"Kathryn? Kathryn?"
I awake to darkness and Chakotay's soft voice.
"Kathryn, you need to get dressed so we can make it to Anam in time to spirit walk before the sun rises too high in the sky."
Just a couple days on Trebus surrounded by his people has made Chakotay sound more spiritual.
Before I answer, Chakotay sticks a mug of hot black coffee under my nose.
"Your clothes are already laid out for you."
"I love you, Chakotay."
"I love you, too."
Chakotay helps me sit up. I can see his excitement so I do something I absolutely hate doing – I rush my cup of coffee.
I quickly dress, clean my teeth and grab a fruit and some fry bread on my way out the door.
The walk takes a little over 30 minutes because Chakotay and I keep stopping to look at the early birds taking their first flights of the day.
I see Anam for the first time as I make my way to the top of a hill. At the lowest point in the land is a flat rock face touched everywhere by the early morning rays of the sun.
Chakotay takes my hand, and leads me to Anam.
Chakotay sits me beside him and spreads his medicine bundle in front of us.
"Yesterday was the first time I saw this bundle in 10 years. After today, I'll help you make one of your own."
Chakotay places my hand on the Akoonah and begins to chant.
A-koo-chee-moya. We are close to the sacred places of our grandfathers. We are being nourished by the lands that hold the bones of our people. Perhaps there is one powerful being who will embrace the two halves of this soul and give us the answers we seek
When I open my eyes, I am shocked by what I see.
"Voyager. This… this is my ready room on Voyager."
"I can see why you are proud of her."
"When we were on Voyager, this is exactly where we were sitting when you showed me how to contact my animal guide."
"We like symbolism, Kathryn."
"Hello, my friend."
"Do not be so shocked, Chakotay. You have shown Janeway many things. She has been to our plane many times. Barring yesterday, she has been here much more recently than you."
"You, you're Chakotay's animal guide?" Crouched before me is a magnificent gray wolf. Her eyes are yellow, the same color as my animal guide's eyes. "I have seen you before."
"You have seen my animal guide?"
"Yes. Only, I didn't know she was your animal guide. The first time I met her, she almost ate my animal guide."
"The first time we met were under less than stellar circumstances. The Borg alliance, remember?"
"Of course."
At this point, my animal guide is resting between Chakotay's animal guide's ears.
"Your eyes are the same." Chakotay makes the same observation I made the first time I saw his animal guide in my vision.
"Eyes are the window to the soul." My guide spouts sagely.
"We are tired. Take Chakotay on a tour Kathryn."
We make our way through the decks. I bombard him with stories of our journey. Every room we see holds so many memories.
The last place I take him is my quarters. As we walk through to the bedroom, I see that my bathroom door is open. When I peak in, I almost cry.
"What's wrong, Kathryn?"
"That bathtub is not a part of Voyager. We were stranded on a planet for almost three months. Just me and you. The second day there I told you about my love for baths. A week later you showed me this tub. You made it for me."
"I'm glad you seem to like it."
"On the planet we never got to enjoy it together. Can we do that kind of thing in a spirit walk?"
"We can do anything in a spirit walk."
With that I walk over to the tub and fill it up.
As I surface, I expect to be dripping wet from the bath water, but I am perfectly dry and back in the clothes I was in when I left this morning.
I turn to see Chakotay looking slightly stunned.
"I am glad we did this today."
"Kathryn, I have never had anyone be visited by my animal guide before. I feel blessed by the spirits to have you here with me."
He leans over and tenderly kisses my lips. We then both get up and make our way back towards the village feeling peacefully subdued.
We enter the house to find Kolopak and Yatzil sitting in the living room. Chakotay and I take our seats facing them.
"It appears that the spirits were kind to you today."
Chakotay looks at me, smiles and then replies.
"Kathryn realized today that she has seen my animal guide before."
"Indeed." Kolopak replies.
"Her guide and my guide share eyes."
"Chakotay!" Yatzil exclaims making me feel like I have missed something.
Kolopak sees my confusion and chastises Chakotay. "Did you not tell Kathryn what it means if your guides share eyes?"
"Like your guide said, 'eyes are the window to one's soul.' Their eyes are the same."
"Their souls are the same."
"It's what many people on Earth would call soulmates, but it is much deeper than that. No matter the plane of existence, we are only complete with the other."
"I already figured that one out Chakotay."
I give Chakotay a kiss that probably isn't for polite company, but our experience with our spirit guides was intense.
"Son, daughter, there is to be a farewell festival for you this evening. Rest for a couple hours because the party will go until dawn."
"I did only get one cup of coffee this morning." I joke before I do as Kolopak suggests.
