#preshistoric

The Traits That Spawned the Age of Mammals

Lots of the traits we think of as defining us as mammals show up pretty early, during the time of the dinosaurs.  And, in some cases, they show up a lot earlier and in things that weren’t mammals at all. 

Big thanks to Julio Lacerda (https://twitter.com/JulioTheArtist​) for the excellent Morganucodon and Microdocodon illustrations! 

Produced by Complexly for PBS Digital Studios

“Shh, don’t cry. It’ll all be alright, I promise you,” Sky murmured. His assurances were of little comfort to his wife. 

Sparrow sniffled, turning her eyes away from her husband. She couldn’t bear to look into his bright eyes and see her own fear reflected back.  

Worse still, she would see Sky’s love and affection for her pouring out from the brilliant blue. Sky wiped a tear from her cheek. 

“In no time at all, I will return. You’ll barely have time to miss me,” Sky tried again to ease the heartache tearing Sparrow in two but he knew it was useless. Leaving for the hunt was necessary for their survival but the emotional toll was heavy. 

“I love you,” Sparrow murmured, almost too quietly for Sky to hear. He rubbed her back rhythmically, hoping this last physical comfort could be that for her...comfort. 

“Look at those mountains in the distance, do you see them?” Sky asked.

 Sparrow turned to look far into the distance where the heavens kissed the earth at the seams. The end of the world, to her. And fittingly, this felt like that. The end of her world. If Sky doesn’t come back...

Sensing her discomfort Sky drew Sparrow’s attention back to him. “When you are feeling scared or lonely or miss me at all. Look there and know that I am thinking of you and missing you dearly...” 

“and know that I am here with you in spirit. The Watcher will bring me home to you.” 

Sparrows lips parted into a small smile. Golden light shimmered on that  splendid horizon, that impossible distance. To think that soon the one she’d made her marriage oath to would be there, gazing back at her and loving her from afar warmed her heart.

 Through the distance, their love would prevail. 

Sparrow turned to Sky and pulled him close. She placed her lips gently against his before pulling back. It was a glancing kiss, a parting touch. A kiss that was unfinished so he could come back and take her in his arms once more and finish it fully. 

“Come back to me,” Sparrow said. 

Sky smiled, nuzzling against her. “I will.” 

“Before the spring crop blooms, I will return.” Sky vowed, placing his hand over his heart. “Then the four of us will be together again.” 

Sparrow’s smiled dipped into a frown. Quickly she pulled the corners up and buried her head in his chest for one final goodbye. Luckily, he hadn’t noticed the look that crossed her eyes. 

His attention had returned to his journey, his body warm and real beside her, but his mind was that impossible distance away with the golden light.

And it was there in the sunlight of a hot day, when Sparrow stood by their camp watching Sky slowly disappear into a terrifying unknown. 

Once he was out of sight, Sparrow crumpled to the earth. The weight of his departure and her fear dropping her to her knees. 

But there was more than her husband’s fate that turned her stomach to turmoil. 

Sparrow was pregnant. 

Maychamon

17  Ocean, Temnodontosaurus

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It was late in the sweltering months when Sky paused his work and asked his partner if they could talk. Sparrow had just put the twins down in the shade for their afternoon nap. Thunder wagged her tail beneath a tall palm tree, her eyes darting between her two human-pups. Sparrow smiled at her dutiful she-wolf and walked with Sky to the stone bench. 

Immediately upon sitting down, Sparrow’s stomach twisted. 

“The, uh, the cold months will be here soon.” Sky said, stuttering through his speech. 

Sparrow raised an eyebrow at him. She knew this, of course. Soon the crops would fall into the earth, the foraging bushes would yield less, and the fish would swim farther and farther downstream to clamer water. 

It was the season of death. All must wilt so in the warming months the bounty would be born. 

Of course, she knew this. So why was Sky bringing it up? 

“The hunting season will be upon us.” Sky started and Sparrow regarded him with caution. “We will need food from the mountains from the valleys far from here.” 

Sparrow snorted, shaking her head. 

“We can’t,” she said simply. “Fern and Forest...maybe with one we could return to the hunting grounds, but two small and needy babies? We can’t do it.” 

Sky paused, choosing his words carefully. “You’re right, my love. We can’t.” 

Sparrow’s mouth dropped open in her confusion. Sky had just agreed with her, why repeat--Sparrow closed her eyes and turned away from her husband, unwilling him to see the look in her eyes. 

Absolutely not. 

“You want to leave me and your children here for months without you so you can hunt and fish? What if,” Sparrow turned her rising anger on Sky who shrunk beside her. “What if something happens to me and the babies are on their own?” 

Sky leaned in, hand over his heart. “I know, my love. I know.  I haven’t sleep in weeks thinking about the terrible possibilities out there for us. But you remember how it was before they came. Last winter was difficult. Imagine if we run out of food here? I can’t risk staying and us starving. This is the only way.” 

The anger swelling in her chest deflated. She remembers night were hunger pricked at her stomach, when the plants and trees around them had gone barren unexpectedly. It had happened in her childhood. But then she lived in a village, one that cared for each other. The hunters went out and others stayed home to watch and keep guard. But Sparrow and Sky were on their own. 

They had no one else to rely on. 

“I don’t like it.” Sparrow mumbled, turning to Sky with forlorn eyes. 

“I know, Sparrow. This isn’t what I want either,” Sky paused, taking her warm hand in his. He stroked her knuckles but it was of little comfort to either of them. Finally Sky sighed and said, “what choice do we have?” 

Sparrow gripped his hand, nodding gently. He was right. They had to choice. Not if they wanted to survive to see a new year. 

Surprise!!!! Sparrow and Sky had twins!

The couple is over the moon in love with their new additions. 

Fern, the oldest. 

Named after Sparrow’s departed sister. 

And Forrest, the younger. 

Named after Sky’s departed son. 

Ekspedisi Gua Purba Berusia Ribuan Tahun , Misteri Nenek Moyang Orang Sunda 😱

https://youtu.be/ifKvR7QXd4o?si=zupAKL7yT8RODnkS