silent, his gaze and expression toward Fox Paw reminding her much of their father.
"I do not believe what he said," Fox Paw said. "But I enjoyed what he said, he just should've stood up and told it around a fire during the time of storytelling, it seemed wrong to hear such a story in the daytime without a fire."
"White men probably don't tell their stories around the fire," Raven Claw said.
"White men also appear to tire faster than we do," Snake Tongue said.
"He spent a part of the day in the sweat lodge," Fox Paw said.
"And he spent most of yesterday in there as well," their mother added. "The heat of a sweat lodge is tiring; have you not noticed that your father has been much wearied over these days as he has been in the sweat lodge for the night to cleanse himself so that he does not get the illness?"
Snake Tongue shook his head and looked ashamed of himself. Fox Paw looked over at the white man with his short, dark hair. It looked odd that his hair would be so short, but that was how white men wore it.
"I should hope he leaves with the rising of the sun tomorrow," Raven Claw said.
"Swallow Wing does not wish to let him leave yet," Fox Paw said.
"Why should she want to delay him?" Raven Claw asked.
"She has been nursing Shelomith, his daughter, and she does not feel that Shelomith should be made to quit nursing yet, and so she wishes for him to remain until she has nursed Shelomith as long as she believes necessary," Fox Paw replied."