Sun Mote Copse Magicicada septendecula.

She couldn’t hear either child’s voice, naturally, but she could tell that Skipjack was shouting. Towhee wondered if that was in response to what she’d just said or if he simply had a faulty volume dial. She thought back on other exchanges—including the one mere moments ago—and decided he was just a loudmouth.

-“You don’t have to yell,”- she said anyway. -“I can’t hear you, no matter how loud you shout. And you know what else? I can only tell what you’re saying when you look at me. I read your lips with my eyes. Now isn’t that a neat trick?”-

“NEAT TICK!” Skipjack agreed, still hollering.

It occurred to her that her grandson might not be able to grasp something lile lipreading yet, if ever, though hopefully both he and his sister would absorb the message: “look at grandma when you speak to her.” Towhee knew it would take practice, just like everything else in the pups’ lives.

-“Anyhow, back to the buddy system: what it means is that you should never, ever swim by yourself. You always take a buddy with you. Even if you just want to dip your feet in the water, you never go alone. Water can be fun but it can also be dangerous. We can’t breathe in it. We always have to be careful, which is why we always take someone with us. Got it?”-

“GOT BUDDY SISSY!” was Skip’s retort, shoving his nose against Otter’s cheek.