Chapter 1: Prelude To War

Fourteenth day of Jugatsu, Aki 1623. Nineteenth Year Under The Bogo Shogunate.

October Fourteenth, Fall, 1623. Western Burrows, Kozuke Province.

It was a tense moment, the power of multiple provinces all seated under the large tent. Powerful retainers of lands, daimyos vested in regal kimono fitting of their vast wealths and militant powers. All were barely more than nameless, faceless servants at the two most powerful figures under the canvas roof that day.

"How didn't we see this coming Bogo?" the harsh, booming voice of the most powerful mammal in Japan; Emperor Leodore Lionheart, a tall and powerful lion. The only creature within their borders with the position and status to speak in such a manner to the Shogun of Japan; Bogo, the very same large water buffalo that had been the reason for his ascendance to the throne some twenty years prior. Nearly two decades since the final end of the long hereditary rule of Emperor Swinton, the long lived line of a pig emperor that no longer served the interests of its people. Lionheart was not the same in any sense, claiming no spiritual connection with the gods yet acting in respect to them more than the prior Swinton empire before it by the end of the era of the Bellwether Shogunate.

"Our spies are still preoccupied with the rumored groups instigating revolt along the northern fiefs." Shogun Bogo replied with a calmer, respectful demeanor despite the impressive display of teeth shown throughout the emperors maw in a displeased grit. An act of anger that was not reserved for the higher families, but was understood in the interests of the discussion. "With winter arriving early this year, we weren't expecting open rebellion from the west. Lionheart-dono," Bogo ended with a bow, prostrating himself in place of his failures in this singular matter. Judy sat just beside her father, Daimyo Stewart of clan Hopps. A peasantry family until the revolt, where their gamble in supporting the rebellion of Bogo and Lionheart payed off in their current place. Granted dominion over the fertile and rich lands of Kozuke from the clan before them that supported the defense of the Bellwether Shogunate who were suppressed after its fall. They were the first and still only rabbit clan to claim the ranks of nobility in the history of their nation. Looking around it was still common to see expressions of distaste at the presence of her family in that meeting of generations old samurai clans. A glance at her father reminded her to straighten her posture and match his stoic and authoritative expression that matched that of any daimyo there.

"Two weeks, I can have my army in place holding the road on the border of Kozuke." Bogo began eying the map as the deflated emperor collected himself. The subject of their discussion from what Judy had gathered in sparse moments amongst the chaos was visible on the geographical representation of Japan in front of them. The large map sat at the center of the formed square of sitting nobles, denoted the invading force that threatened Bogo and Lionheart. Warlord Big of the same named clan; Daimyo of the far western Aki province had declared war on the Emperor and the Shogun. Allied with clan Fangmeyer; the rich and power tiger clan that ruled Yamashiro in central western Japan. Tertiary forces such as clan Delgato that ruled Tanba, a neighbor of the tiger clan along with dozens of loyal vassals in the large arctic wolf clans of Nagato and Bingo to the far west marched an impressive force of soldiers to the call of war.

"With the ashigaru (foot soldiers) of Kozuke we can hold the road using the natural fortification of the Burrows to repel them. We'll need the aid of our allies throughout the northern and central regions of Japan but with them we should easily claim victory." Bogo said confidently as he gestured to herself and her father, Stu bowing slightly in respect quickly followed by herself. It was true, however the suddenness of warlord Bigs march was the greatest disadvantage. It left them very little time to prepare for his attack making any allies that replied to their call for war a toss up of if they could arrive in time. The position of Kozuke was a prime piece of land, bolstered by mountains to the north and west of its borders with the south leading directly to Musashi, capital province of their nation with Zootopia; the largest and most impressive city of Japan where Lionheart ruled with the task of handling its interests with the rest of the world. Managing trade with other nations and acting as their nations ambassador. The east was their strongest ally, for whom they were eternal vassals to Shimotsuke; ruled by clan Bogo whose head ruled Japan's internal interests as its military leader as the Shogun of Japan. Given this it was understandable that her home would become the center of the war with the west, the newly minted road connecting the west to their central place in japan being the primary way that warlord Big would march on them along the Nakasendo Highway.

