(I'd love to write his story into one of those artsy graphic novels with very little dialogue. But since the likelihood of that seems all but nonexistent, have this...)

Copernicus had been forced into a nomadic life since his early teens, when his home was raided. Both his parents and younger sister were taken along with other members of his village, for their pelts.

The hunting of Copernicus' species is seen as taboo, thanks to a planetary treaty granting non-humanoid, sentient races person-hood. Making them equal to the other, more humanoid peoples in the eyes of the law. This doesn't stop poachers who fuel the underground markets. The rich green hides fetch a hefty profit, and it's impolite to ask how they were obtained.

Within a year of striking out on his own, Nic makes a friend who introduces him to the proprietor of small shop. In an attempt to keep him safe he's given an item that cloaks his natural appearance, giving him a more humanoid form. With some practice he manages to pull off the illusion quite well.