The lights flashed on and revealed not one, not two but three hosts on stage.

Ashfur: Okay and one, two, three…

All: Welcome back to Star Lake Theater and Productions PRESENTING Hollyleaf's promise.

Ivy: And as you can see Jayfeather has had the honor of joining us on stage today so give him a round of applause!

Audience claps and you can see Leafpool and Squirrelflight holding a sign saying 'That's my son'.

Jayfeaher: Whatever…

Ivy: So what do yawl think of this chapter, I think it's a-

Jayfeather: Absolutely terrible.

Ashfur: I mean it's a good rebound chapter for the authoress after not posting for so long.

Jayfeather: Why didn't she post after so long anyway?

Ivy: That is classified information.

Audience: WE WANT TO KNOW! WE WANT TO KNOW!

Ashfur: We want to know! We want to know! We want t-

Jayfeather and Ivy glare at Ashfur.

Ashfur: Sorry.

Ivy: Just for that Jayfeather does the intro.

Jayfeather: Welcome to chapter 9 of Hollyleaf's promise;

"Do we have to do this?" Rust whined, purposefully dragging his paws as he walked behind us.

Alfie sighed. "You know why we have to do this rust now stop complaining and keep searching," he ordered before going back to searching in his own corner of the clearing. I heard Rust grumble but no more was heard from the tom except the sound of paws steps as he padded further away.

I shook my head in amusement and went back to sniffing the bushes for any trail Zack could have left behind. It had been a few dawns after me and Alfie had caught Zack hanging around the barn, so close to us that we could definitely confirm that he had in fact been spying on us.

So we had all collectively agreed that it was best if we scouted the area to see if we could somehow confront him. At least that's what we agreed to.

I shivered as I remembered the angry, vengeful look in their eyes as we talked about it. Even a kit could guess that those cats absolutely despised him. I really wanted to know what he and Yellow did that made them so angry and even now I was itching to ask Alfie.

"You find anything yet?" He called, his voice strained from lack of sleep.

"Nope, nothing at all. For a cat not much older than a kit he certainly knows how to hide his scent."

"Don't be so surprised." He growled, "This cat knows how to do things that no other cat his age should."

I didn't inquire anymore. I didn't want to either. If they wanted to tell me what happened, then they would.

I buried my nose in a cluster of ferns and sniffed around. Nothing. How could Zack cover up his scent like this, if he had to have covered up his scent he would have needed something stronger to overpower it.

I don't smell anything stronger.

"How would he have hidden his scent without something stronger to overpower it? And why would he just leave a tuft of his fur right here?"

"I don't know Hollyleaf." He said exasperatedly.

I turned around to face him. "I'm just saying that if Zack is as good as you say he is then why would he just leave his fur for us to find. It was way too easy to catch him spying on us anyway. He wouldn't have done all this unless he wanted to be found."

He paused for a moment and lifted his head from the pile of branches he had been searching to instead stare at me with a strange gleam in his.

"What?" I asked annoyedly when he didn't stop.

He looked up at the sun and said, "Nothing. It's almost sun high and we still haven't found anything." He hesitated before adding, "I'm going to search somewhere else. Cover more ground that way. Bye."

I looked up in alarm. "You can't just go-"

But he had already disappeared through the gorse bushes. My tail lashed in frustration. "Have it your way then." I muttered.

I had enough of this place and there was clearing no trace of this cat anywhere. I'll just head on somewhere else then. With a sigh I padded towards the twolegplace. Maybe I could come across a cat or two while I'm at it. I don't even know why I'm going through the trouble of helping them anyway.

'It's because there your friends…' A tiny voice in my head said. Not only that but I still haven't brought the idea up for a clan. I mean, How does one bring up an idea that will change their entire lives? Besides, I don't plan on doing it any time soon.

I sighed and I trudged through the forest. Even though I have to at least start my path to saving the clans I couldn't bring myself to do it. Deep down I knew I was scared of facing the clans again (If it comes to that) and maybe a bit scared of what would happen if the barn cats didn't agree t my idea, how would I take that?

I mean it was clear Alfie was mad at me. And he was definitely going to be mad at me until I finally apologized to Rose. 'Well I'm not going to be doing that any time soon.'

Why would Rose be mad at me anyway?

I paused and involuntarily gagged at the think, awful scent coming from the direction of the twolegplace. I wasn't intending to go into the twolegplace only the area where it bordered the forest. The border just so happened to be a large stone wall which kept twolegs out of the forest (A cat's perspective). Ivy and jasmine actually had a few kittypet friends who they would come visit from time to time.

