Taking Control During The Group Project

Wolfie tapped her sturdy brown leather boots against the workshop floor, her pointed ears swiveling toward the frantic scratching of chalk. Reginald, a red squirrel with a violently twitchy tail, was drawing a massive, overly complicated blueprint on the chalkboard. "And here, we shall implement a trans-rotational leaf-funnel," Reginald declared, adjusting his tiny spectacles. "It is the only way to filter the creek water." Wolfie leaned forward, her silver-gray fur bristling slightly under her deep blue adventure vest. "Or we could just use crushed charcoal and sand," she suggested, her amber eyes tracking his erratic movements. "It's simpler and actually works." Reginald waved a dismissive paw without looking at her. "Nonsense, canine. The trans-rotational funnel is superior." Beside Wolfie, a small, translucent slime creature named Gloopy burbled anxiously, shifting to a nervous yellow. Wolfie crossed her arms. Her old badger mentor had taught her that group work meant everyone had a voice, especially when building something the whole forest needed. "Reginald, seriously, charcoal is naturally absorbent," she tried again. Reginald talked right over her. "I will need you to gather exactly four hundred pine needles, Wolfie. Chop chop." The team leader ignored her ideas again, so Wolfie stood up, her chair scraping loudly across the floor, while Gloopy glowed bright purple with excitement. Reginald froze, his chalk squeaking to a halt. "Excuse me?" he squeaked. Wolfie flashed a sharp-toothed grin. "I'm not your pine needle fetcher, Reg. We're doing this together, or not at all." The entire workshop went dead silent, the blueprint forgotten as Reginald's face turned as red as his fur.