Harmony lay curled up beside her daughter, staring up at a full moon that seemed to hang heavy and large in the sky. Arpeggio was slumbering lightly, twitching a paw occasionally in her sleep, and Harmony smiled to see it. That little reminder of how happy she had been this past year with her children to brighten her life. She was so tired all the time now, even with the couple weeks of rest she'd gotten after their journey. Only Peggy by her side and the chance to see her niece and nephew and his children had given her a reason to force herself to her paws most days. But now... now she just wanted to sleep.

She drowsed, blinking at a moon as golden as her brother's eyes. "It's good to see you again, Harmony," his voice drifted to her, and she lowered her gaze to the white form there.

"Bass," she breathed. "It's been so long."

"Too long. I wish I could have been here."

"Me too." She sighed tiredly, and weakly shook her head. "But what's past is past. You're here now."

Bass' expression was mournful. "I can't stay. How are my kids?"

"You would be proud of them. Sparrow is alpha of Abaven now, and Lark has a family. You're a grandpa now."

That grin was pure Bass, lighting up his face and giving him a boyish look once again. "That's wonderful. I wish I could meet them. But I can't - I only came here for you, Harmony."

"Oh." She breathed out the single syllable in sudden understanding. "It's time for me to go with you, isn't it?" She turned her head towards her slumbering daughter, sorrow written on her features, but resolutely turned back to Bass. "Will we be together again now? You and I, and Motif, and Chord, and Rhythm?"

"Always, Harmony," her larger brother murmured. "Come. We haven't much time."

"I understand." She turned to her daughter, gazing at the delicate features that so mirrored her own. She was glad one of her children had come with her, to continue her legacy here as Bass' children continued his. "I love you, Peggy," she whispered, and gently placed a kiss on Arpeggio's brow before rising and padding after her brother as he led the way into the waving grass.

Always a light sleeper, but the more so from sleeping beneath the bright light of the full moon, Arpeggio came awake easily when her mother's weak, lilting voice murmured in her ear. The conversation sounded private, so Peggy kept her breathing steady and her eyes closed to not interrupt. Her mother's visitor was clearly trying not to wake her, for they kept their voice too low for Peggy to hear.

"It's time for me to go with you, isn't it?"

Suddenly alarmed by this new sorrowful note in her mother's voice, Arpeggio opened her eyes to mere slits to see who it was who was enticing her elderly mother off to a moonlit stroll. Her eyes blinked fully open in confusion.

There was no one there.

"I love you, Peggy."

Peggy remained still as a kiss fluttered against her brow. She watched her mother's beautiful eyes as the light slowly faded from them, and she swallowed again the tears that threatened to fill her own. "I love you too, mom," she whispered, laying a soft kiss of her own on her mother's brow, and curled around the limp form. She would stand vigil alone over her mother's body tonight. Tomorrow she would begin the arduous process of burying her, and dealing with the questions and emotions of everyone else who'd known her. But not tonight.

"I'll miss you."