Wingman
First appearance: Happy, chapter 16
Last appearance: Timeless, chapter 3
Appears in: Happy, Armageddon, TimelessLatest status
bonded to Dom, guild combat asset
Wingman is a Battle Chicken, an animal companion who imprints on Dom as a hatchling after surviving an attack that kills her clutch-siblings. Innocent in temperament but bearing her species’ fearsome reputation, she grows from a vulnerable chick into a powerful, size-shifting combat and utility member of the Death and Taxes guild, choosing her own name and earning a devoted following among a local goblin population who venerate her. Fiercely loyal to Dom and Adrian, she fights and works alongside them as a full teammate.
Abilities
- Unlimited Growth — Book 5.5
- Battle Squawk (powerful vocal/sonic attack) — Book 5.5
- Enhanced Sprint — Book 5.5
- Size transformation between a waist-high and a six-foot-tall form — Book 5.5
- Precise combat technique for inflicting maximal, non-lethal damage — Book 5.5
- Loot sorting and hauling — Book 5.5
Book 5.5: Happy
Wingman is a Battle Chicken, a species with unlimited growth potential and a reputation for destructive power that a newborn hatchling cannot yet exercise or control. She hatches from one of the few eggs to survive an attack that kills her clutch-siblings and separates her from her mother, later identified as the “Death Cluck,” a chicken that had terrorized the jungle. Abandoned and vulnerable, the newly hatched chick immediately consumes an entire ant colony and imprints on Dom, bonding to him as protector despite Adrian’s initial suggestion that she be put down. Though innocent in temperament, she unconsciously triggers fear in other creatures because of her species’ reputation, foreshadowing power she does not yet understand.
As she grows, the chick chooses the name Wingman for herself, resolving an earlier antagonistic relationship with Adrian over naming and food and developing into his musical partner, amplifying his songs with vocalizations powerful enough to scatter creatures. She fights alongside Dom and Adrian through the jungle, feeding on defeated enemies (consuming an entire elephant on one occasion) and taking part in raids and battles as a full member of the group rather than a pet. A later chapter identifies her as female; she rejects the nickname “Wingwoman” and insists on keeping her chosen name. She develops trained combat and utility skills, including Unlimited Growth, Battle Squawk, and Enhanced Sprint, and takes on tasks such as sorting and hauling loot, showing clear emotional responses to Dom’s approval or disapproval.
When Sean of the Jackals guild tortures and kills Dom and Adrian during a betrayal, Wingman loses an eye and is permanently maimed; she is later restored through respawn, but the injury does not diminish her loyalty or fighting spirit. Around the same period, her habit of bringing food to the local goblin population leads them to venerate her as a deity, “the great cluck cluck,” carrying her on a platform and offering tribute — a status she visibly enjoys and grows increasingly independent within, even as she remains bonded to Dom and Adrian. She continues to grow physically, eventually becoming too large to sit in Dom’s lap, and gains the ability to shift between a waist-high and a six-foot-tall form.
Once Death and Taxes tracks Sean down, Wingman takes personal revenge for her lost eye, using her size-shifting and precision to torture and kill him slowly rather than quickly, acting explicitly in defense of Adrian. She continues afterward as a working member of the guild, helping her goblin worshippers, entertaining crowds during Death and Taxes’ arena appearances, checking on Dom’s condition after fights, and using her size-shifting strength to help Tombs transport treasure during vault heists.
Status: Alive — newly hatched, vulnerable and abandoned → Alive — grown, one-eyed, size-shifting adult Battle Chicken; established combat and utility member of Death and Taxes, worshipped as a deity by a goblin population
Dom: Imprints on Dom as protector at hatching and grows into a fully bonded companion who fights, works, and shows emotional responsiveness to his approval or disapproval.
Adrian: Moves from antagonism over food and naming to a musical partnership amplifying his songs, and later acts as his direct protector, taking revenge on Sean specifically in his defense.
Sean: Escalates from combat bystander to torture victim, losing an eye to him, to executioner, later hunting him down and killing him slowly in revenge.
Goblins: Becomes an unintentional deity to a local goblin population after repeatedly bringing them food, receiving worship, tribute, and ritual carrying.
Book 6: Armageddon
Wingman appears with the masked Death and Taxes group, eating while carrying gear and providing combat backup for the team; she works closely with Tombs and sets her own terms even while cooperating with the group. During the Sandscrit heist, she is shown able to transform between normal and giant size and to fly or glide, carrying the team and a stolen gate piece. Despite Dom’s use of an illusion disguise, she recognizes him by scent and responds eagerly to his commands, squawking and gesturing to seek direction before travel duty.
Status: Alive — feeding and on working duty with the masked group → Alive — excited and dutiful, prepared for transport duty with Dom and the team
Dom: Wingman is shown recognizing Dom by scent through his illusion disguise, revealing a deep bond built on more than appearance.
Key quote: “Massive squawk filled the air”
Book 7: Timeless
During a guild battle against attacking travelers, Wingman follows Dom’s tactical commands, using her ability to change size to distract the attackers while the guild fights back.
Appears in
- Happy — 22 chapters
- Armageddon — 2 chapters
- Timeless — 1 chapters