In the morning, Kili was awakened with a hushed whisper, "Orcs!"
Rhavaniel gestured to the floor, and Kili rolled over to look through the cracks between the floor panels to the ground far below.
Ten large Orcs rode fierceWargs, and at least another twenty Orcs were on foot, milling around the base of the watchtower. They had picked up a scent, and found the remnants of Kili's fire.
"Don't look up, don't look up." Kili whispered a prayer.
They looked up. Kili and Rhavaniel recoiled.
"They may not see the platform through those lower branches." she whispered.
Apparently, the Orcs could see enough to become suspicious, and eight began to climb, two per tree. More Orcs on Wargs gathered below them.
"There are too many of them. We shall have to run." Rhavaniel whispered as she scurried about, securing flimsy locks on the trapdoor. Kili noticed that Rhavaniel had packed every useful thing for him in the night. A large pack with his bow and new arrows held the last of the food, a medicinal kit, lamp, bedding, water and the primus. She had her own smaller pack ready and grabbed a large supply of arrows for herself.
"I think the East side will be safest. Branches do break, but I can judge which ones will bend instead."
Kili shook his head, "I cannot follow."
Rhavaniel froze and stared at him.
"I can't jump like you... I'm a Dwarf. I have to fight my way down." He was resigned, "Run as fast as you can through the trees. They will be distracted. "
"No. I have an idea."
Gathering their packs, they crawled out though a window opening onto one of the four great cross-branches of the watchtower.
"Hold on to the trunk and don't look down." Rhavaniel warned him, as she flitted from one branch to the next, cutting chords, until only one remained between their chosen tree and the watchtower.
Kili risked a glance down. Had he been able to see the ground below, it might have made his head spin. The branches were too thick from his perch, but not so thick he could not hear the Orcs closing in on them.
Rhavaniel was behind him in a flash, fumbling though his pack. She took out the spare lamp oil, broke the seal, and tossed it inside. Next, she lit a match and held it up.
"Take my hand." she said. Kili turned and she grabbed him by the wrist. "Hold on and trust me. When I tell you, cut that last rope."
Kili's heart rose as if it would like to escape his chest as he realized what she was about to do.
"At least this will take some Orcs down with us." he thought grimly.
As the rustling of leaves grew louder, and the birds began to shriek their protest of these rough intruders to their nests, Kili could see the first of the Orcs lift the platform trap door.
Rhavaniel tossed the match inside, and the oil soaked bark floor erupted in flames.
"Now!" she called.
Kili cut the last rope, and with a groan, the ancient tree stretched as if awakened from a centuries old nap and attempted to right itself. Before Kili and Rhavaniel were tossed through the air, they saw the Watchtower, engulfed in flames, collapse and spill its burning material down on the Orcs below.