Piper trudged slowly and painfully through the vast expanse of sand surrounding her. She had been captured by the Raptors and had barely managed to escape with her life. Now, miles away from tent city, she was in bad shape. Her dark skin was slightly reddish from sunburn and burning as though it were on fire. Piper had long ago abandoned her boots and gloves, and her feet were paying the price: every time she took a step she winced at the stinging, burning sensation of the hot sand. Still, she plodded on.

After what seemed like an eternity, she climbed up a large dune and peered out to the distance. Was she dreaming? Was this a hallucination? She shielded her eyes to make sure what she was seeing was real. Yes, it was! Far away, she could see tent city! She was almost there! But that distance seemed impossible for the navigator. There had to be SOME way to signal them. Then, something caught her eye. She bent down and brushed away a bit of sand. Yes! 2 crystals! Piper picked them up and rubbed them against each other. Soon, there was a spark, crackle and fizz of energy. Satisfied, Piper held up one of the crystal as it shot a beam of light into the air. She grinned. If that wouldn't get their attention, Piper didn't know what would.

Just then, something passed over her. Piper looked up. It was a skimmer! She was saved! But her eye for detail clearly saw that this wasn't a sky night skimmer. It was Repton! Soon, 3 other skimmers were flying at its side and Piper heard a loud hissing voice call:

"GET HER!"

Piper tried to run, but one of the raptors blasted an energy beam near her feet and sent her rolling down the dune. Covered in sand, Piper scrambled to get to her feet and get outta there when another blast missed her by inches. The blast flung her into air and she landed heavily. The collision was too much for her already weakened body to handle. As blood spattered the sandy hill, her vision faded and she sank into unconsciousness.

…

Repton cackled. It was almost all over. Soon, they would pick this little storm hawk clean like vultures.

"Boys…" Repton said to his cronies who all nodded eagerly, "dinner…is served."

The raptors dove for the kill, when a blue blast of crystal energy nearly missed them, singing the spines on their heads. They looked up. It was Aerrow!

"Uh, boss! We got company!" Spitz yelled.

Normally, Repton would point out that he already knew that, but something seemed different about the sky knight. Was it Repton's imagination, or did Aerrow look particularly pissed off this time? It wasn't his imagination, but Repton soon wished it were. When Aerrow caught sight of his unconscious navigator on the ground below, he…was…furious. He accelerated his skimmer despite Radarr's terrified screech and blasted the reptilian creatures with every bit of power his blades had. Screaming like little girls, they split up and tried to evade the sky knight's fury. But Aerrow made a bee-line for Repton, who was also trying to escape.

"Come on stupid machine, faster, FASTER!" he yelled, but it was too late.

He looked behind him and screamed as Aerrow rammed his skimmer into the raptor's bone-wing! Repton was launched into the air and he landed (rather painfully) on Lugey's ride.

"RETREAT!" he yelled.

The raptors didn't need to be told twice. They bolted away from there as Aerrow quickly landed his skimmer and ran to his navigator. He picked her up and desperately searched for any sign of life.

"Come on Piper. Be strong, don't leave me."

Then he noticed the small, weak pulse of a heartbeat under his fingertips. He sighed with relief as he carried Piper to his skimmer.

"Get us back to tent city Radarr. And step on it."

Radarr nodded and turned the accelerator up a notch. Soon, they were landing in the famous bazar that was tent city. Burner and a few other sky knights saw them and came to find out why Aerrow had left in the first place.

"Oy! Aerrow, what's that you found?" asked Burner.

Aerrow dismounted his ride and picked up Piper again.

"I found Piper." he replied as the others gasped.

Without another word, he brought Piper to his squadron's tent with Radarr trotting at his heels.

…

Piper woke up with a groan. Every part of her was aching but her skin wasn't burning like fire anymore. Her torso was bandaged, and she was wearing little else. She tried opening her eyes. Everything was hazy and unfocused. But she easily recognized an anxious pair of green eyes watching over her.

"Aerrow…" she croaked, her voice as raspy as sandpaper, her throat being so dry. "Where am I? What happened?"

The boy helped her sit up.

"I saw that signal. But when I found you…you were being attacked by the raptors. I…chased them off and brought you back to tent city."

Piper nodded.

"Would you happen to have some water? I'm just so thirsty."

Aerrow handed her a large bottle.

"Here, take as much as you need."

Piper drank eagerly. When she was done she smiled at her commanding officer.

"Thank you." she said wrapping him in a hug.

Aerrow grinned and hugged her back. But something nagged him at the back of his mind:

'Tell her!' it said. 'Now is the perfect time! It's just the 2 of you! Tell her!'

Aerrow summoned up his courage and said:

"Piper…"

"What is it?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

Aerrow couldn't help but think of how tired and exhausted she must be. He shouldn't add to her troubles. It wouldn't be fair.

"Never mind. It's nothing."

He was about to get up and leave when he felt a hand grab his wrist.

"No, I can tell that this is important. Tell me."

He looked back at her and took both of her hands.

"Piper…there was a moment out there when I found you…that I thought…you'd died. I was afraid…because I don't want you to die. I…I need you. I don't want to lose you."

His gaze now dropped to his hands. Piper stared at him. She had no idea that Aerrow thought she was…special, something important that he didn't want to lose. It was the same way she thought of him.

"Why is that?" she whispered, not daring to think the impossible.

Aerrow looked into her beautiful orange eyes.

"Piper…I love you."

Piper stared at him again.

"I love you too." she whispered.

Aerrow cupped her face in his hands. He drew her close, and placed a passionate kiss on her lips. Piper closed her eyes and kissed him back. Her hands roamed up his chest and wrapped themselves around his neck. After 5 minutes, they separated but didn't sever their embrace.

"I love you Aerrow." Piper whispered.

"I love you too Piper." Aerrow whispered back.

"Well, I'll be a sky monkey's uncle!" a voice exclaimed.

Both storm hawks quickly separated and looked to the tent's entrance. Standing there was Burner, red Mohawk and all, grinning broadly as the other squadrons behind him were whistling and making wolf-calls. Aerrow and Piper blushed furiously.

"Burner…" Aerrow muttered. "Would you mind giving us a little privacy?"

Burner laughed.

"All right all right. Come on everyone clear out! Shows over! Give the new couple a little privacy!"

"Awwww!" the crowd of squadrons moaned in general disappointment, then left for their various tents. Aerrow closed the tent's entrance.

"Sorry about that." he said as he sat back down next to Piper.

"It's okay. Let them have their fun."

Aerrow grinned mischievously.

"But can I at least have MY fun?"

Piper returned the grin and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Of course, who would I be to deprive you of your fun?"

She kissed him again, not wanting to disappoint her leader or herself for that matter.

…

Back on Bogaton, Repton was still resting on his throne due to his wounds and holding a cold cloth to his heavily bruised forehead.

"All right, Repton. Note to self: Never…do something stupid…like that…again."