In the video game, Final Fantasy IX, one of the playable characters is a rat-like humanoid named Freya. She fights with a spear/lance and maintains a tough warrior attitude despite the destruction and tragedy that comes to her race.
Along with a girl named Evangeline, who was actually her other half, Freya was attached to death in a short story. Sadly though I am temporarily braindead and cannot think of its name, good story though if I do say so myself.