"Archers from Echigo could be here within a week." Bogo continued, the denoted archers of the north central provinces once held legendary status. Clan Bellwether; still ruling Echigo after their defeat from the previous war was spared suppression for their honor in defeat, their promise of aid that was tested time and again in their high taxes and aid in helping fight the remaining loyalists to the fallen empire they once bolstered. Now their aid called in again as a powerful force for the defeat of the encroaching army. Their march to their aid would be along the Nikko Kaido highway, a similar but impressively minted highway that allowed their nation an unfettered access to the whole of japan. The highways that were in place for generations became a staple of Lionhearts first rule to help unify Japan, allowing impressive trade that improved the wealth of so many nations with the ease of access of wheeled carts that transported goods before the farms of the prey nations of the east and central regions of japan with the docks of the western provinces of japan. A true unity for the first time in their history that benefited the two one competing classes of mammals within Japan allowing both to flourish. Judy remembered learning a great deal under the tutelage of Shogun Bogo when she was taken as a Ward after the war, a long lived tradition to prove loyalty. Learning a great deal from the powerful clans teachers about what it meant to be a noble family herself and several siblings became learned and intelligent aspects for their clans. Judy herself aimed to impress herself as equal to the ancient samurai families and excelled in aspects of war and strategy.

"Lord Big managed to march an army of soldiers from as far west as Nagato right under our noses?" The emperor demanded explanation for the failure of the vast network of information normally affixed to the Shogun of Japan. But Bogos expression told his old friend in the enraged emperor of something worsening. "What else?"

"We received reports from several vassals within Harima, Bizen and Settsu that the current position of lord Bigs host won't allow them to prepare to march to our aid." Bogo began reaching his hoof out just beside him. As quiet as to be invisible one of his servants placed a scroll in it as the Shogun offered it directly to the emperor who took it before opening it on top of the map just at his knees. "They all corroborate the same information, Bigs army is well managed. Fresh foreign steels make up their weapons and armor, Impressively forged they also have stockpiled poultry and fish that coincide with their recent influx of salt to preserve their meats for war rations. Their utterly prepared for war or even a siege." Bogo ended off with a downtrodden expression. The emperor read over the message that Judy readily recognized belonging to the old fox clan of Wilde, ruling samurai family of Harima, a southern-central province of western Japan known for their trade, owning the most impressive docks in all of Japan.

"How large can we estimate their army?"

The whole of the room was both quiet and boisterous as the sat nobles began estimating to themselves and each other in hushed whispers at the combined forces they faced.

"Well, our reports claim he brings with him the resources of Aki, with an estimated six hundred thousand koku. We confirmed that wolves from the tundras of Suo and Nagato join him at about three hundred thousand koku between them," Snarlov Howlet began, one of the few faces recognized as Judys formal teacher in Bushido and later at his family's prestigious dojo of the Moon Fang style where she was later licensed as a fully fledged samurai. "Also clan Delgato of Tanba and clan Fangmeyer of Yamashiro promise assets to his war effort. Hes gathering their armies as he marches across Mimasaka to consolidate his soldiers in Kyoto before the final march across the Nakasendo. Combined they make up over two million koku, we estimate at least forty thousand samurai and an unknown number of ashigaru" The rooms quiet was gone now as the nobles fumbled to impressive their numbers that paled in comparison to the imposing force. Howlet bowed his head to the Shogun to responded in kind to the loyal retainer of the honorable clan representative. Howlet from Judy's time under his training she had learned was the brother to Daimyo Snarlov; current ruling head of Settsu, a reasonably powerful province that neighbored Harima, both prospering mutually as allied canine regions. Quietly was an understood hierarchy between wolf clans of Japan that went even beyond their political ones, as the western wolf clans were ruled by an Alpha even amongst their Daimyo so too did Snarlov rule surrounding clans as the Alpha of the forest based wolf samurai of western-central Japanese families.