Another reason why I can't just leave and be on my way, the barn cats seem to know a lot of cats around here which is going to be very useful if only I-

I yelped loudly as I fell face first into a patch of leaves. "Ugh…" I groaned, I was getting up when I felt the searing pain in my front right paw. I looked down and noticed that I had tripped on an oak tree root and ripped my claw out.

I bit my lip from crying out in pain. 'Starclan that hurts' I thought as I examined my paw and carefully licked at it. It wasn't bleeding all that much but I had to cover it up or it'll get infected quick. It doesn't help that I'm far away from the barn.

"If I could just find some…. sort of plant…." I said and looked around. I was by the stone wall that wrapped around the twolegplace and it didn't seem like any plant that would be useful would grow around here.

"Need help?" A friendly voice asked.

"What? Who's there?" I asked startled. I looked around defensively but didn't see any cat. That is, until I finally looked up and saw a cat perched up, sitting comfortably, with his tail delicately wrapped around his paws.

He slowly got up and carefully descended down the stone wall. He was a brown and tortoiseshell tom with green eyes. He probably wasn't Zack since he's got different colored fur.

I kept my claws sheathed but didn't let my guard down. "Hey! What's your name?"

"Hello….?" I said until I tasted the strong scent of…. milk. "You're a kittypet aren't you?" I asked accusingly before shaking my head, "I'm sorry that was a bit rude. My name's Hollyleaf."

He tilted his, "What an unusual name. I like it. My name is Forest." He proudly raised his head, "And yes, I am a Kittypet and proud."

I rolled my eyes, smiling. "Well if that's all then I'm going to leave."

"Why? Your hurt."

"Exactly I have to find something to dress it with or its going get infected." I answer, smiling politely. Hurry up already!

"Oh it doesn't look to bad. If you want, I could go get you some marigold and cobwebs to patch that up."

"Wait. What?" I said, blinking in surprise.

"Yeah my owner has some marigold in her garden and I could easily find a wad of cobwebs." He enthusiastically said, already climbing back up the wall.

"That's not necessary-" But he had already disappeared.

Great. I sure hope he's not wasting my time.

I decided to wait for a while and sure enough he returned holding a wad of cobwebs and petals of marigold.

"I hope this is enough." He mumbled. He dropped the herbs at my feet as I continued to look on in surprise.

"Wow." I reply awestruck, "I was not expecting that."

"So I'm not sure if you know but you have to chew the marigold into pulp, then apply it to your claw and the-" He began explaining.

"Then wrap it up in cobwebs. I know. Thank you for the herbs though." I interrupted gently.

His ear twitched happily, "Your welcome, a few cats I know had taught me how you use herbs to heal injuries like these," His ear twitched. "Where'd you learn how to use herbs like that?" He gestured to the marigold I was chewing.

"Uh…" I began, "My…mom. She taught me how to use herbs for stuff like this. I don't really know that much. Just bits and pieces." I ignored the painful twinge in my heart, "Um…which cats actually taught you all of this." I gestured to the herbs at my paw.

"Oh! Um..." He started cautiously, "Just some…cats. Is your mom around here?"

"No she's…. I left her a while ago."

"Oh." He blinked.

"Yeah, she's fine though and I know where she lives." I answered hurriedly.

'This cat must think I'm some sort of fox-heart' I thought, inwardly face palming.

Thankfully, I finished chewing the marigold and carefully applied it to my claw. Forest still stood there apparently thinking of something else to say. Now that I thought of it this cat actually had skill when it comes to herbs.

"Do you live over here?" I inquired.

"Yeah. Although my nest is deep into the twolegplace. Actually I should probably be getting back its almost sundown. Bye." He said gesturing to the setting sun. I had finished with wrapping the cobweb around my sore claw when I looked up.

"Bye-"

I narrowed my eyes as I looked around. He vanished.

Okay guys I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I am really sorry for not posting in so long I was going through a lot of problems and life still hasn't gotten much better.

But I mean who cares?! I'm back!

And yes I know tortoiseshell tom are very rare but I wanted to do just this one cat. Besides this is the only one you will ever see in the whole series anyway.

I hope you enjoyed that chapter and how many of you guys thought that tom was Zack? (before you read that he wasn't)

So question of the day:

Do you like Forest?

And finally replies:

Snowcrystal of Thunderclan: Do you mean like some sort of recap because I'm a bit confused with what you mean.

And sadly that's all for the replies since they weren't any others too reply too. Anyway that's all for this chapter. Bye guys!

~Zap