Thread:LucidPigeons/@comment-7455247-20160413190454/@comment-366087-20160413210741

First, there is a diff between Sentience and Sapience. ALL higher order animals are sentient; they can reason past obstacles and problems. Some even have momentary bursts of sapience; showing wisdom between choices.

However, (in real life) ONLY humans as a whole are both, with sapience "turned on" all the time. (let's not discuss individuals).

It is not uncharacteristic for an animal, especially a mother, to determine that something may be an ongoing threat to their young and the young of their kind—especially if still in their territory—and once securing the safety of their young, re-focus their attention back upon "the threat" to neutralize it. Either by killing it or satisfied it has been run out of the territory for good. Should the offenders return, there might be enough memory to escalate the threat response to the more serious extreme. And this can extend to pack mentality by those other than the mother—usually taking the young back to their den or whatev—continuing to deal with the intruders.

There is also the possibility that despite having their young back, the interlopers might still have some of its scent on them and thus still be deemed a threat.

As for talking to an animal? I talk to my dogs and cats all the time. I can communicate pleasure or displeasure of their actions. I can instruct them what to do or cease. And others of my family cannot. And with the house alpha I can hold what onlookers swear is a "two-way conversation" with how she responds to me. Which knowing feline body language is very close to the truth.

And those that know dogs and what they cue off of, can stand their ground in front of a charging dog and with body language and stern vocal inflections make them stop and go on their way.

Nothing about that franchise or the episode in question really screams out a nature of "human-level intelligence".