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Prologue
“The Airborne was a new division - the only one with a weight limit. The soldiers had to be able to carry their daemon and jump from an airplane with it secured to their body and the parachute. Though bird daemons had no weight limit for natural reasons. For some it was easy, for others it was the hardest moment. There were tests during the training where you had to be able to hold your daemon up in the air for a certain time, if you failed - you were out.”
- Quote from “The 101st Airborne Division’s History”
“You never got quite used to it. People didn’t aim with intent to hurt the daemons, or at least we didn’t. I don’t know about the Germans. But during the war’s chaos, it was impossible to not hurt a daemon sometimes, with bullets or bombs. And to see a daemon explode in dust or slowly die in a soldier’s arms … Excuse me, I … I can’t even begin to describe it. It was common that if a daemon died before the soldier it didn’t take long before the man died too. Not just from wounds mind you, it was like something broke in their brain. They faded away, didn’t care anymore. I have seen men run straight into the enemy’s fire yelling like mad, … like there was nothing left to live for. There were a few who survived anyway, but I don’t think they were ever quite the same again, even after the war. ‘Cause, can you even imagine living on without your daemon?”
- Excerpt from an interview with a WW2 veteran.
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Richard Winters - Walburga (Little River Duck Dog/Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever)Walburga might have looked like one of those common, nice golden dogs from a distance, but upon closer inspection, it became clearer that she was something else – smaller, redder, with white markings. Just like Dick, there was more to her than met the eye.Nix vividly remembered the moment when Dick, without even looking at her, surveyed the battlefield from the trench and formed a makeshift support with his hands that she jumped up on, propelling her up from the trench so that she hit the ground running toward the other trench. All of it without even thinking about the enemy’s fire. Throughout it all, Dick and Walburga communicated seamlessly, not with words, but with an unspoken understanding. While Nix knew that daemons and their humans could share silent communication through mere looks, as he himself did sometimes, but the bond between Dick and Walburga transcended that. They didn’t even need to look at each other; their connection ran deeper. She had immediately known what he wanted, and done it without a moment’s hesitation. Nix had heard about another remarkable moment when they had charged across a field to attack a platoon of German soldiers. The men had spoken in hushed tones, their voices filled with respect and awe, about the sight of their leader sprinting alongside Walburga, both moving at full speed, without any hesitation, while the rest of them lagged behind, waiting for the signal in red smoke. Nix was honestly grateful that he hadn't witnessed it himself; it would have surely given him a heart attack. But he recognized the reverence in their voices, the awe and admiration of being in the presence of someone who stood head and shoulders above the rest.“You two are insane, you know that?” Nix couldn’t help but remark, and in response, Dick just flashed his slightly crooked confused smile, while Walburga eerily similar tilted her head ever so slightly. He was certain he would never meet anyone quite like them ever again.Lewis Nixon - Clara (American mink)“It’s so COLD!” Clara whined, burrowing deeper beneath Nix’s shirt.“We’re all well aware of that”, Nix muttered, wincing when her icy paws made contact with his stomach. Dick watched, amused, as Nix’s shirt and coat seemed to shift on their own without him moving.“Hey, watch it! I’m not much warmer than you, you know”, Nix scolded, peering down in his coat. “At least you have fur.”Malarkey and Skip, who were standing nearby trying to gather some warmth, couldn’t hold back their snickers.“Is there something moving in your pants, Sir?”“With fur?”Dick struggled to stifle a snort, and Nix shot him a glare, though he could see hint of amusement in his eyes.“Hey!” Clara’s head popped up near Nix’s neck, and she glared at the two privates. “I’m way prettier than that thing!”“I can’t even be embarrassed by you anymore”, Nix muttered with a sigh, while Malarkey and Skip fought to contain their laughter. Clara’s breath visibly hitched when the cold touched her black nose, and she yelped before burrowing back into Nix’s coat.“You spoiled brat”, Nix muttered, a soft smile tugging at his lips. Dick caught that and allowed a small, knowing smile to play on his own. He knew just how much Clara meant to Nix, no matter what he said aloud.Ronald Speirs - Donella (Wolf)If anything was more intimidating than Speirs, it was his daemon, Donella. She trailed him everywhere, just one step behind, like his silent, black shadow with glowing eyes that seemed to miss nothing. The men might have called her a lone wolf if they hadn’t witnessed other daemons walking up to her, seeking warmth in her fur without any resistance on her part. The smaller daemons would burrow into her black fur to sleep, while her vigilant eyes remained coolly attentive to their surroundings, keeping guard. The larger daemons, particularly Lip’s, enjoyed lying close to her, finding comfort in her steady presence.Malarkey swore he had once seen Speirs give Donella a look as he was about to exit a room. However, Donella remained steadfast, her firm gaze unwavering, and her paws firmly planted where she was lying. This was all because Roe’s petite daemon was peacefully asleep in Donella’s fur. Spiers had then turned his glare toward Roe until he realized that his daemon was causing Spiers trouble as Donella wouldn’t budge until the other daemon woke up. Apparently, her gaze held a power even more compelling than Speirs’ own, and he didn’t even bother attempting to challenge her resolve.While the others doubted Malarkey’s story, as it seemed so unlike the fearsome Commander, Dick suspected that Speirs might have found it somewhat embarrassing that Donella displayed such fondness for other daemons so openly. In contrast, Donella herself seemed to never be bothered by it nor by the fact that her human was. Their formidable presence in battle were still terrifying enough that the men respected, or more accurately feared, them.
