You are in the forests of China, 120 million years ago.

The air in the forest was thick and humid. You stood in the shadow of a tall coniferous tree, scanning the canopy. High above, something caught the sunlight—a brilliant flash of iridescent blue-black, like a raven caught in a beam of light.

This was what you have been waiting for: a flock of Microraptor.

They didn't leap and fall like a squirrel. Instead, they launched from the branch, spreading all four of their limbs, each equipped with long, asymmetrical flight feathers. The little raptors glided with remarkable control, navigating between the thick foliage rather than falling through it.

Suddenly, one of them snapped its wings in a tight turn, stalling in the air before landing awkwardly, but efficiently, on a lower branch closer to the lake. You saw the sharp, curved claws grip the bark. It didn't look like a traditional dinosaur; it looked like a "biplane" bird, with a long, feathered rudder-tail twisting to maintain balance.

Before you could move closer, the Microraptor spotted movement in the undergrowth below. With a quick, agile leap, it caught a small, early lizard in its needle-sharp teeth. It then stares at you wide-eyed, with its prey still dangling from its mouth, startled by your presence.