Judy could still remember when Howlet himself put his name on the line to give Judy the chance to train at the Moon Fang Dojo of Settsu, a very secretive school of learning that was priorly reserved only for allied wolf and fox clans and one very loyal panther clan. If not for his history as a skilled warrior and his unmistakable honor Judy would not herself have come as far in the art of kenjutsu as she was now. Judy took the moment of the loud voices clamoring to adjust their military resources thought over the regions numbers. The western central cervine clans lacked financial resources, the one extremely wealthy clans had large woods that supplied the whole of Japan with wood. At a time they maliciously lorded their lands abilities to cultivate various lumbers over the western provinces whose density of predators relied on rice and fish, the later reliant on fishing boats. It was over two-hundered years ago if she recalled correctly that invasion of the main lands just west across the sea that forced a unity of predators and prey within Japan. Predator families both famished at the expensive costs of wood and rice chose not to slow or infringe on the invaders that lead to the massive loss of land for the prey Shogunate of Bellwether, even losing Kyoto; prior capital of Japan in Yamashiro. Forced to accept the demands put in place by the proud predator clans they were ascended to that of the same level of respect as prey ones of central and eastern Japan.. In trade they were granted fairer prices for rice and wood, the later for the building of vassals to challenge invading fleet, making predator ships the backbone of Japans navy. In respect to their new understanding of one another at the end of that war the Capital of Zootopia was formed at the new seat of power in Musashi as a testament to what the two classes of predator and prey could accomplish together and the old seat of Kyoto was granted to the clan of Fangmeyer now becoming the center of trade throughout Japan.

The down side was now as the visible deer lord's off the right side of the sitting nobles no longer commanded great wealth having no other productions of their lands to trade for. This also meant they lacked a large enough population to supply a steady flow of soldiers to the war effort. This would later be how the Bellwether Shogunate fell, as steadily increased taxes of the western predator provinces that did not match the costs of prey clans instigated the now impressive economy of the predator clans which had boomed at their legendary artisans and trade. The likes of which no longer tolerated unfair prey control, several prey clans also found themselves thriving off the trade caused from the predator clans and sided with them in their rebellion against the unjust Bellwether Shogunate and their puppet Emperor; Swinton.

Three hundred and forty thousand koku (Food stipends, rough form of food based currency.)

Judy estimated their own personal income to be impressive given their status as a first generation of nobles. The Shoguns own province of Shimotsuke commanded an impressive seven hundred thousand koku, both provinces dodging recent droughts that were afflicted across northern provinces. To her right the lord of Shinano an old looking Antelope; Antlerson who bolstered a large open region at the center of Japan maybe forty thousand koku, a modest income the lord commanded.

fourteen thousand samurai. Just over one and a half million koku.

Judy estimated as she sought through her memory of the available lords around their war council. The vast majority of their resources from the Shogun and her own clan's lands. Compared with their enemies estimated two and a half million with substantially more samurai and likely as great a gap in their number of foot soldiers it wasn't looking like a well chanced war. Judy set her chin into her paw, furrowed brow she looked over the map hoping for something to show itself. Years of study on war and strategy and a talent for it that was almost prodigal from what her teachers told her she hoped in that moment would give her some form of insight. Between the rebellions caused from food shortages in the north and sluggish messengers along the unfinished eastern highways didn't leave an impressive chance they could arrive on time. If the archer clans of Bellwether and Salazar would be the biggest assets given the fortifications along central japan. History had shown predators predisposition to closely ranged weapons, no mistake in their natural proclivity for swords had them relatively unchallenged in that field of combat. Another thing that set Judy's skill with a sword aloft the otherwise spear or bow based soldiers of the prey provinces. Other clans like the Kenago wielding rhino and elephant clans of Mutsu would also aid them but again unknown if they would arrive in time. Central japanese provinces along the incomplete highway of Tokaido at the south of central Japan also weren't likely to respond quickly to calls for aid, at the edge of winter and along the most mountainous portion of Japan they were the least likely to arrive in time-

The bickering grew louder, louder still at the impossible forces they all faced, no one able to offer any serious solution.

"If I may, my lords."

