Rainbow Stripes - Element of Compassion

It was always dark and cold in the orphanage at night. Everyone was nice, especially the foals. But only a kind mare named Amber Halo ran the place, so we couldn't afford much. Sure, we had food, water, and shelter, but the roof often leaked and some of the children went to bed hungry some nights. I would often steal food from the market to feed the ones who didn't get a lot of meals. Storm Trotter, a gray Pegasus colt with a dark blue mane and a hard hat-shaped cloud for a cutie mark, often made repairs where he could. He had been here for as long as I had and had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. Dream Quill, a light purple unicorn mare with lavender hair and a moon and quill for her cutie mark, often helped us. She had also been here for as long as I, and was my other best friend, as well as Storm's. They sometimes stole materials from the market, as well. Though Amber Halo knew about our antics and didn't really approve, she never tried to stop us. We didn't have anything else to do, really. Every month we would watch a foal or two get adopted, or a foal or two come to stay. Nopony adopted us, though. Who wants a Pegasus who's afraid of heights, a zebra-Pegasus hybrid, or a unicorn with an eye that can't see straight? I'm the zebra one, by the way. I was born from a zebra colt and a Pegasus mare, but dropped off here because they couldn't care for me… But that's alright. That's what my cutie mark tells me, at least. It's a rainbow-striped heart with a bandage on it. I got it when I first arrived to the orphanage. A young hippogriff was sad because nopony would adopt him. But I gave him some advice and hope, and he became the happiest creature I knew! And that was when my cutie mark appeared. Amber says that it stands for how I care for others and "mend their hearts". I wonder if she's right? It kind of matches my name… Rainbow Stripes.