Title: Quest

Author: Yarb

Rating: PG-13

Author’ Note: This story is entered in Voyager Central's 'Here an R, there an R, everywhere an RR' contest.

*~*~*~*~*~*

  On the edge of my sight, I saw him step onto the sand. He didn't know I had seen him. I watched the waves a few minutes, and soon felt him behind me. He touched the back of my neck, hoping to make me jump. I just looked at him and smiled.

    "Chakotay, I was beginning to think you had stood me up."

    "I wouldn't do that to you, Kath. You know that." He touched my hand, and I looked back out at the tide.

    "It's beautiful, and so peaceful." He fell into pace beside me as I began walking up the small beach.

    "Haven't you seen this place in any vision quests?" I asked him.

    He shook his head. "No, I feel as if I followed you."

    I looked into his eyes, and smiled again. We walked the beach until it began to join a shaded field. It was peaceful quite awhile, but suddenly a wheezing voice called to us.

    "It's about time, I've been waiting all day."

    I looked about quickly, but couldn't find who the voice belonged to. Looking up at Chakotay, I watched him do the same. I could see he was just as shocked as I was.

    This being a latent plane, hidden away, it was beyond any expectation that his subconsious, of all things, would attempt the time we had. I had been deeply touched at his invitation on a vision quest. It's as if he was exposing himself, showing each tiny nuance of the man he usually kept hidden within.

    At the same moment, we both caught sight of the black snake. It slid close to us, then changed it's path, and moved onto a stone heated by the sun.

    "Is that the guide?" I asked quietly.

    "No, I haven't seen this animal yet." he told me.

    "I was enjoying a view of the ocean." I explained as I knelt down to look closely as the snake coiled itself on the stone.

    "And why did you take so long, my pet?"

    I looked up at Chakotay, this wasn't a manifestation of his mind. He wouldn't say something so insolent.

    "The sight was beautiful, and I wanted to stay awhile. May I ask why you need to know?"

    "It is my duty, you know." was the simple explanation I got.

    Chakotay stepped up behind me. I could feel him, always watchful of my safety.

    As I looked up at him, I didn't see the quick movement of the snake. Chakotay quickly pulled me away, but in an instant I felt a slicing pain in my leg. By then time I was able to touch my wound, then snake was gone.

    I willed myself awake, hoping to find myself back on the couch, Chakotay seated beside me. Instead, I opened my eyes again to see him looking at me with such affliction, that panic took hold of me a moment. He had lifted me, and soon the feeling of his hands holding my body close to his consoled me. The shock of the situation eased it's hold, as Chakotay gently leaned me onto a fallen log.

    The pain in my thigh announces itself then, and despite biting my lip, I couldn't hold back a gasp.

    Chakotay lifted the hem of my clothing just enough to look at the wound. He then moved quickly, pulling off the light jacket he had had on. I couldn’t help but wince, and my hand clenched his elbow as he tied the jacket tightly onto my thigh, just above the bite.

    He looked back up at me, and I caught just a glimpse of his face when suddenly my sight faded into black, as if I had closed my eyes.

*~*~*~*~*~*

    A dull sound slowly changed pitch, until it became a loud hissing. Blazing eyes came into focus seemingly inches away.

    It only lasted a second, but the whole situation then seemed insane, almost funny. I was on a vision quest, unconcious, and I had just fainted. It was just about laughable. But the eyes now looked into my soul, and I instantly felt nauseous.

    The snake came close to my face, and I could feel it’s tongue flick against my cheek.

    ”Leave!” the vile voice spat.

    ”Chakotay wouldn’t have asked me to join him, if he didn’t want me to.”

    ”Leave!” came the one syllable command again.

    I could see the outline of the snake’s body now. It was poised to bite at me agin, but it didn’t get the chance as a flash of tawny light cut into my vision.

    I could only watch as a mighty wolf attacked the foe. Soon a new set of eyes looked into mine. I could see these eyes held wisdom beyond any I had seen. She seemed to examine me, checking that I was unscathed.

    ”He is waiting.”

    I wanted to thank the beautiful wolf, but my vision once again began to fade.

*~*~*~*~*~*

    When the haze finally melted away, I looked up to see Chakotay’s face. He looked as if he was sleeping. My head was on his lap, and my hand was clenched in his. I lifted my head slightly, but a twinge of pain pushed me back down. Chakotay then opened his eyes and smiled down at me.

    I looked about, and saw that we now sat on his couch. I was back. I let out a sigh, and took both of his hands in mine.

    ”It would seem we upset one of the animal guides. My own guide told me that the snake was offended by my asking you inside myself.”

    ”I don’t think I follow you.”

    The mind is a secluded place, in essence holy to them. And that specific guide thought I was letting a skeptic see into it.”

    ”But that wolf saved me, at the last moment.”

    ”She’s my own guide. She’s become quite fond of you.”

    That one sentence spoke volumes in itself. I would have to contact my own animal quide, and see how he felt about this whole situation.

    ”Could you thank the wolf, please?”

    He smiled. “If this hasn’t changed the opinion you have of that place, maybe we can go back, and you can thank my guide specially.”

    I thought about it a moment. He would always be with me, and I would be safe on any of his quests. Touching his face, his lips, his cheek, “I’d like that.” I told him.

FIN

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