to adapt, to learn new strategies of feeding.
At that point, the Krinar were still a primitive species, little more than hunters-gatherers. However, the rapid reduction in the lonar population meant that the Ks had to evolve beyond their territorial roots, to learn to collaborate with one another in order to preserve what remained of their critical blood supply. The next hundred thousand years were a time of rapid progress for the Krinar, marking the birth of science, technology, medicine, culture, and the arts. Instead of hunting the lonar, the Ks began to farm them, creating favorable conditions for them to live and reproduce and doing their best to feed only on those who were deemed to be past their prime reproductive age.
These efforts managed to temporarily arrest the decline in the lonar population, and the Krinar society began to prosper. Even with the low birth rate, their numbers began to grow as fewer Ks perished in violent fights to defend their territories. Innovation began to be highly valued, and the Ks invented space travel shortly thereafter. It was the first Golden Age in Krinar history, a time of tremendous scientific achievement and relatively peaceful coexistence among the different Krinar tribes and regions.
“I just got to the point where the plague began,” Mia told him. It was apparently the event that ended the first Golden Age, nearly wiping out the entire lonar population and plunging the Krinar society into panic and bloody turmoil.
Korum smiled. “You’re making good progress on our history then. What do you think so far?”
“I think it’s very interesting,” Mia answered honestly. It was also a little scary, how savage they had been in the past, but she didn’t want to tell him that. She tried to picture Korum as one of the Krinar primitives, hunting down his prey, and it was a surprisingly easy feat, requiring very little imagination on her part. She could see many of the predatory characteristics still present in his species, from the sinuous way they moved to the territorial traits she’d seen Korum display in regard to her.
“You can continue later,” he said, absentmindedly stroking her thigh. As usual, his touch sent a shiver of pleasure through her body. “We shouldn’t be late to dinner – it’s considered highly insulting to the host.”
“Of course,” Mia said, getting up immediately. The last thing she wanted was to offend someone. “Should I dress up somehow?” She was lounging in the jeans and T-shirt that she’d been wearing when she arrived in Lenkarda yesterday. Somehow, the house had already managed to clean them because she’d found them fresh and folded on the dresser in the bedroom.
Korum was apparently two steps ahead of her because he was already opening the door to the walk-in closet. “I created a wardrobe for you,” he explained, “so you don’t have to rely on me for every outfit. Here, let me show you.”
Curious, Mia walked over to take a look, and her jaw nearly dropped. The closet was filled with beautiful light-colored dresses, shoes ranging from barely-there sandals to soft-looking boots, and various accessories. “You made all of this?”
Korum nodded. “I had Leeta send me all of her fashion designs. Aside from working in my company, she dabbles with clothing creation.”
Leeta was Korum’s distant cousin, and Mia had briefly met her a few times back in New York. She wasn’t the warmest and friendliest individual, in Mia’s opinion, but her clothing designs seemed quite nice.
“You mean you’re not a fashion expert?” Mia pretended to be shocked, comically widening her eyes. He’d certainly been eager to get rid of her entire former wardrobe back in New York.
He laughed. “Far from it. I do know when clothes are being used as a shield, though,” he said pointedly, referring to her tendency to wear ugly but comfortable clothes when left to her own devices.
Mia fought a childish urge to stick out her tongue at him.
At that point, the Krinar were still a primitive species, little more than hunters-gatherers. However, the rapid reduction in the lonar population meant that the Ks had to evolve beyond their territorial roots, to learn to collaborate with one another in order to preserve what remained of their critical blood supply. The next hundred thousand years were a time of rapid progress for the Krinar, marking the birth of science, technology, medicine, culture, and the arts. Instead of hunting the lonar, the Ks began to farm them, creating favorable conditions for them to live and reproduce and doing their best to feed only on those who were deemed to be past their prime reproductive age.
These efforts managed to temporarily arrest the decline in the lonar population, and the Krinar society began to prosper. Even with the low birth rate, their numbers began to grow as fewer Ks perished in violent fights to defend their territories. Innovation began to be highly valued, and the Ks invented space travel shortly thereafter. It was the first Golden Age in Krinar history, a time of tremendous scientific achievement and relatively peaceful coexistence among the different Krinar tribes and regions.
“I just got to the point where the plague began,” Mia told him. It was apparently the event that ended the first Golden Age, nearly wiping out the entire lonar population and plunging the Krinar society into panic and bloody turmoil.
Korum smiled. “You’re making good progress on our history then. What do you think so far?”
“I think it’s very interesting,” Mia answered honestly. It was also a little scary, how savage they had been in the past, but she didn’t want to tell him that. She tried to picture Korum as one of the Krinar primitives, hunting down his prey, and it was a surprisingly easy feat, requiring very little imagination on her part. She could see many of the predatory characteristics still present in his species, from the sinuous way they moved to the territorial traits she’d seen Korum display in regard to her.
“You can continue later,” he said, absentmindedly stroking her thigh. As usual, his touch sent a shiver of pleasure through her body. “We shouldn’t be late to dinner – it’s considered highly insulting to the host.”
“Of course,” Mia said, getting up immediately. The last thing she wanted was to offend someone. “Should I dress up somehow?” She was lounging in the jeans and T-shirt that she’d been wearing when she arrived in Lenkarda yesterday. Somehow, the house had already managed to clean them because she’d found them fresh and folded on the dresser in the bedroom.
Korum was apparently two steps ahead of her because he was already opening the door to the walk-in closet. “I created a wardrobe for you,” he explained, “so you don’t have to rely on me for every outfit. Here, let me show you.”
Curious, Mia walked over to take a look, and her jaw nearly dropped. The closet was filled with beautiful light-colored dresses, shoes ranging from barely-there sandals to soft-looking boots, and various accessories. “You made all of this?”
Korum nodded. “I had Leeta send me all of her fashion designs. Aside from working in my company, she dabbles with clothing creation.”
Leeta was Korum’s distant cousin, and Mia had briefly met her a few times back in New York. She wasn’t the warmest and friendliest individual, in Mia’s opinion, but her clothing designs seemed quite nice.
“You mean you’re not a fashion expert?” Mia pretended to be shocked, comically widening her eyes. He’d certainly been eager to get rid of her entire former wardrobe back in New York.
He laughed. “Far from it. I do know when clothes are being used as a shield, though,” he said pointedly, referring to her tendency to wear ugly but comfortable clothes when left to her own devices.
Mia fought a childish urge to stick out her tongue at him.
Similar Books