But again the loud voices of larger mammals drowned out the smaller rabbit, Bogo and the emperor, Howlet and her father among the few faces that were quiet in their contemplation as they denoted her call to attention.

"If I may, my lords!" She stated in as loud a respectful tone would allow. The room began to quiet finally, Judy noticing the alarmingly heavy stare of the emperor and how disorienting it was at the tense pressure she realized she just put on herself. Lionheart set his gaze on the militant leader just off his shoulder.

"This is the rabbit you spoke of before?"

"Yes, ambitious and as skilled a sword-mammal as I have seen." Bogo offered with a curt nod, an accepting hum emanating from the emperor as he returned that same cautioning stare at Judy. Judy felt a small semblance of warming pride cross her countenance at the complimentary words the Shogun shared in her regard. The emperor motioned broadly across the map, gesturing for her to continue.

"Alright, what do you advise?"

Judy took to standing on the map, hoping the act was not recognized as any form of disrespect with her smaller size compared to the larger mammals "A challenge, a duel." Judy began trying to match her father's earlier, proud and confident expression. Instantly she regretted it by the swiftly returning rage in the eyes of that lion Emperor.

"This is what you bring to my war council Bogo?!" Lionheart boomed at his shogun with expressed disdain and clenched serrated teeth all on display. The first predator emperor was a difficult example of social etiquettes that were rarely needed by prey. Such Judy seeing Bogos unwavering stoicism with his sword resting unmoving at his side. She realized her own instinctual move for her sword at the display of danger in front of her and stood again despite the sudden flux of fear she felt. She hoped her action was not witnessed, all eyes still prevalently sitting on the Shogun.

"You told me she was eager to prove herself but this is sheer arrogance." He continued returning to looking at Judy, anger bearing from his expression as she omitted none of her tact in maintaining as much stoicism as Bogo when she bowed low and respectfully. "Warlord Big did not march upwards of forty thousand predators clad in armor across more than eight provinces to allow a single duel to decide this war." Lionheart continued, himself not being mistake for the killing machine he was. Even as an emperor now, all could remember that he was not idle in claiming the throne as a general in the rebellion that seated him there. His volume was enough to make her frame shake in response despite her best efforts. Despite his rage Judy had to remind herself that to date no emperor had acted as sympathetically in his soft pawed handling of politics having secured one of the longest lasting peace, in their nation's history. His act of not suppressing the former shogunates clan of Bellwether was a living example of this, demanding so few seppuku (ritual suicide) of his enemies. This act having unified the nation after that bloody war and the whole of Japan benefiting financially at this move. Judys voice was trembling with her forehead to the floor, fearful and quaking as she tried again in a frail attempt to add confidence and volume to her tone.

"What?"

There was still warning in the emperor's tone as she was urged to continue in caution. "I don't mean to prove myself my lord." She managed standing back up but with none of her previous confidence.

"Continue… carefully," Lionheart began in conteomplation before looking over to Bogo.

"Judy of clan Hopps," was the response he found there.

"Judy-san," he said in a finally calmed tone. Fearing his piercing gaze and its effect on herself she walked the map again near its center.

"With the new roads giving warlord Bigs' army the chance to approach quickly, it would take him right Kozuke as well as its capital; The Burrows, our Burrows." She gestured to her familiar home lands, then to her father for emphasis. She looked to her father finding the assuring expression of a parent that helped steel herself as she looked back at the Emperor. "Lord Big won't allow his army to be stopped in its ambition for a single duel. However the armies he has are a host of the predator lords of the west. I mean no disrespect when I say this; but predators are protective of their lands." She said looking up, finally making sure to tow the line carefully at the emperor's expression. "They're also respectful of its borders and fiercely honorable." She proclaimed, gesturing to a few of the predator nobles present. Where the prey lords in the north and center of Japan held large scopes of land, the main of their incomes in farmlands and their respective produce. Predator lands were opposite in this, their natural competitive nature meant more fiercely challenged borders and their incomes came largely from their artisans working metal, building or otherwise. A diverse difference in the two classes cultures as prey could more easily symbiotically thrive where predators held more honor bound understanding of borders. If any part of her speech could be taken as stroking of the powerful leaders edo, it did little more then deflate his earlier temperment. "Lord Big won't stop his plans for siege of Zootopia castle at your capital Lionheart-dono… but," she continued carefully, standing taller as she continued. "If challenged to a duel by my father, the Daimyo of Kozuke. He would be honor bound to accept. The duel would dictate his armies right to march across our lands. Even if he wishes to cross, should he ifnore our formal request," she waved over the map again, casting the western part of the map in her broad gesture. "Support and respect of the very lords that make up his army might very well dissolve instantly at his act of dishonor." She ended looking proudly back at the emperor. Feeling confident in that moment of summarizing her tactic with her knowledge of their roots.

