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."
Monday, August 10, 2015
Saturday, August 08, 2015
Derailment: Day 6
Word Count: 36,024
Summary of Events:
Matthew woke up to find about ten native men in his tent who demanded he come with them and heal someone; he followed being as his only other option was to die, and was forced to leave his children with some of the women — which greatly distressed Adonikam. Fox Paw finally managed to get Adonikam to settle down to sleep while her mother took Shelomith to her older sister Swallow Wing — who had a one year old of her own — to be nursed; Fox Paw and her mother then set about making deerskin clothes for Adonikam. Matthew sat with Weasel Nose, doing all he could do and worrying, yet working diligently to not forget God had it all under control. Fox Paw continued about her daily tasks with Adonikam as her shadow.
Excerpt of the Day:
"Surprisingly enough — based on his first impression — Fox Paw was finding Adonikam to be quite the endearing little boy; he'd been so ecstatic when his tunic had been finished — although it had been all they could do to keep him from picking everything off — and his enthusiasm and curiosity seemed to be growing with leaps and bounds as the time passed.
Raven Claw had gotten some more ducks, and Fox Paw was covering them in mud to be cooked and eaten for supper. Adonikam — who seemed intent to follow her everywhere — had come along and was helping her quite well; the only thing was that he slapped the mud down, which splattered it everywhere. Fox Paw was glad he wasn't crawling into the mud and making himself a mess, though.
Adonikam scooped up a large handful of mud and plopped it on the duck. Fox Paw smoothed it out so it wasn't quite so thick and put on a smaller handful herself. Adonikam seemed highly pleased with his ability to help and his face seemed to now be permanently bearing a smile.
Once the ducks were covered in mud Fox Paw got to her feet. Adonikam looked at his hands and then thrust them into the water for a few moments before drawing them out again and looking at them. He repeated the process until there was no more mud on them.
"You do," Adonikam said.
"No," Fox Paw said.
Adonikam looked at her with puzzlement, but toddled quickly after her when she started off to put the ducks under the fire. Adonikam watched with his light eyes intent as she put the ducks in the coals to cook, and then followed her back to the water where she washed her hands.
Fox Paw then went back to her mother's home and helped her mother sew the clothes they were making Shelomith. Adonikam watched everything with incredible interest, he was taking in everything like dry ground took in water — or at least it looked that way; Fox Paw wasn't sure hat he would retain everything due to his young age.
Adonikam sat quietly as well, which interested Fox Paw, as all the children his age she'd known seemed to have boundless energy and were constantly running around and playing — and also getting into trouble.
Of course, his mind was working as he was taking in all of the information that he was seeing. Fox Paw finished her seam and tied off the sinew, she then started sewing the next seam, all under Adonikam's watchful eye."
Summary of Events:
Matthew woke up to find about ten native men in his tent who demanded he come with them and heal someone; he followed being as his only other option was to die, and was forced to leave his children with some of the women — which greatly distressed Adonikam. Fox Paw finally managed to get Adonikam to settle down to sleep while her mother took Shelomith to her older sister Swallow Wing — who had a one year old of her own — to be nursed; Fox Paw and her mother then set about making deerskin clothes for Adonikam. Matthew sat with Weasel Nose, doing all he could do and worrying, yet working diligently to not forget God had it all under control. Fox Paw continued about her daily tasks with Adonikam as her shadow.
Excerpt of the Day:
"Surprisingly enough — based on his first impression — Fox Paw was finding Adonikam to be quite the endearing little boy; he'd been so ecstatic when his tunic had been finished — although it had been all they could do to keep him from picking everything off — and his enthusiasm and curiosity seemed to be growing with leaps and bounds as the time passed.
Raven Claw had gotten some more ducks, and Fox Paw was covering them in mud to be cooked and eaten for supper. Adonikam — who seemed intent to follow her everywhere — had come along and was helping her quite well; the only thing was that he slapped the mud down, which splattered it everywhere. Fox Paw was glad he wasn't crawling into the mud and making himself a mess, though.
