The Bestiary: The Unicorn-Elephant War

These posts are inspired by bestiaries and creature books. This one was inspired by two facts presented in T.H. White's "The Bestiary."

Art by xPureLayouts
http://s225.photobucket.com/albums/dd75/xPureLayouts/
?action=view&current=blood_uni.png&sort=ascending

Unicorns are well known as bloodthirsty creatures, but their hatred of Elephants is legendary. This is something of a paradox, since the Elephant is a creature entirely without lust. Nevertheless, when the Purple Traders secretly brought War Elephants over the Ice Mountains against the Republic of the Red Cloaks, the Red Cloaks Virgin Seers detected this ploy and summoned the Unicorn King to array his forces in a great battle against the invaders.

The result was that hundreds of Unicorns were trampled under the Elephants' great feet, while dozens of War Elephants were gored and slain by the Unicorn King's armies. The lowland plains where this battle was fought are known today as the Red Mud Flats.

The Purple Traders' ploy was nevertheless successful. Dozens more War Elephants survived the battle and descended on the Republic of the Red Cloaks. The Elephants tore down the Republic's City Where All Roads Lead, and that state was destroyed in its entirety.

The Purple Traders' sea empire thrives to this day. Because of the Unicorn-Elephant War, the empire's two symbols remain the Red Elephant's Heel and the Broken Unicorn Horn.