Morning Blueprints

Ms Creative Caribou stood in her fortress kitchen, spreading blueprints across the granite counter. Her blue eyes sparkled as she traced the layout for Super City's first inter-species baking contest.

"Perfect!" she said, tapping her small antlers thoughtfully. "Three cooking stations here, judges' table there, and plenty of space for spectators."

Her phone buzzed. A text from Mayor Elksworth: "Caribou, are you sure about this contest? Humans and deer-folk have never competed together before. What if it causes problems?"

She typed back quickly: "Trust me! Food brings everyone together."

But as she rolled up the blueprints, doubt crept in. The contest was only three days away. She'd invited the city's best human bakers and the most talented deer chefs. What if they didn't get along? What if the competition got too heated?

She shook her head, blue hair swishing. "No negative thinking," she told herself. "This will work."

Outside her fortress windows, Super City bustled with morning activity. Soon, it would buzz with excitement over her grand baking adventure.

The Unexpected Visitor

Ms Creative Caribou's fortress doorbell chimed at seven in the morning. She opened the heavy oak door to find a young baker holding a steaming box.

"I'm Jamie Chen," the girl said, adjusting her flour-dusted apron. "I heard about your contest. My grandmother sent me with these."

Jamie opened the box, releasing the warm smell of cinnamon and sugar. Inside sat twelve perfectly golden pastries shaped like tiny antlers.

"Antler cookies," Jamie explained. "My grandmother's recipe from the old country. She said they're for good luck between species."

Ms Creative Caribou picked up one cookie, admiring its delicate curves. "These are beautiful. Your grandmother sounds wise."

"She is. She also said something strange might happen during the contest. She has dreams about these things."

Before Ms Creative Caribou could ask what she meant, her phone exploded with notifications. Text after text flooded in from contestants: "My oven just broke!" "All my flour turned solid!" "Someone stole my mixing bowls!"

Ms Creative Caribou's blue eyes widened as she read message after message. Every single contestant was reporting baking disasters.

"This can't be coincidence," she whispered.