Adonikam scooped up a large handful of mud and plopped it on the duck. Fox Paw smoothed it out so it wasn't quite so thick and put on a smaller handful herself. Adonikam seemed highly pleased with his ability to help and his face seemed to now be permanently bearing a smile.
Once the ducks were covered in mud Fox Paw got to her feet. Adonikam looked at his hands and then thrust them into the water for a few moments before drawing them out again and looking at them. He repeated the process until there was no more mud on them.
"You do," Adonikam said.
"No," Fox Paw said.
Adonikam looked at her with puzzlement, but toddled quickly after her when she started off to put the ducks under the fire. Adonikam watched with his light eyes intent as she put the ducks in the coals to cook, and then followed her back to the water where she washed her hands.
Fox Paw then went back to her mother's home and helped her mother sew the clothes they were making Shelomith. Adonikam watched everything with incredible interest, he was taking in everything like dry ground took in water — or at least it looked that way; Fox Paw wasn't sure hat he would retain everything due to his young age.
Adonikam sat quietly as well, which interested Fox Paw, as all the children his age she'd known seemed to have boundless energy and were constantly running around and playing — and also getting into trouble.
Of course, his mind was working as he was taking in all of the information that he was seeing. Fox Paw finished her seam and tied off the sinew, she then started sewing the next seam, all under Adonikam's watchful eye."
Friday, August 07, 2015
Derailment: Day 5
Word Count: 30,019
Summary of Events:
Fox Paw's half brother Mouse Leg died of the illness and was cremated as his mother, while Fox Paw felt greatly disturbed. Matthew continued journeying and talked with Adonikam about quite a few things that Adonikam didn't follow. Fox Paw's half sister Fish Mouth also died — making two deaths in one day — and Fox Paw went off on her own to try and sort through her feelings. Matthew set up camp for the night near to a native settlement, although he hoped to go unnoticed being as he was to their west. However, he did not go unnoticed; Fox Paw noticed him, and crept closer to investigate out of great curiosity . . .
Excerpt of the Day:
"Now she could see the fire, and she could see the boy clearly, along with most of the man — for now she could tell it was a man. The boy was young, no more than five winters, with a thick head of dark hair, and he had light eyes, which unnerved Fox Paw, as she'd only ever seen people with dark eyes.
The man was sitting with his legs crossed, and he was clothed in leather; was he one of their people? But then why did he have this great contraption, and a child with light eyes with him?
He picked up something and he opened it like one separated bark from a sapling — but it was no sapling, it was black, and Fox Paw didn't have a word to describe its shape — he turned layers of something marked with dark markings on it, and then began to speak.
Fox Paw understood some of the words; her father had sometimes spoken in that language and she'd learned a bit of it — although her father had never spoken to her in the language — she didn't know what the language was, other than that it wasn't her language.
The man then closed the thing and got to his feet. He set it in something else that Fox Paw couldn't begin to describe, which he picked up and carried into his small home that didn't look to be of skins.
Soon the boy followed him. After some time the man came out again and poured water over what little remained of his fire to put it out with much hissing before returning into his home.
Quickly Fox Paw leapt to her feet and hurried away to the sweat lodge; she had to tell this to her father, he would know who this man was, and what should be done about him and his son.
Her father and the medicine man startled when she dashed into the sweat lodge. Her father's surprise faded to a distinctly upset expression after he realized who had come to them.
Before either one of them could say anything Fox Paw quickly told them all that she had seen, describing the contraption and some of the other things with great difficulty — occasionally being questioned by her father and the medicine man during her descriptions.
As she spoke she noticed an alarm growing on her father's face, which made her feel quite uncomfortable: what had she found? Once she had described all she could remember she fell silent to let her father and the medicine man think.
"You have seen a white man," her father said before there had been much pause. "He is a learned white man, for he has books — I have seen them — he is travelling through here to someplace."
"But he wears skins," Fox Paw said.