"Hmmm," the wholly simple but still remarkably impressed tone of the lion emperor echoed from his throat as he looked over her culminating plan with growing interest.

Lionheart smiled with a proud grin as he looked over the map, catching onto what she was saying. She continued at this realization, "Should he agree and lose the duel, he will be forced to take the southern route, which has yet to receive its finished roads." She trailed a knowing finger down the regions outside the border of her own province. "He'll have to backtrack through eastern Shinano and northern Kai along the mountainous route, without the benefit of roads." Judy drew a dull, clawed digit over the incomplete southern highway of Tokaido, the path resulted in warlord Big taking the slow mountainous region. His other choice was through Echigo which was unlikely since their armies of archers and walled forts were the most lethal thing to predator vanguards. The rougher untended roads weren't very forgiving for padded paws over clovine species either.

Lionheart looked back with a grin at Bogo who looked slack jawed in response, "I stand mistaken, a finely assembled student you have Bogo-sama. I should never have doubted you." He turned back to Judy bowing slightly in respect to which Judy was taken aback for a second before bowing lower in response instinctively. "And I will remember to think more highly of you in the future, given your insights young Hopps."

"Could that plan work?" A voice emanating somewhere among the assembled council of nobles from the available central provinces.

It took Bogo a moment to collect himself from his stupor. "It… it could, yes your holiness." He said to Leodore, mulling it over, the rough texture of his cloven hoof carefully resting against his chin. "It would rely heavily on winning the duel. Judy is correct in that he cannot refuse, unless the host of predator lords with him is less respectful of the territory of prey lands. The duel itself is a gamble on the basis of raw skill," he looked over to the ambitious rabbit herself still standing at the center of the map, seeming to own it in an aura of her own glowing pride. "You're skilled, one of the best I have seen. But lord Big will bring with him the most skilled of many provinces. Predator soldiers and Samurai as well as an unknown number of Shinobi (Ninja)," she couldn't help the instinctual sink in her mood in response.

"Too much relies on this fight, Judy-sama." He said with a low finality to it. "As skilled as you are, far too many lives rely on the victory for your first real duel." He said, Judy's broad smile and tall ears sank as her moment in the lime light seemed to dissipate in front of her. "Master Orsa." He said, everyone in the room recognizing that name. Word of the legend themselves something impossible to mistake. The female grizzly bear was a vaunted soldier of the very rebellion that placed Lionheart as the new emperor from the previous shogunate. She was a legend that had no fewer than eighteen confirmed victories in duels against the finest samurai of their era.

The number of lives claimed from her front line assaults during the short lived war never counted, but estimates alone made her the most lethal mammal of a generation. "Lord Big will likely use that wolf I heard about, a 'vicious wandering ronin covered in the blood of their enemies.' I know close to nothing about them, rumors mostly, but he has been within that region for a while, and if the money is good enough." Bogo had already long since entered a state of planning.

"The same unknown mammal that killed Ramses, Doug?" Lionheart asked in a calmed tone, confirming it.

The bovine high-lord nodded in response, "the very same. Lord Big has the funds to get someone like that on his side."