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Lynn Compton - Marlowe (Siberian Husky)Together, they were a remarkable sight. His bright hair and eyes, paired with her white fur and piercing blue eyes, commanded attention wherever they went. Their presence was both striking and heartwarming, as he wore a bright smile while she chimed in with cheerful chattering. The Easy Company had opened their hearts to them almost immediately when they first met in England. This was no small feat, as the company usually didn’t accept strangers so easily. Nevertheless, this couple had an uncanny ability to melt everyone’s hearts, loving the men back with their own fierce and unwavering loyalty.But, in that moment, their world seemed shatter into darkness. Buck’s trembling hands hid his eyes as if seeking a shelter from the harsh reality. Marlowe, for the first time ever, tucked her tail away and whined softly, her gaze darting around, bracing for the next impending blow. The very loyalty that had been their strength now turned out to also be their weakness. The loss of so many men had left an mark and Marlowe, the embodiment of Buck’s spirit and soul, showed so clearly that they had reached their end; mourned their fallen pack members with painful howls as golden dust sprinkled softly from her fur.As the war neared its conclusion, the company received the most delightful surprise when Buck and Marlowe returned for a visit. Buck had his light in his eyes back, and Marlowe greeted everyone with joyful yips, her tail in an unending state of wagging. No longer did dust fall from her fur even when she playfully tumbled around on the ground, playing with the other daemons. The reunion was a beacon of hope and renewal amid the darkness of their shared past. Carwood Lipton - Nanna (Tibetan Mastiff)“Is that a bear?” The others had exclaimed the first time they laid eyes on Lip and his daemon. “It’s huge!”“She’s a dog”, Lip had replied with a smile, his daemon happily wagging her tail beside him, happy to prove her true nature.Lip had the biggest challenge during their jumps. His daemon, Nanna, had barely cleared the weight limit during the training. It was a calculated risk, as exceeding the weight limit could result in a deadly descent or snapped lines. But Lip was somehow able to hoist his big daemon into his arms while she looked pleased snuggling him like an over-sized teddy bear. He'd explained that he’d been lifting her since they were children so he was used to her weight. Nanna loved it, reveling in his arms, but it was hard to find something that she didn’t like as she seemed to find joy in nearly everything.Nanna stood out as the most gentle and kindest daemon among them. She provided comfort and solace to countless soldiers throughout the war. In Bastogne, she saved many men from succumbing to the bitter cold just by snuggling up to them and giving them warmth. She never complained about the harsh cold, even when her paws suffered from frostbite, and Roe had to tend to her injuries. It wasn’t until Roe threatened to pull Lip and Nanna from the front lines that they began to take things a bit easier. Nix once remarked that having Nanna around was like having two sergeants in one, as she had the habit of venturing off to check on the men independently. However, whenever Nanna was in sight, Lip was never too far behind.George Luz - Iria (Corsac Fox)Finding a more perfectly matched human and daemon duo than Luz and his fox, would be a hard challenge. One memorable moment for the men was when they tricked Sobel during the training. Sobel, as usual, had gotten himself and them all lost, and the other privates, growing impatient, easily convinced Luz to trick Sobel by imitating Major Horton. Iria, however, just gave Luz a look, and a wicked grin spread across his face. In front of the confused soldiers, Iria hunkered down low and then suddenly rushed out from their place behind the trees, circling around Sobel unnoticed and reaching the other side of the fence.“What are you doing?” One of the others hissed, worry in his voice.But Luz silenced him with a hush, and soon they heard a voice that strikingly resembled major Horton shout across the field - “What’s the holdup Sobel?!”The other privates, along with Sobel, startled, their surprise nearly matching Sobel’s own. But when they saw Luz’s triumphant grin, they quickly realized what Luz and Iria had done. They struggled to stifle their laughter despite Luz’s attempts to quiet them. When Iria rejoined them a little later, Muck couldn’t help but express his slight disappointment, his tone tinged with jest - “You didn’t tell us that Iria could pull that off as well as you.”“You’re wrong”, Iria chimed in proudly from where she was tripping next to Luz looking pleased. “I’m better than him. Who do you think taught him?”