"Some white men do, for they have realized the advantages of our dress," her father replied. "He must know much about medicine, and especially of white man's sicknesses — for these are the sicknesses that plague us — we must get him to heal Weasel Nose.""
Summary of Events:
Fox Paw's half brother Mouse Leg died of the illness and was cremated as his mother, while Fox Paw felt greatly disturbed. Matthew continued journeying and talked with Adonikam about quite a few things that Adonikam didn't follow. Fox Paw's half sister Fish Mouth also died — making two deaths in one day — and Fox Paw went off on her own to try and sort through her feelings. Matthew set up camp for the night near to a native settlement, although he hoped to go unnoticed being as he was to their west. However, he did not go unnoticed; Fox Paw noticed him, and crept closer to investigate out of great curiosity . . .
Excerpt of the Day:
"Now she could see the fire, and she could see the boy clearly, along with most of the man — for now she could tell it was a man. The boy was young, no more than five winters, with a thick head of dark hair, and he had light eyes, which unnerved Fox Paw, as she'd only ever seen people with dark eyes.
The man was sitting with his legs crossed, and he was clothed in leather; was he one of their people? But then why did he have this great contraption, and a child with light eyes with him?
He picked up something and he opened it like one separated bark from a sapling — but it was no sapling, it was black, and Fox Paw didn't have a word to describe its shape — he turned layers of something marked with dark markings on it, and then began to speak.
Fox Paw understood some of the words; her father had sometimes spoken in that language and she'd learned a bit of it — although her father had never spoken to her in the language — she didn't know what the language was, other than that it wasn't her language.
The man then closed the thing and got to his feet. He set it in something else that Fox Paw couldn't begin to describe, which he picked up and carried into his small home that didn't look to be of skins.
Soon the boy followed him. After some time the man came out again and poured water over what little remained of his fire to put it out with much hissing before returning into his home.
Quickly Fox Paw leapt to her feet and hurried away to the sweat lodge; she had to tell this to her father, he would know who this man was, and what should be done about him and his son.
Her father and the medicine man startled when she dashed into the sweat lodge. Her father's surprise faded to a distinctly upset expression after he realized who had come to them.
Before either one of them could say anything Fox Paw quickly told them all that she had seen, describing the contraption and some of the other things with great difficulty — occasionally being questioned by her father and the medicine man during her descriptions.
As she spoke she noticed an alarm growing on her father's face, which made her feel quite uncomfortable: what had she found? Once she had described all she could remember she fell silent to let her father and the medicine man think.
"You have seen a white man," her father said before there had been much pause. "He is a learned white man, for he has books — I have seen them — he is travelling through here to someplace."
"But he wears skins," Fox Paw said.
"Some white men do, for they have realized the advantages of our dress," her father replied. "He must know much about medicine, and especially of white man's sicknesses — for these are the sicknesses that plague us — we must get him to heal Weasel Nose.""
Thursday, August 06, 2015
Derailment: Day 4
Word Count: 24,008
Summary of Events:
Fox Paw's stepmother Bobcat Ears died of the illness and was promptly cremated. Matthew continued on driving through the prairies worrying about how white he'd become and how his sisters and childhood friends would react. Fox Paw told her mother she felt guilty for Bobcat Ears' death and wished she could've done more, but her mother told her she couldn't have done anything. Matthew had set up camp for another night and Adonikam went off, discovered a gopher, and ended up getting bitten by it.
Excerpt of the Day:
"A wolf howl sounded, long, eerie, and lonesome off in the distance. Matthew felt a twinge of concern; was the meat well-hidden enough that a wolf wouldn't smell it out? And if any wolves came near, would they spare his horses and his children?
Matthew looked skyward: God knew. Not to mention, Matthew had kept his bow, and he had it with him — although he didn't know how good of condition it was in, being as he hadn't used it in a dozen years — along with some arrows; he could hunt meat for them and show Adonikam the finer points of skinning game, along with all the useable parts.
