Riddle Contest Day 5: Crystal Reef!

Hey Jammers, happy Save-the-Elephant Day!

 We're almost halfway done with this contest, so I'd like to give a big thank-you to everyone who has participated so far. Here it is:

THANK YOU!!!!!

(Haha... get it? "Big" thank-you? Haha... haha... ugh. -_-)

Seriously though, I'm so happy with the turn-out of this contest. It seems to me that it's really fun for some of you! I think I might do more of these in the future.

As always, here's a brief description of this contest for those who are new to the party:

Here's what this Riddle Contest is all about: Every day of the contest will focus on one land in Jamaa. There will be a riddle about one animal from that land's Journey Book, and it will be your job to guess which one it is!

Whoever answers the most riddles correctly will win a FREE CUSTOM MASTERPIECE! 

It would be in your best interest to answer every riddle to give you a better chance. Even if you haven't answered the previous riddles yet, you can answer them any time up until the end of the contest on April 22nd.

- Link to Riddle #1

- Link to Riddle #2
- Link to Riddle #3
- Link to Riddle #4

Today's journey will take us underwater to the blue waters of Crystal Reef. Without further ado, let's DIVE right in! 

(If you wanna skip the short story and get straight to the riddle, it's at the bottom in big bold letters.)

Without hesitation, you jump right into the cool water with a big splash, and a totally new world opens up to you.

The bubbles clear and unveil countless colors. You gape with wonder as those colors transform before adjusting eyes into the diverse forms of many water-breathing creatures-- too many to count! 

Of course, the majority of the creatures you see are animals that seem more like plants, clinging and subtly shuffling among sand and rock. More free-swimming fish are hiding in the deeper waters, you presume. 

Although the creatures you see aren't as physically mobile, there exists the energy of a bustling town in these waters. Like a Jamaa Township for invertebrates. 

Soon the water feels so natural to swim in that it begins to feel like air. You glide through this alien-yet-familiar landscape like you're flying, looking down at the myriad of creatures living together in harmony. To your surprise, you spot a sand dollar. You've never seen a living one before now, so you swoop down to get a closer look.

The little sand dollar shuffles slowly across the sandy floor of Crystal Reef. Upon closer inspection, you're amazed to see thousands of tiny feet, each taking tentative steps to gradually carry the little sand dollar to all his destinations. At one point, he seems to shyly wave at you with all his many appendages. You smile. The pattern on his back looks a lot like a flower. 

Suddenly, a voice!

"It's a terrible shame that people mainly see sand dollars as mere ornaments. They're wonderful when you get to know them, really."

That voice did not come from the sand dollar. You swivel your head around, trying to gauge its source.

"I wouldn't go looking for me, if I were you. You might accidentally get stung," the voice echos. 

You realize that you probably wouldn't be able to tell this creature's location from sound alone. The water distorts their voice so thoroughly that it sounds like it's coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once!

"I can't figure out where you are, so could you at least tell me what you are?" you call out. 

The mysterious voice responds, "I won't tell you, but you can guess. I'll give you a riddle...

"I'm the deer of the ocean, 

but if you get too close, I won't run away--

I'll sting!"

HINT: Look in your Journey Book!

*Comment your AJ username, your answer to the riddle, and what you would like me to draw for you as a Masterpiece if you win!*

Keep in mind that you do not have to repeat your Masterpiece request if you have already written it on a previous riddle.

Tomorrow is Day 6, where we will continue our exploration of the ocean in BAHARI BAY! :D

See you there!

~DoomyPanda

P.S. I may be nonmember right now, but as soon as the contest winner is announced I will buy a membership and get right to work on the winner's Masterpiece.

P.P.S. The Biweekly Masterpiece contest will be announced late. 

P.P.P.S. Go check out video of sand dollars alive underwater. It's so cool!!!

P.P.P.P.S. I just learned that "bahari" means "sea" in Hindi. I also learned that the "kani" in Kani Cove means "crab" in Japanese! How cool is that?