AN: I'm so sorry for the wait, life got busy and I had horrible writer's block.

Tomar-Re is almost five and Singh-Li is seven in the first part. In the second part Tomar-Re and Nazli are both 26 and Betah is twoish.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC's and thoughts.

"Uttam fetch!" A young Xudarian yells as he throws a stick. The pet runs across the yard on its four long legs standing eye level with his boy, but only for now. Its wolf like body moves around as its purple muzzle is on the ground sniffing. He finds his query.

"Bring it back boy," Tomar-Re calls out from where he stood. Uttam turns his head in the direction of his boy. He then uses the split at the end of his tail to grab the stick before running back. He doesn't stop in time and knocks his boy over.

"Uttam, why did you do that?" Tomar-Re asks as he dusts his red shirt and navy shorts off. Uttam tilts his head at his boy. "Stop that Uttam. Be lucky that Mom is letting me come out and play with you," His boy says as he scratches Uttam's head.

After the little event at the park Tomar-Re's mother had grounded him from the park and hanging out with his friend outside of school for two months. At first he had been mad about it but Celerina had told him that Mom was trying to make sure he turned out right.

"Then again be glad she let me keep you. She was never a fan of fetwoles," Tomar-Re said. As far as anyone could tell Uttam was a wild fetwol not a domestic one like many others had. He had been caught, literally, after he stole from the neighbor's trash. Tomar, at four much to his mother's distress, had been the only one to approach him.

It had taken a lot of begging and promising to take care of him before his mother Uttam stay. Uttam earned his keep; their whole neighborhood was now free of any thieves. It had been a small problem before but since Uttam nightly jumped the fence and patrolled no one tried anymore, wild fetwoles were scary. The domestic version was half his size when they were full grown and lacked the mane of black feathers that Uttam had and none of them had his gold eyes.

The fetwol decided he had enough petting and started to lick his boy with his light blue tongue. There was more force to the licking and Tomar-Re ended up on his back with his pet over top of him.

"Stop," Tomar-Re said between giggles," You're covering me in slobber."

"I think you look better that way," A voice called out.

Uttam stopped licking his boy instantly. He stood protectively over top of him and growled at the owner of the voice, the feathers on his neck rising up. The owner of the voice hopped down from the top of the fence and Uttam started barking. His deep bark would have scared anyone away but it didn't so the only thing he could think of to protect his boy was chase the person off.

Uttam started to run at the red skinned person, who still stayed in place. As he closed in his boy called out," Uttam HEEL!" Uttam skidded to a halt, fixed the person in a golden stare before walking back to his boy. "I'm glad you finally learned not to run Singh-Li," Tomar-Re said to his best friend.

"Well after getting tackled a few times I thought I'd try something different," Singh-Li said as he walked forwards. When he reached Tomar-Re and Uttam he held out his hand for Uttam to sniff. After a quick sniff Uttam allowed Singh-Li to pet him. That was a sign in wild fetwoles that they were okay, if they didn't let you pet them it wasn't good.

"You think this knucklehead will ever like me?"

"Maybe when you stop getting me in trouble he will."

"That wasn't my fault Tomar. I told you that it was an insult." Singh-Li said indignantly.

"No you didn't Singh. Momma said I'm grounded until my fifth birthday which is still a week away," Tomar replied.

"Again, not my fault."

"If you hadn't explained what a featherhead …," Tomar said before Singh clamped his beak shut earning a growl from Uttam.

"Are you trying to get in more trouble?"

Tomar pried Singh's fingers off. "No. As I was saying if you hadn't taught me that word I wouldn't be in this mess, "Tomar said with a huff.

"Whatever," Singh said as he started to play with Uttam's tail," Man fetwoles are so cool. Look at this tail. Instead of being bushy and canine like the rest of him it is more simian like."

"So?"

"So with the split at the end he can pick things up because it is prehensile. Domestic fetwoles can't do that and aren't nearly as huge. I'm not even going to mention his feather mane and his royal purple fur," Singh said in awe.

"Just because you are going to be a zoo... zoo," Tomar started before he got hung up on the last word.

"I think the word you are looking for is zoologist," Singh said sitting down.

"Right just because you are going to be a zoologist doesn't mean you can pick apart my dog," Tomar sat down as well. Uttam flopped onto his belly and placed his head in Tomar's lap.

Singh shrugged. "I can't help it. Now are we just going to sit here and talk or do you want to play?"

"I'm grounded remember."

"You should dabble in a little rebellion, within reason of course. A little play is good for a five year old."

Tomar sighed. He hated being stuck at home with no one to play with but Uttam and Celerina. His grounding ended in a week, his mom wouldn't mind him playing with Singh as long as they stayed in the yard. "Okay," Tomar conceded," but I my mom comes out I'm blaming you. I'll say you forced me into it."

Singh laughed. "I could never force you to do anything. Your will is too strong. Hey is your sister around?"

"No, she's at a friend's. Why?" Tomar asked.

"No reason just asking," Singh said rubbing the back of his neck. Tomar was going to ask why he was acting so funny but Singh touched his shoulder and took off yelling," Tag!" as he ran off.

"Uttam," Tomar said standing up," sic 'em." Uttam gave pursuit.

"NOT FAIR!"

(Many years later)

"You're looking at that old photo again." Tomar-Re turned his head to see is wife walking in their bedroom wear just a night gown. The photo was a picture of him at about eight on one knee getting a sloppy kiss from Uttam as Tomar petted him.

"I was just reminiscing," Tomar-Re said as he sat down on the edge of the bed with the picture still in his hand.

"You seem to be doing that a lot lately," Nazli said as she crawled up behind him to rest her head on his bare shoulder," Anything you want to talk about?"

"Not really."

"Hey cut the tough guy act. I'm your wife and I want to know what is wrong. After… after what happened you went to my brother and left me with Betah. She cried not only for her parents but for you too. She thought you were abandoning her," Nazli said sitting back.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to Reylie."

Tomar nodded, stood up and sat the picture down before walking out. He quietly walked to his niece's bedroom and peaked in. Betah was sound asleep hugging her stuffed fetwol that her mother had gotten her. Not wanting to wake her up he quietly walked in and placed a light kiss on her head before walking out. He would talk to her later, but for now she needed sleep.

He walked back to his bedroom to find Nazli sitting cross legged in the middle looking at the picture. "Now who's staring at it?" Tomar-Re asked.

"Oh be quiet," Nazli retorted. She scooted over to give Tomar some room. "You know Uttam never liked me. Well not at first anyway."

"He didn't like anyone at first. He warmed up to you in the end. He carried the rings at our wedding in case you forgot," Tomar stated.

"I haven't forgotten," Nazli said indignant," He lived a long time, longer than most."

"Yeah," Tomar sighed and got under the covers facing Nazli," I took great care of him."

"We could always get another fetwol if you wanted."

"No. I'd feel like I was replacing Uttam."

"Okay," Nazli replied. She set the picture on the nightstand, crawled under the covers beside her husband and turned the light off. She felt around until she found his hand and intertwined their fingers. "I'm here if you want to talk."

"I know," Tomar said as he leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead," You always are."

An: I have no idea where the last part came from. I had planned to end it on a happy note but it kept coming. Uttam will return in later chapters, so be happy about that. Also I have no idea how you kiss someone with a beak.