Shifting the sausages around and checking the biscuit again with his fork, Matthew then looked around and realized that Adonikam had disappeared again; like the night he'd found the snake.
"Adonikam!" he called, quickly getting to his feet.
He couldn't see anything, no matter which way he scanned. His son was nowhere to be seen. Then he heard a bloodcurdling shriek and he leapt forward, going around the wagon to the north, he took two long strides before he found Adonikam with dirt all the way up to the shoulder of his right arm, his right forefinger coated with blood.
Matthew put one hand over Adonikam's mouth and the other around his son's entire right hand. Once Adonikam stopped screaming Matthew shifted his hold on his son to carry him back to the fireside so he could examine the wound.
Taking up the water skin he'd packed, along with one of the washcloths, Matthew poured a little water onto the cloth and opened his right hand. Carefully he wiped the mud and blood off of Adonikam's hand, revealing a small little profusely bleeding cut right at the tip of Adonikam's forefinger.
Carefully Matthew covered Adonikam's finger with the cloth and wrapped it tightly — eliciting protest from his son.
"Hold your hand like this," Matthew said. "I have to get bandages."
Matthew rinsed his own right hand with water from the skin before getting up and fetching the crate in which he'd packed a few medical supplies. He brought the crate over and opened it.
He found a topical treatment to prevent gangrene and the bandages quickly. Uncovering Adonikam's finger again, Matthew put some of the treatment on — which made Adonikam scream — and then tightly wrapped the finger with the bandage; using his teeth to tear it off once it was enough.
Matthew put everything back in the crate and then lifted Adonikam into his lap and held him close until Adonikam's crying had settled down to little hiccup-like sounds."
Summary of Events:
Fox Paw's stepmother Bobcat Ears died of the illness and was promptly cremated. Matthew continued on driving through the prairies worrying about how white he'd become and how his sisters and childhood friends would react. Fox Paw told her mother she felt guilty for Bobcat Ears' death and wished she could've done more, but her mother told her she couldn't have done anything. Matthew had set up camp for another night and Adonikam went off, discovered a gopher, and ended up getting bitten by it.
Excerpt of the Day:
"A wolf howl sounded, long, eerie, and lonesome off in the distance. Matthew felt a twinge of concern; was the meat well-hidden enough that a wolf wouldn't smell it out? And if any wolves came near, would they spare his horses and his children?
Matthew looked skyward: God knew. Not to mention, Matthew had kept his bow, and he had it with him — although he didn't know how good of condition it was in, being as he hadn't used it in a dozen years — along with some arrows; he could hunt meat for them and show Adonikam the finer points of skinning game, along with all the useable parts.
Shifting the sausages around and checking the biscuit again with his fork, Matthew then looked around and realized that Adonikam had disappeared again; like the night he'd found the snake.
"Adonikam!" he called, quickly getting to his feet.
He couldn't see anything, no matter which way he scanned. His son was nowhere to be seen. Then he heard a bloodcurdling shriek and he leapt forward, going around the wagon to the north, he took two long strides before he found Adonikam with dirt all the way up to the shoulder of his right arm, his right forefinger coated with blood.
Matthew put one hand over Adonikam's mouth and the other around his son's entire right hand. Once Adonikam stopped screaming Matthew shifted his hold on his son to carry him back to the fireside so he could examine the wound.
Taking up the water skin he'd packed, along with one of the washcloths, Matthew poured a little water onto the cloth and opened his right hand. Carefully he wiped the mud and blood off of Adonikam's hand, revealing a small little profusely bleeding cut right at the tip of Adonikam's forefinger.
Carefully Matthew covered Adonikam's finger with the cloth and wrapped it tightly — eliciting protest from his son.
"Hold your hand like this," Matthew said. "I have to get bandages."
Matthew rinsed his own right hand with water from the skin before getting up and fetching the crate in which he'd packed a few medical supplies. He brought the crate over and opened it.
