Once upon a time, in a magical forest, there lived a young cactus named Spike. Spike had a strong spine and was covered in sharp prickles to protect itself from danger. However, one day, Spike learned that its fluid was actually poisonous to other creatures! Spike was scared, knowing it could cause harm without meaning to. It decided to defend itself by staying away from others, but this made it very lonely.
One day, while out for a walk, Spike met a friendly porcupine who showed it how to use its prickles to defend itself instead of causing harm. Spike learned that it could control the fluid that flowed through its spine and only release it when necessary to protect itself. From then on, Spike was no longer afraid to be close to others and was able to make many new friends. Spike discovered that even though it had a thorny exterior, it had a heart full of love, and it was a true friend to those who got to know it.
The end.

Reflections

1. Why did Spike feel scared about its poisonous fluid?
2. How did the porcupine help Spike be less lonely?
3. What did Spike learn about itself and its prickles?
4. How did Spike's relationships with others change after learning to control its fluid?
5. What can we learn from Spike's journey?