Fire-Eye #17 Elfquest vol. 2 #17
Warp, Oct 1997, b&w
1 Fire-Eye #17 cover
Includes "Fire-Eye #17"
Cam's journals continue. Ahnessah tells Jooka they are in the forest for a walk. Following them, to her orders, are soldiers. Chot calls the humans coming clumsy footed fools...they are making lots of noises. When Chot worries, Jethel chides him, "Don't tell me GoóBacks never went into an uneven battle. I've heard the tales of the Palace War with the trolls." Cam asks Jethel if he ever went into a war with a foe who had civilized weapons. Chot says, "I get the plan nowóówe're going to chatter them to death. Fineóólet's get this silliness over with." Cam hushes Kibo for saying he is glad Cam isn't going with them but Cam admits he is glad too. The forest goes still. Yellow eyes are in the dark. The soldiers get fearful. Jooka is afraid and holds himself. Chot, Pei Lar, and the kids throw stones at the soldiers. Ahnessah, who seems to have blond hair now, takes Jooka a different way. Jooka is saying, "Yousaidwewouldn'tgethurtyou said. We'dbeallright...." Jooka tells Ahnessa she doesn't know and she says, "Watch your tongue, boy." Cam grabs Jooka from behind when he and the woman stop at a tree and tells him, "Good advice, little fetch monkey, if you want to avoid your master's fate." Ahnessah knew she was lead here...to Jethel. Jethel tells her if her kind took better care of their cubs they would never have had to meet. If Ahnn Li did not threaten the woods he would be alive now. He tells her that he and his people never wanted to be the demon spirits that the humans so like to hate. Ahnessah claims to have his immortality. Dark, Jethel says, "So you shall." Willowsnap moves at her. She screams. The kids hear it. Koni smiles. A little while later...Jethel plays his long flute. Chot and Cam watch as Willowsnap sits on the end of the flute. "Granting her addled skulled wish and giving respect where none is offeredóónow that's the mark of a real chief..." The next day: Cam leaves in his ship. The kids bid farewell. One says (or perhaps it is either Cam or Kibo), "We'll be back, you'll see!" Jethel will keep his word (as Pei Lar asks if he will, he laughs, "Only a five finger could ask such a question."). He will do so only because he trusts Pei Lar to be a good townsmother to all her children. Cam is on his ship with his crew. Kibo is yelling, "Byeeee!!" Cam has "good" Jooka scrubbing the stink off his soonótoóbeóshining deck. Jooka grrrs while a young, bare footed crewman smiles, watching. Chot says, "It's past time to get our rumps moving, Jethel or FireóEyeóóor whatever you're going to call yourself THIS time." Willowsnap says, "Silly many name highthing." Pei Lar tells Jethel, "You never did belong here, demon. You won't be missed." As Koni, Sylvie, and Arro hug Jethel, Jethel says, "I think you're wrong, Pei Lar." Sylvie cries. Jethel tells them, "Listen to her. She's crazy but she does love. Learn to sniff out the wisdom hiding in the babble." Sylvie says, "We will, Jethel. You be careful, too..." Jethel answers, "Don't you worry, Sylvie. Chot and Ióówe're a good team. And we've got the whole wide land ahead of us. Be well, little cubling...and remember us from time to time..."
Cover and Back cover by Barry Blair