[Sunfang]

Welp I think I've got it.

So I've wanted to connect my two species somehow, but didn't know really how. But after finally being able to daydream without anxiety causing my chest to feel like it's jolting and falling (my brain is a terrible person) I've come up with how.

The idea is both species co-evolved. The two share a mutualistic relationship that is set in survival and communication. Most Yiiren and Scaeli find a thought bonding partner [some don't, most do]. Thought bonded are a Yiiren and Scaeli pair, and are not a sexual mated pair, but a telepathically bonded pair.

Both species have evolved 'feelers' - which can move like ears - to communicate.
The Yiiren, the tall dude, lacks the ability to speak. However, the Scaeli has the ability to speak.

Scaeli have powerful feelers that can read brainwaves /science fiction telepathy brainwave crap here/ when it rubs its feelers on another creature.
Yiiren lack this ability, but they can receive signals from Scaeli via Scaeli rubbing their feelers on theirs. Scaeli usually sit on top of their Yiiren partner's head, constantly sharing thoughts and feelings.
If a Yiiren needs to speak, they simply message it to the Scaeli and the Scaeli speaks in turn.
Because the two share a deep evolutionary bond, there is little mistrust.

In Yiiren society, verbal communication isn't necessary. Yiiren communicate with eye-colour shifts (for emotion) and physical signals like ear swivels (for gesture). Information is passed down by example or through their written language.

Both Scaeli and Yiiren share the same written language, Scaeli's verbal language was adapted from their shared written one.

In return, the Scaeli gets a powerful guardian. Yiiren can fly longer distances, go longer without food, and can construct buildings/objects with their opposable digits and feet.

The two societies do not live together.

Yiiren have their own cities, while Scaeli have theirs. However, Scaeli cities are largely constructed by Yiiren. This is for simplicity as each species has their own culture.

However, when a Yiiren and Scaeli thought bond they go join other bonded pairs in city specifically designed to accommodate a telepathically bonded pair.

Splitting of a bonded pair causes great stress on both Yiiren and Scaeli. After many years of constant thought and emotion exchanges, their minds mend to become one and their personalities can mix. Death of one will often cause the other to die or become mentally unstable. Likewise, if one passes out the other will usually also. This is due to over the years of personality mixing and mind blending, the two begin to function more as one organism than two, though they still retain some individualism.

It is not common for bonded pairs to find sexual mates. Yiiren and Scaeli pairs spend much of their time with each other as opposed to others. Bonded pairs are also ideal for many high profile jobs - like astronauts and politicians - so much of their time is usually on their job or adventuring.

In the rare chance a bonded pair, either Yiiren or Scaeli or [very rarely] both find a sexual mate the opposite will thought bond with said sexual mate. Such as if a Yiiren meets another Yiiren and they become mates, the Scaeli will form a thought bond with the new Yiiren. The same is said if a Scaeli finds a Scaeli mate, the Yiiren with thought bond with the new Scaeli. If both find a mate, all 4 individuals will become thought bonded, forming one giant family unit.

Offspring are not usually thought bonded with. This is to encourage individualism. It only occurs if there is a death of a parent - the offspring taking the place of the parent in the mental chain. This isn't always true, though.