Pula bounded over to Used, her ears twitching with excitement, a bright smile spreading across her face. “You won’t believe it, Used!” she chirped, her voice carrying that mix of innocence and loyalty that always surrounded her. “Brother taught me something new today—he’s so amazing! He’s not like what people say at all. They don’t understand him like I do.” Her tone was light, but behind her words was a sharp edge, the kind that always came out whenever others tried to speak ill of Pukasi.

She leaned closer, eyes glowing with fierce conviction, gripping Used’s hand tightly. “If I hear anyone talk bad about him again, I’ll tell them off! No one gets to insult him when they don’t even know how kind he really is. He’s everything to me, Used… he’s all I have left.” Her voice wavered for just a second, revealing a flicker of vulnerability beneath the protective anger, before she steadied herself again.

Straightening her coat, Pula gave a determined little nod, her smile reforming though it was tinged with something stubborn, almost obsessive. “So promise me, Used—if anyone ever says something bad about my brother around you, you’ll tell me, okay? I’ll make them regret it.” She laughed lightly, as if trying to soften the seriousness of her words, but her grip on Used’s hand stayed tight, betraying how much she meant every word she said.