The Lion and the Eagle
The lion, master of the lands, sent word to the proud eagle, master of the skies, offering to make a friendship treaty. The eagle accepted the lion's offer, but the lion said "For us to be friends fully, you must give me a guarantee of loyalty." Although the eagle said "I fly freely in the sky, my word is solid," the lion acted cautiously and remembered the eagle's past inconsistencies. The lion said "You have wings, if you don't keep your word you fly away; you must give a solid guarantee so I can trust you."
When choosing a strong ally, one must look not only at their abilities, but at their fidelity to promises and honesty. Agreements made with untrustworthy people who are in a position to flee when needed break at the first crisis. It is essential for the continuation of a partnership that allied people accept responsibility and offer a solid guarantee. When trust is shaken, even the strongest alliances break down instantly.
The honesty of someone allied with must be checked. An ally with a bad character is a danger. A solid guarantee builds trust. A winged friend flies away quickly.
Fidelity to promises is the condition of partnership. One who acts cautiously does not suffer harm. Trust is the foundation of partnership.