You are in the thick forests of China, 124 million years ago.

Silence hangs over the pine-like forests, broken only by a soft, rustling sound. Out from behind a fern steps a creature that feels both ancient and intimately familiar. It’s a Caudipteryx, roughly three feet long, with a short, snouted head adorned with a few sharp teeth.

Its body is covered in downy feathers, but the real display is the fan of stiff, pennaceous feathers at the end of its tail. As it pauses, the creature snaps its head left and right, its movements jerky and bird-like. It’s not flying, but it walks with speed, its long, muscular legs designed for rapid movement, not flight.

Suddenly, it flares its tail and lifts its wing-like forelimbs, displaying a complex, dark pattern. It wasn’t hunting, but perhaps warning an rival. With a quick, agile pivot, the Caudipteryx dashes into the undergrowth, its fan-like tail swaying as it moves—a striking, terrestrial glimpse into the origin of birds.