An Unlikely Alliance

The world is changing fast now - and not only the climate. In the dying light of the world of birds, a final spark of intelligence burns fast and bright. Many cultures will collide in the grandest story so far told.

300 Million Years Post-Establishment + 1 year

The teeth were a pragmatic people. They were neither cruel, nor specifically unpleasant to know. The teeth were intelligent, conversational, and witty, to boot. But the teeth were carnivores, and their diet was broad. They didn't apologize for their nature - no, they reveled in it. The teeth were used to being at the top of the natural order. Almost all feared their bite, and those which didn't would soon learn to.

But the wings were a puzzle to the teeth. Creatures so small and delicate, and yet so confident in their abilities. They had no fear of the teeth, and so the teeth - for whom bravery is very important - found this admirable.

Yet the wings still respected the teeth. They didn't intend to dominate them - not that they ever could. The two kept to separate worlds, with little overlap, but grew used to seeing each other on the margins. The teeth came to respect the wings too - why not be civil, since they were too swift and agile to catch, and hardly worth the effort?

Here and there, strangers from both people exchanged a few passing words. Their voices were different, but they shared one thing in common: the uncommon skill to learn other's speech. Interactions between wing and tooth were a curiosity to begin with. What could one offer the other? The wings were skilled artisans, able to create what they needed. The teeth were powerful, deadly. They had everything they needed without relying on tools. Both people were proud, and more than a little vain. They shared that, too. Neither needed any outside help, but some couldn't help but have a curiosity about what lay beyond their little piece of the wider world. So a few passing words grew into conversations. Strangers became acquainted. And over time, the value in differing skills was discovered.

For though the wings were clever and crafty mobile, they were small and frail and weak. The teeth were huge and strong, yet tied to the ground, living at the whims of the weather, and strongly constrained by a limited food supply that forced families to break up into small bands, never knowing if they'd see each other again. By sharing skills with one another, the wings could gain protection and strength. The teeth gained long-distance communication, messengers that could bring contact between long-isolated clans, strengthening their society's bonds. Both had food to gain, flying scouts teaming up with deadly killers to form a team greater than either alone.

The wings and the teeth were just different enough not to compete, as the wings, always observant, cautiously paid attention to worsening conflict over resources between the far more similar intelligent species living across the sea. But they were also just enough alike to see eye-to-eye and to work together. Different but equal, they would oversee the craterlands together, making something bigger than themselves... and greater than any before them on Serina.