"The original feet became hands, which eventually started making tools. To support the body and provide locomotion on the ground, the original elbow claws turned into feet, the wings that bore them became convertible to legs of a sort." (IV, p. 485)
Young Ythrians use elbow claws to climb trees and to cling to either parent. The former feet, now hands, seize prey and manipulate objects. When Arinnian carries Eyath, she hugs his waist, her foot-claws are on his shoulders and he clasps her alatans. (I am not really picturing this.)
Alatanism is the Diomedean mystique of a common cause for winged beings of different species. See Diomedean Demands.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
And Alatanism had little or no appeal to those Diomedeans coming from the Fleet cultures of that planet. To say nothing of how the Domain was not interested in making trouble for the Empire, its natural ally against Merseian aggression.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment