It seems kinda weird that mice are intelligent but the majority of animals are not. Is this the case? I’m not sure because I thought I read that somewhere, but from reading the comics (I’m 2 issues into the Winter series) that “mouse-like” animals are intelligent. But then I noticed that bats seem to be intelligent as well.
Is it safe to say almost all “small” species are intelligent, and the larger animals are all non-intelligent (or at any rate animal-intelligent) such as the snake from the first collection?
It’s been my impression that all (Most?) animals are intelligent, there’s just a serious language and culture barrier.
I don’t have the comics handy, but when whatshisname fights the owl there seems to be come communication between them. Maybe even a little mutual respect? That doesn’t stop the owl from wanting to eat the mouse.
There’s also mice riding rabbits and birds, I’ve always thought that required talking to the animal and making a deal with it. Not so much taming a horse, but asking a buddy for a lift.
Now I’m picturing weasels riding slave animals into battle. Hawks trained from birth to fear weasels but hate all other animals. Tortured rabbits being ridden to death to get a message to the front lines.
mice and weasels (and similar) have made the step up to imagination, and have formed wider societies.
all other mammals and birds are of similar intelligence to the above, but are too wild or do not need to form society.
reptiles and fish have some intelligence, but arent emotional, they are still mostly instinct, equivalent to how chimps or dolphins are to us
insects, invertebrates etc are equivalent to lesser animals. some can be spoken to, but they have no language of their own. can be domesticated like cats or dogs.
the lowest level comprises of parasites and very small bugs, which are as they are, but a bit bigger comparatively
essentially shifting all animals up a level of sophistication, with mice and weasels going a bit further.