Ripple's Gentle Current

Ripple was a living magic carpet. A freshwater stingray (Potamotrygon species) with a dark, spotted disc and a long, whip-like tail, she glided through the water with hypnotic grace. Her movement was a flowing undulation of her body edges, propelling her silently through the sand-bottomed tank. She'd bury herself partially in the substrate, with just her eyes and spiracles showing. The large aquarium is just water flow now, missing her shadow drifting across the sand, the way she'd rise to the surface for pieces of shrimp, and the careful dance of tank mates avoiding her gentle space.