He found a topical treatment to prevent gangrene and the bandages quickly. Uncovering Adonikam's finger again, Matthew put some of the treatment on — which made Adonikam scream — and then tightly wrapped the finger with the bandage; using his teeth to tear it off once it was enough.
Matthew put everything back in the crate and then lifted Adonikam into his lap and held him close until Adonikam's crying had settled down to little hiccup-like sounds."
Wednesday, August 05, 2015
Derailment: Day 3
Word Count: 18,028
Summary of Events:
Fox Paw's father came and told her mother that only Bobcat Ears' household was taken ill and also asked a reason for Fox Paw's flightiness — a reason which displeased him strongly. Matthew discovered he was nearing a town and realized he wasn't in Oklahoma yet; he also encountered the sheriff who got suspicious of his intent to enter Oklahoma Territory and detained him. Fox Paw prepared some rabbit pelts for tanning and discussed making one of them into a wedding gift for Badger Ears with her mother. Matthew, finally now in Oklahoma Territory, was readying to make supper when Adonikam found his old deerskin clothes he hadn't worn for a dozen years.
Excerpt of the Day:
"Adonikam was still holding the clothes, sitting on the wagon seat. Matthew got the matches out and slid them into his pocket before looking at Adonikam.
"I told you to put the clothes away please," Matthew said.
"Wear 'em Papa," Adonikam said.
Matthew sighed, wondering why he'd even packed the clothes along. "I told you to put them away Adonikam," he said with a firmer edge to his voice.
"Wear 'em Papa, peas," Adonikam said.
"It's please," Matthew corrected. "And I told you to put them away."
"Peas Papa wear 'em," Adonikam said, holding them out.
Matthew lifted Adonikam off of the seat, pried his son's fingers off of his old clothes, and set them down on the seat. He set Adonikam down on the ground, not bothering to say anything, and walked over to start the fire.
Sitting down, Matthew looked down at himself and sighed; here he was, heading to visit his sisters and other Comanche friends he'd grown up with, and he was going to walk in there looking like a white man?
His friends would think he'd betrayed them, his sisters might even think the same; they might not even trust his teaching and might be afraid that he was trying to anglicize them.
Matthew rested his elbows on his knees and his forehead in his hands. What was he thinking? It was going to be odd enough for them to that he'd be walking into their camp with short hair.
But would his old clothes even fit? He hadn't worn them in twelve years after all. He turned at the sound of footsteps and saw Adonikam approaching, one piece of clothing clenched in each fist.
"Wear 'em Papa," Adonikam said, holding them out to him.
"We'll see if they fit," Matthew sighed. "Stay out of the tent please."
Matthew got up and walked into the tent. Shelomith was sleeping, and at her age she wasn't likely to remember seeing her father changing clothes, but still Matthew kept his back to her and stripped every last garment of cotton and wool from his body, sliding on the deerskin leggings and tunic.
They fit just as well as they'd fit on the day his mother had made them for him; the only thing that'd changed was that the sleeves and legs were a little short; he'd grown a bit taller since he'd last worn them, but other than that he was pretty much the same size.
Looking down at himself, Matthew wondered what Josephina would've thought of him if she'd been here to see him. Matthew walked out of the tent and sat down to light the fire.
"Papa look right," Adonikam said.
Matthew turned and looked at his son with puzzlement. "Right?"
Adonikam nodded, offering no further explanation. Matthew looked at his son curiously before returning to the task of lighting the fire; that was a different reaction than he'd expected, but that was the reaction he'd gotten."
Summary of Events:
Fox Paw's father came and told her mother that only Bobcat Ears' household was taken ill and also asked a reason for Fox Paw's flightiness — a reason which displeased him strongly. Matthew discovered he was nearing a town and realized he wasn't in Oklahoma yet; he also encountered the sheriff who got suspicious of his intent to enter Oklahoma Territory and detained him. Fox Paw prepared some rabbit pelts for tanning and discussed making one of them into a wedding gift for Badger Ears with her mother. Matthew, finally now in Oklahoma Territory, was readying to make supper when Adonikam found his old deerskin clothes he hadn't worn for a dozen years.
