Longclaw's Lullaby

Sonic tossed around in his racecar bed, trying to relax with yoga breathing, but there were too many thoughts in his head to sleep. Not like that's the first time it happened to me... 

There was a small clik! and the melody started over. Maddie had found an old music box here in the attic. She had winded it, hummed along with it as she had tucked him in, even quietly sang a few of the lyrics. Lullaby, goodnight, let roses delight... 

The heck does that even mean anyway? 

The melody was gentle enough, but that little click was starting to get to him. Just as soon as he was starting to drift off, clik!  There it went again, a tiny noise that made his ears flick over in the direction of his bedside table every time. Then something went off in Sonic's head. 

It made him think of talons. 
Claws clicking on wooden floors, along with a rush of giant wings. And that melody, while slowing down... was similar to...

Sonic forced himself into a sitting position and looked up at the skylight. He could almost hear her voice, comforting him, just as it had back on his planet. 

The melody slowed to a stop. Sonic leaned over and grabbed the pencil and notebook he had gotten at the motel all those months ago. He remembered the melody, but not the lyrics, not yet. 
He imagined his young self getting up, little voice whispering, Longclaw?  I had a nightmare... Her voice would reply, I'm sorry that you did. Would you like a song, Sonic?  And he would say, Yes, please... 

There. Sonic scribbled the words like he would forget them again if he stopped. Afterwards he put pencil and notebook down, shaking the cramps out of his gloved hands. 

I haven't actually mourned Longclaw yet, I was too busy running to different worlds way back when. I know it's possible she may be still alive, but that memory... still hurts me...

A small tear slipped from the hedgehog's eye, but he wiped it away before it fell on the page. Thinking quickly as he usually did, he tore the page from the notebook, got out of bed, and put on his shoes before spin-dashing through the skylight. He slid down the roof to the road, racing toward the center of downtown Green Hills, taking pencil and page with him. Tom, Maddie, and Tails were still asleep back at the house, not that it bothered him. This was personal. 

In downtown Green Hills was a small music store that did lessons as well as reserve soundproof rooms for practicing and recording. It was closed at this hour of night, but a window was unlocked, so it was easy to slip inside. The black case, however, was a different story. Sonic had to shove the case onto the windowsill, climb through around it, and pull it out behind him. He decided to leave the window open just a crack for later. He was only going to borrow the little guitar and its chord instruction booklet for a little while, after all. 

After racing up to the roof of the town hall for the heck of it, Sonic sat down, opened the case. The acoustic guitar was practically his size. He tuned it, flipping through the booklet like he'd done for a few nights in a row now. Then he took the notebook page and pencil, and began to write in the chords above the lyrics, idly strumming them as he turned over Longclaw's lullaby in his head, finding ways to pick the melody through the chord. Finally, he went over the song one more time, smiling sadly as he completed the refrain. He was going to start singing when he was interrupted by a thump behind him followed by a familiar deep voice. 

"Longclaw taught you that song?" 

Sonic sighed aloud and nodded. Seems like he wasn't the only alien creature awake. "You knew of her?"

"Only through my clan." Knuckles sat down cross-legged a couple feet away from him. "I was told that she was a fierce fighter by the other warriors, but my..." he hesitated, "my mother also told me she was kind and loyal to her family and friends as well."