tagalong (noun)

1. The tagalong character in the horror film was always there, lurking in the shadows and adding an extra layer of fear.

2. In the fantasy novel, the protagonist had a loyal tagalong companion, who never left their side through the magical adventures.

3. During the gold rush, many tagalongs followed the prospectors in hopes of finding some treasure for themselves.

4. The mischievous little bird was always a tagalong to the main character in the cartoon, getting into all sorts of trouble.