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Eugene Roe - Bonnie (Mourning dove)Roe didn’t often express gratitude verbally to Bonnie, but he didn’t need to as words were unnecessary. She was an integral part of him, and she already knew. When they first arrived at the camp, some people were sceptical about his daemon in a battlefield. After all, what could a dove contribute to such a grim environment. There were talk that Bonnie’s cooing were spooky, an eerie echo resembling the mournful hoot of an owl, which unnerved a few. But the truth that became apparent later was that it was thanks to Bonnie that not only Roe’s life but also the lives of several other’s had been saved, and both of them knew it.For Roe personally, Bonnie’s soft, low crooning served as an anchor, always reaching his ears and mind when he was lost in the depths of his thoughts, mentally adrift amid the chaos of battle, managing to bring him back into the present with her sound when no one else could. Her gentle wing brushing against his cheek was enough to fill him with a little more strength to carry on and try save one more person.Bonnie’s slender and swift wings enabled her small shape to fly across the battlefields faster than Roe, or anyone else for that matter, could move. She could fly quickly and search for the wounded soldiers with a lower risk of being hit. In the beginning, Roe had his heart in his throat every time she disappeared from sight amid the turmoil of a battlefield, but it was their duty, and they had to swallow down that paralyzing fear to keep going. Bonnie’s loud call, the same eerie sound that people had called spooky, always reached him when her words couldn’t, guiding him to her and the wounded she had found.Those soldiers who had initially doubted the capabilities of that tiny dove soon changed their minds. That once-spooky call became a comforting beacon for the troops, especially when they were wounded. The moment they heard the echoing call, they knew that Bonnie had found them, and Roe would soon arrive with help. As long as that sound resonated across the battlefield, hope prevailed.“Woo-oo-oo-oooo”Joseph Toye - Jody (Wild Boar)“Oh shit”, Toye muttered, still dizzy but he managed to prop himself up on his elbows, his gaze shifting down to his legs – or rather, his leg, as the other one was no longer there anymore but lying a little bit further away from his body.“Shit… Jody... this is bad”, he muttered, collapsing back onto the ground, but the familiar and comforting snuffling of his companion never reached his ears. His throat constricted, and a greater horror than the loss of his leg gripped his chest. In denial, he repeated her name, scanning the ground as he lay there. But it wasn’t until he pushed himself up on one elbow again that he saw her.“Jody...” Toye whispered, his eyes widening slowly. His trusted boar, who had always marched alongside him, undeterred by anything with her thick, tough skin, always with an attitude of that nothing could hurt her. Yet now, she lay in the snow, a gaping wound in her side, and a trickle of dust was slowly drifting up from the wound. For a second, it looked as though she wasn’t breathing. “Jody..!”He had to get to her. She had to be breathing. Without a second thought, he grabbed his rifle and used it to drag himself forward to her, despite the blossoming pain in his leg. He had to get to her. Everything would be okay if he could just get to her.“Medic! Jody! MEDIC!”William Guarnere - Roz (Wolverine)“Medic!” “Is that Joe?”“Yeah, I think so.”Bill and Roz hurried to the scene, and although Bill thought he was prepared for whatever he was about to see, he had to stop for a second to be able to take it all in. Toye was crawling through the snow, leaving a trail of blood behind him, while Jody lay motionless on her side with dust softly trickling from her form.“Shit, Joe”, Bill muttered as he rushed up to him, hearing the familiar sound of German artillery resuming its barrage.“No! Look after Jody!” Toye shouted, reaching out for his daemon as Bill reached him. But he didn’t have much strength left and had to let Bill take him under his arms, while he grunted in pain.“Roz will take care of her!” Bill shouted back, throwing a quick glance at his daemon, who was already by Jody’s side. But he didn’t have much time to see how they were doing before Buck’s voice rang out, and the ground started to quake beneath them. And then the world exploded around them.The next thing he knew, his leg looked as though it had been through a meat grinder, and Roz limped over to collapse beside him. Dust trickled from one of her legs, but she rested her head on his other leg, and he locked eyes with her familiar gaze. He saw the spark still burning within them, and suddenly, he wasn’t so worried.“They got us Roz”, he grinned, clenching his teeth as his body began to register the pain and trembled.“You mean they got you; I’m fine”, Roz muttered stubbornly, huffing. Bill nearly barked a laugh as he clenched his fist in her rough fur. The contact provided a comfort to them both, as they were still together.
