"Those Orcs have probably been on the move all night." Kili told her, "I suspect they were going to secure the City and sleep during the day. They are as tired and hungry as we are. But we are in a good position to fight them off."
Kili remained on the ground level, while Rhavaniel climbed to the top with bow and arrows. She used the herald hammer to break more of the interior walls, giving her pieces of brick and stone to throw down.
Kili sealed off the rest of the open doorway with large stones, and prepared to use the cracks and gaps in the wall for shooting.
The group of Orcs slowed as they advanced on the bell tower. They had no Wargs. What they did have were archers, for this group had been sent to secure a high position over the City.
Rhavaniel had managed to free the trap door on the top level of the bell tower so that she could drop down inside safely rather than going in and out through crumbled roof and wall.
"They are falling into formation with their archers." she called down to Kili.
No sooner had she finished her sentence than the Orcs let sail with their first volley. They all targeted the only opening of the tower - the bell chamber.
Rhavaniel was well protected behind the wall when the arrows came - their metal tips hitting the bells with a fierce cacophony.
Rhavaniel put her hands over her sensitive ears and shouted down, "I am fine! Let us hope they continue to waste arrows."
The Orcs advanced, and again fired into the tower opening.
Kili was able to see that the second frontal attack was a diversion, with a few smaller Orcs attempting to approach the tower from either cliff edge.
"North end!" Kili called up as he easily shot the Orc approaching from the south side. The Orc fell screaming over the cliff. Rhavaniel had a wider range of view and attack than the Orcs thought, thanks to the open eaves under the roof. She was able to kill the other Orcs quickly.
The Orcs conferred. Kili and Rhavaniel spent several silent moments in dreadful anticipation.
"Do you need more arrows?" Rhavaniel called down. "I think these Orcs ones will work with your bow. They are mostly unbroken."
"I can always use more arrows, but don't leave your post."
Rhavaniel gathered the Orc arrows and sent them down on the pulley and basket they had repaired in the night.
"Thank you!" Kili called. "I hope I don' t have to use these. I think they may retreat and confer with the larger group of Orcs below. If they believe Elves have already secured the City, they may fall back entirely."
"We are putting up a good bluff." Rhavaniel shouted down gleefully, " I..."
"What is it?"
"They brought a siege ladder with them!" Rhavaniel warned.
The two dozen Orcs split up. Half fanned out on either side of the tower, while the other half made a central charge to bring the ladder to the opening at Rhavaniel's level.
"They are coming at us from all sides!" she called down.
"I know." Kili replied. "Keep the ladder away as long as you can. I will take care of the rest!"
Kili was able to take several clear shots, thinning the ranks on the south side before he had to stop and repeat the exercise on the north side. Rhavaniel's task was more difficult - the ladder crew had armor designed to thwart archers. Her shots had to be at the chinks in armor, and she was forced to take wounding shots at the foot and shoulder. The Orcs kept coming.
On the ground level, Kili could hear the scrape of wood and metal against stone, and knew the ladder had reached the tower.
"Now!" Rhavaniel called down.
Kili took one last shot at a ground-level Orc, and climbed the tower's central pillar. Rhavaniel could not complete the next part of the plan without him.