The bow and arrow was like an enormous extension of their leaping and striking muscles, so that, virtually, they could leap and kill at a hundred feet and more.
This made them far more terrible than Saber-Tooth himself.

And then they were very wise.

They had speech that enabled them more effectively to reason, and in addition they understood cooperation.
We Folk came to be very circumspect when we were in the forest.

We were more alert and vigilant and timid.

No longer were the trees a protection to be relied upon.