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Donald Malarkey - Fergie (Squirrel)“Don”, a soft voice whined in his ear. Malarkey blinked slowly before he found himself again and grunted softly to show that he heard her.“Are Jody and Roz going to be okay?” Fergie spoke softly, holding onto his shoulder like she didn’t want to interrupt the heavy silence.“Yes”, Malarkey replied after a moment, his eyes returning to the letter from Bill and Toye. He had drifted away for a moment after reading the letter. He felt Fergie sag in relief on his shoulder, and she slowly crawled underneath his collar so she could rest around his neck. It was a comforting, familiar gesture from their childhood. Her thick, soft tail gently tipped up brushing his jaw, in a soothing petting motion.“Good. I don’t want to lose anyone else”, she whispered solemnly.Malarkey couldn’t help but think that they didn’t have anyone else left to lose at this point. But he didn’t say it out loud, knowing that Fergie was likely thinking the same thing. He became more aware of his surroundings as her tail continued its comforting motion, and he returned the gesture with a hand softly stroking her fur.“We’ve got each other, Fergie”, he whispered.“Always.”Warren H. Muck - Jessie (Fox)“You’re a troublemaker, aren’t you?” A voice spoke up from behind Malarkey. He frowned, wondering if that was a jab at his hair color and Fergie’s red fur. Turning around, he was ready with a comeback, but he stopped when he noticed two things: first, the mischievous grin on the man’s face, and second, the similar grin on the red fox beside him.“Well, it takes one to know one”, Malarkey replied rather amused, raising an eyebrow at the fox.“Ha!” The red fox exclaimed, clearly amused at her human’s expense, and she looked up at the stranger. He didn’t seem very hurt either and, in fact, grinned even wider.“I’m Warren Muck, but call me Skip”, the man introduced himself, extending a hand for a handshake while nodding to the fox next to him. “This is Jessie.”“I’m Don Malarkey, this is Fergie”, Don replied, already feeling a sense of camaraderie with the man and took his hand as Fergie preened on his shoulder. “And yes, that is my name.”He added that last part with a wry smile when he saw Skip’s raised eyebrow as he was used to people’s reaction. But they quickly became friends, and their daemons, despite their size difference, also became fast friends. It was common that when you saw one of them you likely soon saw the other one too, that was true to both humans and daemons. Don and Skip enjoyed laughter and playful banter, while Fergie and Jessie liked to run and play together.“Argh! She got me, Don!” Fergie yelled dramatically, drawing their attention, they glanced over to see her sprawled in Jessies jaws, her tiny hands on her chest like she were on her deathbed. “Don’t think about me, save yourself!”Jessie stood there quite calmly, and Don could see that she was holding the squirrel daemon very carefully but looked pleased with her wagging tail.“Ah, Skip, you owe me a new daemon”, Don poked at Skip with a small grin playing in the corner of his lips.“Aw, well, I can probably find another squirrel for you”, Skip quipped back. “Won’t make much of a difference.”Fergie squawked in protest and then launched into a tirade about how Jessie’s drool had ruined her fur - “I’m not drooling!”They remained friends, sharing many light-hearted moments, until that fateful day in the forest when everything disappeared in the blink of an eye.Donald Hoobler - Happy (Unspecific terrier-breed)They had seen it happen before, but you never truly got used to it. The first sign of how dire the situation was came when the first specks of dust started to rise from those familiar tipped ears of Hoobler’s daemon. Happy whined lowly, her eyes fixed on Hoobler’s rapidly paling face. Lip shouted urgently for the medic as Happy pressed herself close, settling on Hoobler’s chest. Buck quickly ordered the others to use their coats to warm him, draping the despairingly thin garments over both Hoobler and Happy in hope of some help. Bundled up with her human, Happy gave Hoobler’s jaw a few reassuring licks, which seemed to provide some comfort despite his shaking. An unshakable sense of dread hung in the air, as the rising panic foretold what was about to happen. Roe finally arrived, focusing on the wounded leg and the source of the blood.“Stay with us! Take it easy!” someone shouted, ignoring the dust that began to swirl in the air. But soon Hoobler’s eyes got lost their focus, and with a final, involuntary jerk of his body, they heard a faint whisper of his name before it dissolved into a sigh. The coats that had covered the daemon suddenly sagged, and more dust than before floated into the air. There was nothing left but wrinkles on the coats, hinting that something had been lying there only seconds ago.“Doc… Doc!”Roe finally looked up, pausing in his frantic efforts to stop the bleeding when he realized that Happy was nowhere to be seen, and Hoobler’s chest was still.You never truly got used to the abrupt disappearance of something that had been there only seconds ago – tangible, real and as present as yourself and your own daemon. It would vanish as if it had never existed, leaving behind a eerie reminder of the transient nature of your own daemon and how everything could change in an instant. And it happened every day, every time someone died – yet people somehow found the strength to keep fighting.
