This is a story set in the animal kingdom, and a mirror reflecting human history.
A century-long drought strikes the Green Grass Plains, and the only water source, Crescent Spring, is seized by the Black-Maned Lions from the north. To protect his younger sister, Flower Tail, the young zebra Iron Hoof leads the herbivores in a rebellion. He accidentally injures Scar, the lion king, and becomes a hero of the plains.
War breaks out and keeps escalating
From battles fought with early weapons to the thunder of cannons in the age of gunpowder; from classical armies facing off in formation to the steel flood of mechanized forces; from mercenaries running rampant and the fog of information warfare to machine-wolf packs controlled by artificial intelligence, slaughtering indiscriminately…
Three years of war. One hundred and eighty thousand lives lost on the plains.
Iron Hoof died. Wind Horn died. Flower Tail died. The Nanny died. Sharp Fang died. Broken Horn died. Countless heroes fell in pools of blood. Yet the war went on, hatred still burned, until everyone was exhausted, too worn out to fight, and no longer wanted to.
At last, a ceasefire. Peace. Rebuilding.
A war memorial was erected beside Crescent Spring. Its inscription reads:
“We forged steel so that the grass could grow in peace.”
