In this timeline is the popular idea of what would happen if the K-Pg Extinction Event never happened. Granted, enough dinosaurs and other living things still went extinct after some millions of years. Just not to the same extent as the asteroid impact that wiped them all out.

Avian Species: Tlaas’té, Sii’rith, K’haantii

The sapients of this world are a species of avians descended from the Troodons. Mind you that also means they competed with cousins the way humans did with Neanderthals, Homo erectus, and everybody else.

The sapient Troodontids would have numerous names for themselves across different linguistic traditions:

• Primary self-designations:
  • "Tlaas'té" - This likely comes from a dominant cultural group using throat resonance combined with clicking sounds.
  • "Sii'rith" - A term from forest-dwelling groups, featuring soft sibilants that carry well through dense vegetation.
  • "K'haantii" - Used by plains cultures, incorporating booming throat sac vocalizations that project across open spaces.

These names would reflect their unique vocal physiology and cultural contexts:

• Linguistic components:
  • Thread-based written forms might represent their names with specific knot patterns that capture vocal nuances impossible to translate to human languages.
  • Many self-designations would incorporate elements referring to their distinctive features - references to "feathered ones," "thought-weavers," or "nest-builders."
• Regional variations:
  • Coastal populations might use names incorporating elements of their whistled languages.
  • Mountain dwellers would likely have terms emphasizing vertical living or height.
  • Desert groups might have names referencing their stone-carving communication traditions.

In scholarly contexts, they might use compound designations acknowledging their evolutionary heritage, similar to how humans use "Homo sapiens." Their equivalent might translate roughly as "Wise Feathered Ones" or "Thread-Thinking Sky-Climbers."

The matriarchal thread archivists would maintain records of all historical self-designations, treating them as important cultural artifacts rather than mere labels.

Evolution

The evolution of the sapient Troodontids followed several key stages:

Starting from their already-promising baseline of high brain-to-body ratio and excellent binocular vision, these creatures faced increasing selection pressure for intelligence. The cooling climate of the late Cretaceous period pushed them toward more complex social behaviors and tool use.

Without the K-Pg extinction event, they gradually developed more sophisticated hunting and gathering techniques. Their enhanced cognitive abilities emerged alongside physical adaptations like more sensitive beaks and improved manual dexterity.

A few other notable traits had also emerged. Each can be explained by several evolutionary pressures:

• Internal egg development (ovoviviparity) was an adaptation that provided better protection for developing offspring.
• Sexual dimorphism likely developed as females needed to be larger to support internal egg development, while males developed colorful features and displays for mate attraction.
• The sophisticated social structures evolved alongside their communication abilities, with females specializing in long-term planning and cultural preservation, while males developed roles in storytelling and ceremonial activities.

These adaptations were shaped by the cooling climate of the late Cretaceous period, which pushed them toward more complex social behaviors and tool use. The intense competition with related species also likely contributed to these developments.

Competition with related species was fierce. Several other intelligent Troodontid variants emerged: