Sun Mote Copse Magicicada septendecula.

If Skipjack’s blank eyes spooked her, they had nothing on the jump scare that Otter gave her. Towhee nearly leaped out of her skin when she felt something wrap around her foreleg unexpectedly. She almost kicked Otter away out of pure reflex, though she managed to restrain herself as the child clung tighter and tighter.

Towhee needed a moment to breathe and let her heart rate decelerate. In the meantime, Skipjack exited the water and made a beeline toward his sister. He missed slightly and bumped into Towhee’s other leg. She nudged him closer to Otter, then gently shook her granddaughter loose.

-“You know how Skipjack can’t see?”- she said, looking primarily at Otter. -“Well, I can’t hear. I don’t like it when people sneak up on me. I’m not angry but please don’t do that again,”- Towhee said, then took a breath and added, -“Why don’t you two use the buddy system? Do you know what that is?”-

“NO! TEY ME, GAMMA!” came Skipjack’s immediate reply.