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Denver Randleman - "Millie" Millicent (American Bulldog)“Oh, and over there is Millie and Bull”, Luz grinned and pointed at Bull and Millie in wrong order as he introduced them to a new replacement.“What are you saying about our fine sergeant, Luz?” Skip huffed, trying to look offended but had a hard time as Malarkey sniggered quietly next to him. “It sounds like you’re implying he looks like his daemon?”“Oh, I’m sorry”, Luz spoke up loudly in Bull’s direction while he continued talking to the replacement. “I didn’t mean to just imply it; no one looks more like his daemon than what Bull does.”Bull and Millie huffed at the same time, only succeeding in making the others crack up even more.Like Bull, his daemon Millicent, known as Millie, was a large presence that you couldn’t ignore. They might not have spoken much, but when they did, people listened. And when they went MIA, people definitely noticed, as if a part of their body was missing. They were a stable, reassuring presence in the platoon, and many breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the jeep with Bull and Millie returning in it. Martin’s daemon Jane even licked Millie’s nose in relief and joy.John Martin - Jane (Grey Wolf)People might’ve seen Martin and Jane as quiet and grouchy. Their piercing stares alone were enough to make even a battle-hardened soldier squirm, and together, their stares could probably make anyone to confess to whatever they were hiding under their bed mattresses. But there were moments when their true selves shone through. Lip could recall when Martin came up to him before the D-Day to talk about Guarnere’s brother, who had been killed. Lip had advised him to tell Bill, but secretly, he was touched by the caring side he saw in them during that moment. Martin hadn’t revealed much, but Jane had hung her head with a worried look in her yellow eyes. Lip didn’t think Jane would admit to it, but she had seemed surprised and genuinely comforted when Nanna licked her and offered reassurance - “It will be okay.” But he had to admit that it was a bit amusing to see Martin squirm and Jane cough, both of them clearly embarrassed.Edward Heffron - "Edie" Edith (American Robin)Most new replacements found it challenging to gain acceptance within the company. Some of them had daemons ill-suited for battle, and while this was also the case among the veterans, some used it as an excuse to keep their distance. However, Babe was an exception, thanks to Guarnere and their shared hometown. Babe’s daemon, Edith, known as Edie, weren’t at first sight an animal fir for battle either. She was a bird with a brilliant red chest that almost seemed to glow in the grey winter forest. One early morning, while the most of them were struggling to catch a few precious moments of sleep and the those on guard were longing for their shift change to be able to go to sleep, a sudden, cheerful trill echoed through the trees and foxholes. For a brief moment, it was as if everyone, both allies and enemies, had paused to listen. But soon, the German artillery resumed this relentless pounding, shattering the peacefulness that had stolen one quiet moment.“Why?” Roe shuffled up to Babe afterward with a forgotten curiosity lingering in him. They all had soon figured out who the guilty party was, and Babe had been teased mercilessly about it. In answer to Roe's question, Babe just shrugged sullenly and pointed at his daemon, who was burrowing on his shoulder, looking like she was pouting if a bird could look like it.“I just thought it might cheer everyone up”, Edie murmured, sounding quite disappointed that it didn’t earn the outcome she had wanted. Babe just rolled his eyes, and if it weren’t for the cold, Roe suspected he would have been blushing. He quickly hid his amused smile by burying his face in his collar.“You did”, Bonnie chimed in softly from Roe’s shoulder. With amusement Roe saw Edie’s immediate reaction – her whole body perked up with enthusiasm.“Really? I thought so too!” Edie’s tail twitched with more vigor, and she seemed invigorated, while Babe, rolling his eyes once more, groaned, “Don’t encourage her..!”
