A dark embrace

Eldoris hasn't had life so easy; watching your family be ripped to pieces in front of you is sure to have its effects, and soon Eldoris finds herself unwillingly in a circus. Her hope quickly fades away as she yearns to be free, and she finds herself in a tank of endless despair- both figuratively and literally-until she meets him:

Charles.

The scrawny, timid boy working at the circus cleaning her habitat out. She quickly finds herself scolding herself for falling for someone like him, and he finds himself questioning how he could fall for someone like her. Both know that in order to survive, they must run; except there's just one problem:

Eldoris doesn't exactly have legs;

More of a tail.