"The ocean is the only place I have yet to search," you sigh, feeling that this whole journey was a waste of time.  "I shall go there."  You willingly allow the lady to lead you into the mists, which still have not left droplets of water on you after all the times you have been through them.

The first thing you notice is that the pounding roar of the ocean is somewhat less than you have heard it.  Stepping fully from the fog, you see the reason is because you are on a high cliff overlooking the sea.  The height makes you dizzy and you continue down the path immediately, setting foot on the beach after a few minutes.

You look out over the waters, waves rolling into shore.  The pounding sound soon lulls you into a hypnotic  state.  It seems to become the breathing of the earth.  Visions begin to flood your mind.  Rivers become veins and arteries of the world.  The sun becomes a fiery heart, rising to warm the ground that is the body and setting to cool the ardor before it burns the body to ashes.  The moon is the soul, with the stars being eyes.  The rage of the planet is in the volcanos, earthquakes, and storms.

"She waters the lands with Her tears," the lady's voice interrupts.  You blink and look at her in utter confusion.

"Who?" you ask, still reeling from what you saw.

The lady waves a hand at what's around her.  "The Great Mother.  The Earth.  You saw the visions."  A statement; no question intended.  She knows you saw what you did.

Suddenly defensive, you turn away and scoff.  "The dreams make it seem as though the earth lives.  How can rock and water be alive?"

"The Mother is not simply a mass of rock, my friend," she reproves gently.  "She gave us life and allows us to stay and thrive.  She records Her history in stone and in the ringso f trees.  Disturbing one aspect of Her Balance will proceed to destroy the entire Balance, just as having one thing wrong with your body can lead to others until failure occurs.  Most peoples know this but choose to ignore it for personal gain.  They deafen themselves to the language of the world, and soon they are truly deaf."

"But--" you begin, but she cuts you off.

"Enough.  Always questioning, you humans are.  It is both your saving grace and your worst feature.  You will see, in time."

Impatient and frustrated by what seems to be a wild goose chase, you burst out with, "But time is not a luxury I have!  Where is this mare, my lady?  My brother is dying!"

"She comes here to speak with the Earth, at times.  And to hide when the hunters decide to track her.  But she cannot live on these shores.  The water is not fit for her to drink, and there is no food to sustain her."

"Then my quest is pointless," you say bitterly.  "For there is nowhere I have not gone, and yet this creature is still as far away as ever."  You turn away curtly.  "Let me back into the forest so that I might leave."