Kili and Rhavaniel ate their grapes as they continued to backtrack. Kili was silent and brooding. "No doubt worried about where the rest of his companions are." she thought. Kili had already confided that he had family among the twelve Dwarves, and the rest may as well have been Uncle and brother to him.
"I doubt you are quick enough to do this." she teased, tossing a grape high in the air and catching it in her mouth. It was childish, she knew, but she was not too proud to offer up a playful distraction.
"Try it again." he told her. She grinned and tossed her head back, releasing the next grape even higher. Before it completed its drop, Kili shoved her aside and caught it himself.
"Grow up the younger brother in a Dwarf home, and you learn to fight proper for your food." he smiled at her.
Rhavaniel laughed, "What dish was most worth fighting for?" she asked.
"Oh, that depends on the season." he replied, and she once again turned the conversation to pleasant and familiar subjects.
By mid-afternoon, they had doubled back nearly to the burned edge of the ridge.
"I think we're safe to turn North now. Let's pull out that stinking Orc rag to cover our scent." Kili said.
"What is that?" Rhavaniel pointed to two figures on the ridge.
"Elf Guard!" spat Kili as they dropped down behind some brush.
Rhavaniel stole a longer glance, "There are only two of them. I do not think they are searching for you. They are not numbered or equipped to look for a large party of Dwarves. I suspect they have come to investigate the fire. They may have seen the smoke from Mirkwood, and we have agreements with Lake-Town to maintain fire watch even in this part of the old Kingdom of Esgaroth. It is Elf duty and privilege to guard the forest."
Kili agreed with her assessment, "That makes sense." and after a thoughtful pause, "Rhavaniel, you should go to them."
"No." She said.
Kili looked at her, "Seriously, I am very grateful for your help. I would not have survived without you, but it is dangerous out here. How many nights have you spent in strange woods, and how many Orcs have you fought? One and one. There will be more and more. There will be too many. Take those riders as a sign of where you need to be - back home."
Rhavaniel 's mind raced, "Would you turn yourself in?" she asked. In response to Kili's look of shock, "You would be safe, well fed, and your people could ransom you back when they return."
"No!" Kili replied.
"For all you know, the rest of your group may already be back at Mirkwood in the Keep." she countered.
Kili had not thought of that, but it was possible the others had been caught. Why else had they not met him at the rendezvous yesterday? Being in Mirkwood Keep would have been preferable to meeting a large party of Orcs. Kili knew he could not give up though, or give in to despair.
"I will do no such thing," Kili told her, "I made a promise and I will keep it, even if I be the only one to reach...the Iron Hills."
Rhavaniel was crestfallen.
Kili found the right words, "Though I do not take your advice, I respect the wisdom and friendship with which it was offered. Thank you."
Rhavaniel nodded sadly. "I understand. For my part, I will take your advice. I will go home."
"Warn them about the Orcs." Kili told her, "That alone will help me. Even King Thranduil would rather hunt Orcs than Dwarves, considering we've killed none of your kind. Show them the feather clip you found."
She rose to leave and he pulled her back.
"Don't tell them you gave me food, or weapons, and for the love of Mahal don't tell them you set their Watchtower on fire. "
Rhavaniel gave him a sly grin, "I can manage this, Kili, I am an adept liar."
Kili looked surprised, "Really?"
Rhavaniel nodded, "Yes, highly skilled. I merely had not had a chance to show you yet. Or perhaps I did, and you still do not realize it."
He chuckled. She was endlessly surprising, this Elf. "Good bye then."
"Good bye, and safe journey. May you find your place in the world, Kili of Durin."
Kili watched as Rhavaniel trotted off to the two Elves and let out a whistle of greeting. She was too far away for him to hear the conversation, but he could see her warmly greeted by her Elf brethren. He felt as alone as had in the bottom of the Ravine, but he was relieved. He did not want to be responsible for putting a mere Elfling in the path of harm a moment longer.
Kili remained hidden until Rhavaniel jumped on the back of one Guard's horse, and they set out in the general direction of Mirkwood, across the burned ridge. Kili remained under cover of the standing trees, and headed North alone.
Kili had traveled less than a league beyond the ridge when he heard it - breaking underbrush. He turned and caught sight of them - thirteen Orcs on Warg, running hard.
"When they finally lost our scent, they must have doubled back and found their dead companion." Kili mused. But why had they kept heading West and not turned North? All of Azog's hoard were looking for Dwarves headed to Lonely Mountain in the North.
Kili thought back to the behavior of the Orcs that very morning. They would never have suspected Dwarves of camping in such tall trees, but they looked up, they knew how to spot the signs of an Elf watchtower.
The Orc that Rhavaniel killed used face paint, as did the others in his pack. Azog's filthy Orcs were not painted. This was a different tribe of Orc. The gruesome Elf trophy... they were never hunting him. They were hunting Rhavaniel. Skita! He should have told Rhavaniel about it, so that she would in turn warn the Guards. Were they still riding across that open ridge, exposed?
Kili dropped his pack, turned South and began to run back to the Burnt Ridge.
The sound of screaming horses let Kili know he was too late. The Elves had been caught on open ground, with no trees to flee to.