Author's Note/Lore

FIRSTLY: Art credit for the cover goes to Goldenwolf on Deviantart, they make awesome artwork and I hope they don't mind me using their picture (I'll take it down if you ask)

Normally I'd try and keep these notes short, but then I realized I had a lot to say and explain. If you want more in-depth answers to what kind of world this will be, proceed down below the line break where it will explain the mythos of this world. It probably won't make much sense, but honestly, I just want to tell this story and didn't put much thought into world-building.

This story is obviously based in a fictional world, but it is inspired by true-life events. I feel like not enough people, including Americans, know much about the Native American wars or how severe it was. I myself, a Native who grew up on the rez close to our culture, was honestly shocked by the brutality shown on both sides of the war when I was doing research.

This story isn't meant to condemn or offend anyone, but I may be biased for obvious reasons. A lot of the cultural aspects of the tribal characters in this story are based on real cultures from different tribes and beyond. I hope it doesn't offend anyone that I blend things together, as this is fan fiction I didn't put much thought into the creation of the tribes and just want to write a western for the fun of it.

The story and history may not make sense now, but trust me I'll get into it as the story progresses.

There will be cliches, but most of them are accurate or at least based on the historical context I found them in.

For those who do not know, I am a sportswriter for the local newspaper, I live in a very rural area so I am constantly traveling and every night I almost always fall into a deep sleep. Most days I am reluctant to sit behind a computer, but given time to recover I find that I still enjoy writing. I will try to update regularly, maybe every two weeks but we shall see.


Lore:

In the old lands of Galna, the noble families of the lands ruled with an iron fist, with the upper class made up of the strong predator species. The lower-class prey animals lived as serfs but wanted better lives for themselves and their families.

With the discovery of the unknown continent of Uesa across the endless ocean, many animals boarded ships and left to settle the new lands in the far west.

The Empire of Oceas quickly established colonies, but their crown jewel was the continent's first city; Zootopia. Although the empire ruled the colonies, Zootopia was controlled by an elected council who showed compassion to the prey species and began offering them rights and opportunities, giving them almost equal status as the formerly noble predators.

The nobles who had settled the land on behalf of the empress weren't happy with the development. Tensions began to rise in the city, but soon all-out chaos engulf the world when the old kingdoms in Galna began to war again, drawing away Oceas' attention.

Seizing the opportunity, the colonies formally seceded from the empire with minimal bloodshed and declared Zootopia as a ruling City-State.

However, the city is barely self-sufficient, their army is small and divided, the nobles of the lands were fighting tooth and nail to maintain imperial rule and there is the danger of the city being invaded by ruthless shipping companies in the north or the fast-expanding colonies of Al Azka in the south.

But to make matters worse, there were the tribes of Uesa, the original natives of the continent. They waged war against the Zootopian settlers since day one and it is still ongoing. Despite forcing peace with some tribes, there are still many out wreaking havoc, and with so few troops to deal with them, Zootopia is on the verge of collapse.

The year is 1800, and Zootopia has one last card to pull, one last chance at making lasting peace and, as a long shot, make their city stronger.

Also, in this world horses and some other species of animals haven't evolved yet. Why? My answer is that the other animals haven't given them the opportunity and they have been hunted or used as beasts of burden too often to be given time to grow. In truth, I was too lazy to think up a fictional animal for the anthromorphic animals to ride on