The Familiars #1- Epstein and Jacobson
After starving alley cat Aldwyn steals food from a fishmonger once too often, he is chased by a notorious bounty hunter intent on exterminating him. He takes refuge in a pet store that sells animal familiars to local wizards and is purchased by Jack, a young apprentice. Little does he know, he's going to do a bit more than acting to hide the fact that he's not a familiar, or he'll be sent back to the alleys only to be hunted down and killed.