He was smiling. Zebra coming in and announcing that he was going to give everyone rides wouldn't have stopped her from how determined she was to bump her nose against Lion's forehead. Heck, even Kangaroo busting in and announcing that he was going to give everyone rides wouldn't have stopped her.

But his smile stops her and she feels her heart soar, much the same way it always does when she leaves the cage or when she sees the sky. She pulls back to rest her forehead against his, the tips of her fingers coming up to brush against the edges of his mouth, tracing his smile.