Tail of the Stray

About this item

At five years old, Velrik is torn from Vaelwyn by raiders and sold into slavery. The last piece of clothing from home is ripped from his body. A collar takes its place. For five years, he is property — an exotic curiosity to be displayed, corrected, and forgotten by a lord who sees him as less than sapient. When freedom finally comes, it arrives not as rescue but as a stinging reminder: this world was never meant for him. Montressa doesn't want him. Its streets are built for humans, and the word Aberrant follows him like a shadow. But the others freed alongside him refuse to scatter. They become his family — the kind who look out for one another when no one else will. Under the guidance of a master rogue, Velrik grows from a frightened kit into something sharper. He learns to navigate the city's underbelly, to trust the weight of a blade in his hand, and to carve out a place in a world that would rather he disappear. For six years, it almost feels like home. Then everything falls apart. Velrik is forced to flee the only family he had left — alone once more, with blood on his hands and nowhere left to run. ⚠️ This story contains themes of slavery and captivity, violence, trauma, and loss. While the tone is melancholic at times, this is ultimately a story about resilience and survival.