Excerpt of the Day:
"Adonikam was still holding the clothes, sitting on the wagon seat. Matthew got the matches out and slid them into his pocket before looking at Adonikam.
"I told you to put the clothes away please," Matthew said.
"Wear 'em Papa," Adonikam said.
Matthew sighed, wondering why he'd even packed the clothes along. "I told you to put them away Adonikam," he said with a firmer edge to his voice.
"Wear 'em Papa, peas," Adonikam said.
"It's please," Matthew corrected. "And I told you to put them away."
"Peas Papa wear 'em," Adonikam said, holding them out.
Matthew lifted Adonikam off of the seat, pried his son's fingers off of his old clothes, and set them down on the seat. He set Adonikam down on the ground, not bothering to say anything, and walked over to start the fire.
Sitting down, Matthew looked down at himself and sighed; here he was, heading to visit his sisters and other Comanche friends he'd grown up with, and he was going to walk in there looking like a white man?
His friends would think he'd betrayed them, his sisters might even think the same; they might not even trust his teaching and might be afraid that he was trying to anglicize them.
Matthew rested his elbows on his knees and his forehead in his hands. What was he thinking? It was going to be odd enough for them to that he'd be walking into their camp with short hair.
But would his old clothes even fit? He hadn't worn them in twelve years after all. He turned at the sound of footsteps and saw Adonikam approaching, one piece of clothing clenched in each fist.
"Wear 'em Papa," Adonikam said, holding them out to him.
"We'll see if they fit," Matthew sighed. "Stay out of the tent please."
Matthew got up and walked into the tent. Shelomith was sleeping, and at her age she wasn't likely to remember seeing her father changing clothes, but still Matthew kept his back to her and stripped every last garment of cotton and wool from his body, sliding on the deerskin leggings and tunic.
They fit just as well as they'd fit on the day his mother had made them for him; the only thing that'd changed was that the sleeves and legs were a little short; he'd grown a bit taller since he'd last worn them, but other than that he was pretty much the same size.
Looking down at himself, Matthew wondered what Josephina would've thought of him if she'd been here to see him. Matthew walked out of the tent and sat down to light the fire.
"Papa look right," Adonikam said.
Matthew turned and looked at his son with puzzlement. "Right?"
Adonikam nodded, offering no further explanation. Matthew looked at his son curiously before returning to the task of lighting the fire; that was a different reaction than he'd expected, but that was the reaction he'd gotten."
Tuesday, August 04, 2015
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.""
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.""
Monday, August 03, 2015
Derailment: Day 1
Word Count: 6,010
Summary of Events:
Matthew set out from his mother and stepfather's house — which ended up being a surprisingly emotional ordeal — on his journey to his sisters in Oklahoma Territory. Fox Paw went to visit Badger Ears, but ended up getting panicked over the fact that Badger Ears had already been married and widowed twice and fearing that she, too, would die if she married him. Matthew got Adonikam ready for bed and then started writing another sermon, as he often did before bed, inspired by the passage he always read before bed.
Excerpt of the Day:
"Matthew kept writing until the lantern flickered again a little bit; it was like someone was trying to blow it out, but was being unsuccessful. This time they seemed to get a little closer to blowing it out.
Sighing, Matthew packed up his things. He had a sermon already, he'd be fine, he didn't need to have a month's worth of sermons ready and waiting to be preached to his congregation, he would have weeks there to plan and prepare sermons. He only needed one, and he had it.
Closing the crate and setting the hammer on top of it — being as he didn't want to wake either of the children by tapping the nails back into place — Matthew then went over to his bedroll, took his nightclothes out of it, and slid his boots off.
The lamp flickered again. Matthew straightened up and blew it out, he could change in the dark. Matthew unbuttoned his vest and took it off, then he unfastened his belt and pulled it out of the loops.
Climbing into his bedroll, Matthew laid his head down on his pillow and let his eyes drift closed. He could see Josephina beside him, her beautiful brown hair spread out behind her, having been released from the usual knot at the back of her head as she'd changed.
