Sanya the Stray

Some of the footprints left in history happen to be paws. Very few people would expect something like that from a random stray, but even fewer strays would expect something useful coming out of humans. Other than scraps of meat, of course.
Sanya didn't have it easy in the beginning stages of her life, being cast out into the river along with her brothers and sisters, all of them barely escaping before the water managed to swallow them whole - though she barely recalls any of their scents anymore. Her earliest memories consist of a chaotic mess of struggling to find shelter, warmth any kind of edible food and brief moments of anger from humans chasing her away. No wonder she grew up into a slender and quick dog, who is easily intimidated by loud noises and who keeps her distance from strangers.
Fate made it so, that she became an integral part of the Ink Caravan, acting as a herding dog, making sure no one ventured too far away from the path and alerting to any potential danger that might want to approach the camp during the night. While she is not really strong guarding or a hunting dog, her instincts and sharp thinking make sure that she earns her keep and a few friendly scratches behind the ears every night. It is on the Stone Road that she met with kindness for the very first time and also made her first ever friend - a fellow stray (of the human kind) named Yolin.

loyal companion
clever
fast instincts
most adorable thief

Through trials and tribulations she became a loyal companion to Yolin, an outcast of her own right, wondering from town to town, taking any job that would have her - ideally - travel even further from most civilised places of the continent. In Onwards! they will be facing their biggest adventure yet, breaking ancient curses, stealing bones right from the angry skeletons chasing them out of the tomb, uncovering the rotten stink of corrupt aristocrats and lingering poisons. Chasing traitors all across the land and saving a princess or two. There might be a dragon somewhere in there also.
And who knows, maybe in the end, Sanya will even get a statue. If you rub her snoot for good luck, it will slowly turn from bronze to gold in colour - shining a little bit of hope to all who come to greet her. (But this is just an unconfirmed rumour by the totally objective narrator who definitely cannot peak into the future, definitely. Shsh.)