Douglas Ramses. Judy didn't need much to stoke the memory of the legendary prey samurai, a large ram who specialized, if not religiously, dueled exclusively predator samurai. He had even survived as many as four assassination attempts if rumors were even half accurate. A legend to the prey provinces and a thorn in the side of supposed predator superiority when it came to the art of bushido. Word spread quickly on the outset of his eighth victory over a skilled samurai from Settsu, he was headed to northern Etchu province in north central Japan to challenge master Orsa herself to a duel to the death, finally proving a prey superiority. Only to be bested in a duel en route to her own dojo by some nameless wolf ronin who was simply passing through, a remarkably unbelievable story given the rams growing retinue of feats.

Claims to whatever end were unimportant as the ram lost this duel, witness to no fewer than six mammals as the rumors went who corroborated the story of his bloody defeat. Word was that not only had he lost, but lost to breathtaking speed and ferocity, his cleaved frame a fount of gore. Judy couldn't help but slouch inwardly understanding the need for a more trained paw to challenge those odds. Her skill was beyond contestation as far as the few duels she had sparring but never lethal like the bouts noted by the veterans she imagined. Each time she proved her skill, unquestionably time and again.

"Judy?" She failed to hear.

"Judy?" The second voice asked breaking her from the inward thought and stupor. Turning she recognized her father gesturing with a worried expression. Turning back the questioning gaze of the whole of Lionheart's present advisors and council on her.

"Sorry... lords, I was lost in thought. Please excuse my thoughtlessness." She bowed again to which both Bogo and Lionheart answered in kind with their own bows, equally measured of their status over her own.

"I was asking if you would accept the responsibility and honor of taking my request to Orsa yourself." Lionheart said with the offer of such an important task surprising her further, her mood perked up immediately.

"Of course my emperor, I would be honored," she bowed respectively. The gesture he used to dismiss the present individuals was unmistakable, the stresses which weighed on the small rabbit just moments earlier offered no protest when she stepped from the map, sidling alongside her father as the two exited the tent.

The sun bore down on them, brighter then she recalled before entering the tent. Tension released after only a few steps with an exasperated sigh, the two walked the distance for a while longer, sitting over near some trees.

"Well that was certainly something. You really dove in there, and the emperor was really impressed! There you go making us rabbits look better and better each day." Stu said, his ever warming smile in place. Yet her father had earned his place through tact and personable but charmed trade as well as siding and providing for the rebellion shy of two decades prior. Proud as she and many rabbits were he himself believed Judy's ambitious nature and skill spoke just as strongly to dissipate the stereotypes of them as a 'species of peasants' that they fought fervently against.

"The looks on those lords faces when Bogo spoke so highly of you. And the Emperor himself asking you to deliver his message to master Orsa for a duel of your own planning. Just... wow! Jude the dude, you're giving me plenty proud things to tell your mother when I get home. Course you're going to have to head right out for Etchu, roads should take you west through Shinano pretty quickly, but the ones straddling Hida won't be as quick. If you didn't have a rabbit's speed I would say you would be returning just alongside warlord Bigs' army on your way back. But, well than you're the fastest one I've ever known, easy peasy." He embraced his daughter, a left arm across her shoulder bringing her to his side in a hug. He made a gruff noise shaking her a bit "Bear hug!" they both chuckled.

"Alright, I'll go get some rations and provisions for your travel. I'll make sure to get it all confirmed and checked up with the Shogun before you head out. Make sure not to make a joke of ya by sending you out without being sure." He hopped to before her own thoughts could finally catch up with just how much had happened in a short amount of time.

Thinking back on it, life seemed to have moved so rapidly lately. Judy had to admit the situation gave her as best a chance to prove herself as she could hope. Skilled but untested in a true fight, but the emperor and shogun themselves seemed confident in saddling her with the duty of bringing their greatest warrior to field in a duel against the oncoming war party, conflict was likely but in a more prepared fashion.

Once lord Big heads home for the winter, true war will begin in spring.

She thought to herself, still fearing should she get ahead of her own plans. It was a shortcoming she recognized, like the story of the white hare of Inaba counting the shark clan as he used them as a bridge. Like the story, getting ahead of herself lead to as many mistakes as she could fear for. But for now she had a goal, a mission of actual importance and she intended fully to approach it with the same tenacity and ambition she expected of herself.