She slowly moved closer to him and draped her arm over his side; Matthew sighed and smiled at her. Josephina smiled back at him and slid her arm up to rest her hand on his shoulder.
"You are very much a pastor," she whispered — as she often did — "But you cannot be a good pastor if you don't sleep when you ought to."
"But there's so much that has to be told," Matthew protested.
"Yes, there is, I know," Josephina said. "The Bible is the living word of God; but you do not need to tell it all before you're thirty, you will tell it all in good time, you have many years left in your life, you do not need to rush."
"Then I should hope you have equally as many years left so that I can get my rest and receive my care as I need to," Matthew replied.
Josephina smiled and closed her eyes, her face relaxing and going pale before she suddenly faded from sight. Matthew startled and his eyes popped open; he found himself in the darkness of the Kansas night.
Reaching out, he felt Adonikam sleeping beside him; reaching behind him he felt the cradle and Shelomith inside. There was no Josephina. Matthew inhaled a shaky breath and closed his eyes again.
His heart ached within him; even though it'd been a year he missed Josephina with a pain that never seemed to ease within him. Turning his face toward the pillow, Matthew inhaled another shaky breath and let the tears seep through his eyelids into the cotton and down."
Summary of Events:
Matthew set out from his mother and stepfather's house — which ended up being a surprisingly emotional ordeal — on his journey to his sisters in Oklahoma Territory. Fox Paw went to visit Badger Ears, but ended up getting panicked over the fact that Badger Ears had already been married and widowed twice and fearing that she, too, would die if she married him. Matthew got Adonikam ready for bed and then started writing another sermon, as he often did before bed, inspired by the passage he always read before bed.
Excerpt of the Day:
"Matthew kept writing until the lantern flickered again a little bit; it was like someone was trying to blow it out, but was being unsuccessful. This time they seemed to get a little closer to blowing it out.
Sighing, Matthew packed up his things. He had a sermon already, he'd be fine, he didn't need to have a month's worth of sermons ready and waiting to be preached to his congregation, he would have weeks there to plan and prepare sermons. He only needed one, and he had it.
Closing the crate and setting the hammer on top of it — being as he didn't want to wake either of the children by tapping the nails back into place — Matthew then went over to his bedroll, took his nightclothes out of it, and slid his boots off.
The lamp flickered again. Matthew straightened up and blew it out, he could change in the dark. Matthew unbuttoned his vest and took it off, then he unfastened his belt and pulled it out of the loops.
Climbing into his bedroll, Matthew laid his head down on his pillow and let his eyes drift closed. He could see Josephina beside him, her beautiful brown hair spread out behind her, having been released from the usual knot at the back of her head as she'd changed.
She slowly moved closer to him and draped her arm over his side; Matthew sighed and smiled at her. Josephina smiled back at him and slid her arm up to rest her hand on his shoulder.
"You are very much a pastor," she whispered — as she often did — "But you cannot be a good pastor if you don't sleep when you ought to."
"But there's so much that has to be told," Matthew protested.
"Yes, there is, I know," Josephina said. "The Bible is the living word of God; but you do not need to tell it all before you're thirty, you will tell it all in good time, you have many years left in your life, you do not need to rush."
"Then I should hope you have equally as many years left so that I can get my rest and receive my care as I need to," Matthew replied.
Josephina smiled and closed her eyes, her face relaxing and going pale before she suddenly faded from sight. Matthew startled and his eyes popped open; he found himself in the darkness of the Kansas night.
Reaching out, he felt Adonikam sleeping beside him; reaching behind him he felt the cradle and Shelomith inside. There was no Josephina. Matthew inhaled a shaky breath and closed his eyes again.
His heart ached within him; even though it'd been a year he missed Josephina with a pain that never seemed to ease within him. Turning his face toward the pillow, Matthew inhaled another shaky breath and let the tears seep through his eyelids into the cotton and down."
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