Neve stayed at the festival until the sky started to lighten.
The energy had shifted hours ago from the formal presentations into something looser. Music was still playing from somewhere. Adults were drinking and talking in groups. But the children had found him.
He was not sure when it started. One kid appeared near the edge of the leopard tribe section and asked if he wanted to watch them play. Then another came. Then more. By the time the moon was halfway down the sky, there were five of them sitting around him, and he was stroking the hair of one who had fallen asleep against his shoulder.
He watched the others play something with rocks and snow that he did not understand the rules for. They laughed when someone lost. They cheered when someone won. It was simple and pure in a way that made something in his chest tighten.
He thought about the kids at the zoo.
