Chapter 10

Chug and Dusty spent the best part of the afternoon and evening watching movies and sipping on cans of oil in Chug's home. The sun had started to go down and the sky darkened.

As they were engrossed in a horror movie, both fuel truck and plane started when there was a knock on the front doors. Chug pushed the doors open to reveal an old corsair,

"Hello, Skip." Chug greeted with a smile, Dusty coming up behind him.

"Hello Chug. If you don't mind, I would like to steal Dusty from you."

"Yeah, sure Skipper."

"Can I not meet you at the hanger later on? It's only 8.30." Dusty asked, joining in with the conversation.

Skipper gave the young plane a stern look before turning away,

"Come along, Dusty."

Dusty sighed and looked to Chug,

"Sorry, I better go."

"It's okay, Duster. We'll keep the rest of the movie for tomorrow night." He smiled

"Sure, Chug." Dusty smiled back at him before turning towards his mentor's hanger, "Good night"

"Good night, Dusty"

Chapter 11

Dusty entered the hanger and looked towards the older flier,

"Why couldn't I stay at Chug's for a little while longer?"

The corsair said nothing as he passed the racer to lock his hanger doors. That action alone made Dusty nervous. Propwash Junction was a very quiet town and no one seemed to bother with the locks.

"Skipper?" The young plane questioned timidly

"Just drop it, Dusty."

"But, what's going on?" Dusty whimpered out

He now got the sense that something just wasn't right and this made him really uneasy and, dare he say it, scared.

With still no answer from his mentor, he went over to his own corner, just managing to get his tarp onto his back and got himself comfortable. He looked up suddenly when he felt his tarp being pulled up along his back, straightening it up.

Dusty looked at the corsair timidly before whispering, "Good night, Skipper."

"Good night, kid." Skipper replied before nuzzling the youngster's nose.

Dusty smiled, closing his eyes as he suddenly felt tired.

Chapter 12

The sound of a planes roaring engine startled Dusty awake. He whimpered at the memories of the night when Ripslinger came into his hanger. He jumped when a plane came into his view. He relaxed as he realised it was his mentor.

"Shh, Dusty. It's alright."

Dusty hadn't realised he was still whimpering. Skipper sat next to the small plane, listening closely to the planes flying overhead. Both planes went deathly still as they heard the squeals of tyres on the runway.

At this, Dusty started to panic, his eyes wide, his frame trembling as he backed up as far as the hanger would let him.

Skipper started to move slowly in front of the panicked plane becoming still again as he heard voices outside,

"He's not in his hanger."

"The coward is probably sleeping beside his mentor."

"Shut up the both of you!"

Both planes inside the hanger had stilled and gone silent once again until the both saw and heard the door strain as the planes outside tried to open in.

"It's locked"

"Well! Get the chain and start pulling!"

Skipper felt a growl enter his throat as he heard the chain. A protective stance overcame him at the sound of his charge's panicked whines.

"Shh, Dusty. It'll be alright. No one will get near you." He said, trying to calm the youngster without taking his eyes off the door.

A bang sounded as the old hanger doors were pulled from their roller. Skipper raised himself to his full height as he spotted Ripslinger and his two followers.

Ripslinger backed away quickly as the old corsair immediately charged him, biting at his wings and tail.

Dusty looked on in horror, a deer in headlights, as he watched his mentor take on the three smaller planes.

Zed spotted Dusty at the back of the hanger and rushed in. What he didn't expect was Dusty to put up a fight in his terrified state. Dusty spun his prop, teeth biting at any part of his opponent that he could get a hold of.

The sound of the dog fight brought out many of Propwash Junction's residents. Many growled and shouted as they realised just who the intruders were.

A squeal from Ned distracted Zed long enough for Dusty to ram into his side, injuring him enough so the smaller would back down. Dusty went to approach the corsairs side when a feral voice shot through the air,

"Stay back!"

The young racer froze on the spot, forced to listen and watch the dog fight. He hadn't noticed Chug who had sneaked up behind Ripslinger, spilling fuel on the ground just behind the green racer before driving off. Skipper forced the smaller plane back causing the racer to slip, losing his balance and his focus. Skipper took the opportunity to bite down hard on Rip's wing, causing him to scream.

Sirens filled the air as Skipper and Ripslinger panted at one another. Ned and Zed sat further back, both comforting each other. It was fair to say that the intruders and underestimated their targets. Ripslinger, Ned and Zed looked towards the police and helicopters coming towards them, their wings to damaged to fly.

Skipper backed into his hanger, pushing his young charge into a far corner, sitting in front of the small plane protectively. As the adrenaline still coursed around his body, he snarled lowly at an officer who looked at him and the crying youngster behind him.