After rescuing the foal from the fair, Striker finds himself a new friend.
Striker waited until everyone went to sleep. Then, making sure no one was watching, he picked the bag where he'd put all the meat he managed to hide from dinner. With bag in hand, Striker silently climbed out of his window and down the nearby tree. He ran through the empty streets to the empty lot where he'd left the foal.
He couldn't believe that the animal was still there, waiting for him. The foal greeted him with a loud neigh.
"Shh! Be quiet, ya'll wake up the entire neighborhood!" Striker shushed quickly. He searched into the bag and took out a handful of jerky. "Here. It's not much, but it's better than nothin'."
The foal happily ate everything Striker offered except for a few, fatty chunks of meat. As Striker was about to leave when the meal was over, the foal tried to follow him.
"No, boy, no! Ye can't come with me, they'll send you away!"
Striker tried pushing the foal back, but it grabbed onto his sleeve and jerked him back. The movement caused Amelia's photo to slip out of the impling's pocket. Striker abruptly pushed the foal away as it tried to sniff it.
"Don't touch it!" he quickly picked it up and shook the dirt off. It was the only photo he had managed to save from the fire, though it was a bit charred on the corners. It was from way back when he was a toddler, safely cradled in his mother's arms as she sang him to sleep. She was smiling.
A sob escaped Striker as the tears started trickling down his cheeks, his hands trembling. "M-Mammy..." He whispered, holding the photo close to his chest. The foal rubbed its head against his arm, letting out a whimper-like nicker. He looked... sad now. "Oh... You lost yer mammy too, didn't ya?"
It struck him. That's why the foal hadn't left. He had nowhere else to go, no home or family to go back to, just like him. They were both orphans. Striker wiped his tears and embraced the foal's neck.
"It's okay. I'll take care of ya... Bombproof."