4 Elapsed eras

[world POV]

We found ourselves in a terrifying landscape. There were huge beasts that chased us into the trees. Yet... it stopped there. They ran into trees toppling them, so we flew to different ones. Years passed, we reproduced and the Titans that the trees towered over kept us safe.

My name's Prometheus, I am the forefather of the harpies but my time is coming to a close soon, 48 cycles I have lived and I don't think I'll last much longer. I ran, I learned, I lived. We survived by song, drawing out large birds from their nests, consuming them then resting in their nest. The flying beasts are so weak...

...

We reproduce at rapid rates, I don't know how many of us there are now, when we stuck together, we ate too much collectively, yet there wasn't enough to maintain our whole population together. Once there were dozens of us it began.. When hungry but food wasn't found, the strong had their fill with the weaker of the bunch.

Thus we spread out, forming tribes of various sizes. I stayed put, seeking solutions to this prey deficit. Then I had it, why don't we just raise more food for us to meet our fill. Poultry farming began. With stones picked up from the ground we would bash out holes for containment in the gargantuan trees. Then we would fill said trees with large prey of opposing gender. Preferably prey that feasted on nuts and berries. Then adult harpies would be sent in pairs to collect said nuts and berries. The prey would be locked in the rooms with strong branches that served as bars to lodged into the ceiling and floor of the room. The food would be tossed through until the birds were fat... then we feasted!!

Our land predators began prowling around, hiding to capture harpies collecting near the ground. There was a four legged hound with grey and metallic silver sharp fur, with claws like curled nails, and three rows of teeth, that spent 80% of it's waking day licking its paws and waiting. Its saliva had a weak paralysis effect, so a mere poke from its claws or teeth spelled doom. Yet its intelligence ended at instinct.

This beast was our greatest predator.

The solution lies in song. One harpy would sing, from a safe flying height, drawing the attention of any near away from its partner who would then safely descend to collect the nuts and berries.

This is how we beat the food chain again.

In my long life I've realized that we're different than those around us. We're, invincible! The hierarchy of strength is strongest at sea, then land and finally air is the weakest yet the least affected. The sea holds leviathan, which are wholly untouchable.

[explorer POV]

We left to head east, the bloodshed was too much for us, although I, Ezekiel was strong I refused to prey on the weak. I'll protect them by bringing them somewhere safe.

We were nearing and open expanse, which spells danger for harpies lacking stamina as they wouldn't have anything to safely land on to recuperate.

Thus we stayed here for a while, scouting and then we saw near the distant sea, an apex land predator was drinking water. A tale around half the size of it at its end reached out to pull it in. It succeeded and the predator we refer to as titan T was desperate to get back to land but was being brought further and further out. Once about half a kilometer off shore, a giant mouth came up and consumed it whole.

See, that water doesn't start shallow, near the shore it's already at-least 100 feet deep, and what lies within its deepest quarters are nothing less than nightmares. What emerged that day had a mouth that could bite off half of the trees we abide in.

Yet under the sea is constant conflict, herbivore are delicacies, carnivores are in an endless battle royale and it has lead to the development of a region like no other. A region we may never surpass.

[world is ready]