Chapter Text
Nefer didn't consider herself a woman of many apologies.
“Sorry,” would often be said in jest. To those who thought the bargain favored them, unaware of how ensnared they were in her scheme.
Yet she practices saying this strange word, in the mirror, as she recalls an interaction from earlier in the morning.
“Lauma, what brings you to Nasha town?”
No response. Lauma simply darted away, not even looking in Nefer’s direction.
Figuring out her whereabouts would be an easy feat for Nefer. Strolling around Nasha town, finding the thread of thought that led to Lauma and pulling it taut. But she felt uneasy with the brief interaction.
Lauma’s anger was like a desert haze. It filled the air, disorienting even the most tenacious. While Nefer found the angry look Lauma had when she sometimes mentioned the Fatui amusing, having it directed at her was another thing entirely.
Of course, Lauma could also be sad. But her poise hadn't changed. Her ears didn't droop down, if Nefer recalled correctly.
Jahoda was away on a commission, and asking someone else to trail the Moon chanter would definitely raise suspicion.
“What should I do, Ashru?” Nefer scratched her beloved cat’s chin. Ashru knocked her hand aside, opting to reach for the kibble she had in her other hand instead. “So impatient,” Nefer still handed it over. By the time she snapped out of replaying that interaction with Lauka, Ashru had eaten half of the snack she prepared.
When Nefer closes her eyes, that image of Lauma with her back turned flashes. Ahru meows, noticing the distress on her face as Nefer scratches into her desk.
As Nefer headed out the door, she took another glance at her royally spoiled cat and chuckled to herself.
I guess that makes two of us.