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Harry Welsh - Elain (Fox terrier-mix)“I want light and noise discipline from now on. That means no talking, no smoking…” Welsh’s voice resonated loudly, ensuring everyone heard his orders.“And no playing grab-fanny with the man in front of you, Luz!” Elain chimed in just as loud, making the men laugh.Harry Welsh and his daemon, Elain, were both easygoing individuals who instantly won people over upon meeting them. Elain’s curly fur was even more pronounced than Welsh’s unruly hair, and they both exuded a contagious, cheerful energy. However, they had their favorite topic of conversation – Kitty. Welsh loved talking about his fiancée, and Elain wasn’t too far behind, often bringing up Kitty’s daemon. When they had been drinking a little too much, it was common knowledge to steer clear of that subject, as they could happily sit together and talk to each other about them like the other didn’t already knew everything. Nixon swore that he had once left them alone a room, returned an hour later, and found them in the exact same positions, with Welsh still waxing lyrical completely infatuated about Kitty’s eyes and Elain drawling admiringly about her daemon’s fur, without really listening to each other.David Webster - "Mary" Rosemary (Albatross)Webster had always loved his daemon’s graceful form. He felt like she embodied their shared longing to sail the open seas and escape from everything. Rosemary, also known as Mary, often spoke about their dream of owning a boat and embarking on travels across the ocean. When the war began, they saw it as a chance to break free and try something new. However, Webster hadn’t realized just how unusual Mary’s shape was. Birds were not very common daemons, and he had yet to meet another albatross daemon. People had looked a bit strange at them because of it. Mary was built for long journeys over water, and being so far inland for an extended period proved challenging. They couldn’t deny the relief they felt when they returned to England and were close to the sea again. But eventually they had to return and their chance to redeem themselves came the night when they had to cross a river. Mary effortlessly helped them in crossing silently, using her wings sparingly, and even helped the men who had fallen into the water.“You’re a really good swimmer”, Liebgott’s daemon, Jenny, remarked thoughtfully to Mary the following day. The comment surprised everyone, even Liebgott, but he helped Webster up onto the truck after that. Maybe, after all, they could find a place where they felt they belonged.Joseph Liebgott - Jenny (Raccoon)Lieb and his daemon, Jenny, were a pair of witty and sarcastic beings, sharing an extraordinary bond even among humans and their daemons. When things went missing, people could always turn to Lieb to ask about their whereabouts, as it was quite likely that Jenny had been sneaking around, ransacking unguarded jackets, packs, and anything else she found intriguing. However, getting their belongings from Lieb wasn’t easy, as he usually denied all knowledge even when Jenny was seated right next to him curiously looking through her ill-gotten loot. Attempting to take something from her was futile, as Lieb was always prepared to fight for his daemon, and Jenny wasn't shy of using dirty tricks to aid him in them. Nevertheless, Jenny usually grew tired of her loot rather quickly, leaving it behind in suspicious piles for the owners to rediscover, so the others had learned to wait until she decided to throw her prizes aside. Cigarettes were an exception, as Jenny knew Lieb loved them, and she always gave them to him, along with food. She wasn’t stupid.Lieb’s protective nature towards Jenny was evident to everyone, but it was during their encounter with the concentration camp that they witnessed a similar protectiveness from the daemon. Initially, they were too busy of the sight of the camp and its suffering victims to pay much attention to Jenny. When Winters asked Liebgott to translate, he was taken aback by Jenny’s hiss as despite their nature they had always been good soldiers and obeyed his orders, she had never done that before. In the heat of the moment, he didn’t think much of it though as Liebgott quickly hushed her and carried out his duty. But Winters saw that Jenny never left Liebgott during their time at the camp, remaining unusually close, curled up around his neck. It wasn’t until Liebgott had to explain to the starving survivors that they needed to stop eating and remain in the camp that Winters understood her reaction. He felt a pang of guilt for not realizing it sooner. When he saw Liebgott collapse onto a seat on the truck with Jenny crawling up in his lap, chittering softly the whole time to him, Winters wondered if he should have assigned someone else the task. The others also noticed the change in their behavior, and they unanimously decided to give Liebgott the space he needed. Jenny’s fierce look when they got too close was enough to dissuade anyone from approaching, for she was safeguarding Lieb just as fiercely as he had always guarded her.