Rodolfo whispers, "That's not good. Lets steer clear of that."

Is it obvious which way the gnomes would have gone?

Quote from Kerrec >>

(The corpses appear to have been there for many days, so you don't confuse the corpses with the two you were following.)

Beegred: "How did those two change to be like this so fast? I didn't think they looked like zombies."

Grithik sighs to Beegred, "Those are not the same two which we were following. Looks more like the unfortunate victims of a beast. Perhaps the spider than wove that web."

Skameros prods the corpses with his greataxe 

"Where rats go?" looking around for any other passages 

Skameros prods the corpses on the mound of refuse with his greataxe while looking around for the gnomes he's been following.  He doesn't notice, but part of the greataxe that touched the gnomes sizzles the slightest bit as some kind of acid eats away at the metal.  (flavor only, no mechanical effect)

The chamber is dominated by the large pile of refuse.  To the south is a passage that ends in a pile of rubble.  On the other side of the refuse, is another passage that leads further east.  To the north is a passage that turns back to the west. 

Skameros glimpses movement to the north, around the corner heading west.

Rodolfo says, "What do you think, should we follow them through another few traps or should we look around ourselves? I'm wary of being led into something we can't handle."

Skameros heads off to the north following the dirt nomes

Skameros marches on, being led by the two deep gnomes who remain just around every corner for the party to see.  Going north to the corner, the cavern opens up and the pair of deep gnomes are heading west.  Following them, you end up back where Skameros fell into the pit trap, but to the north where previously you went east.  Beegred, who has a good sense of direction, realizes you have all been led around in a circle.  Why?

This time, the deep gnomes are walking westward in the open, maintaining a good 100 feet in front of the party.  As Skameros continues to follow the pair, they walk up to a wall at the base of some kind of plateau, turn and wait for all of you to approach.  When you get around 35 feet away, a loud voice projects across the cavern, "HALT!".  With this signal, a small crowd of deep gnomes emerge from several burrows all over this cavern, including a fat specimen standing in front of the others, smilling at you with jagged buckteeth.  "Peace," the big wererat says.  He takes a step forward, arms extended and hands open.  "Chipgrin's the name.  I'm chief of the Goldwhisker clan.  Shall we talk?  Oh, and mind that trap you were about to step into."

Beegred to the party (softly): "We need someone who can speak smartly and respectfully to... uh... ChipotleGrits of the GildedWhisk clan. I should speak for us."

Grithik replies, "Uhh... at least make sure you use the correct names if you're going to speak for us. Chipgrin of the Goldwhisker Clan. Chipgrin and Goldwhisker. Got it?"

"Chief Cheepgrin, I am Skameros, this Big Red, Rudolfo and Greethick.  No more traps, we talk now."  and he steps forward and gives a slight bow.

To Grithik: "Nothing tough about names. Gripchin WildGhosker... easy peasy."

Beegred then notices that Skameros has already stepped forward while he was having the discussion with Grithik, and quietly pouts at having the spotlight stolen from him.

Chipgrin throws up his arms in victory as he says, "Great.  No need to put you down.  Talk is good.  Let's move away from these traps, I wouldn't want you to fall into one."  Chipgrin navigates around the indicated area where the trap is and casually strolls by your party, not afraid in the slightest.  He leads all of you north then west to a set of stairs that climb up to the plateau.  From behind, more and more scraggly and rough looking deep gnomes emerge from burrows and follow, soon numbering in the hundreds.

Stairs lead to the top of this rise, where the floor is covered with a soft and well-manicured carpet of green moss. The wererat chief sits on a stone chair flanked by two giant rats. Draped over the chair’s back is a cave badger pelt. “Let’s get down to brass hobnails, then. You were sent by the Diggermattocks ’cause they want us out, right? Right?! Well, they might get their wish soon enough, but in a way they ain’t likely to cheer about.”

You now find yourselves as close to the throne as you wish, as Chipgrin shows no fear.  Behind you on the plateau are several hundred deep gnomes, arranged in a semi circle, keenly waiting and listening.  Beegred quickly notices there are approximately a dozen individuals that stand apart, noticeably tidy and clean in stark contrast to the rest.

Beegred will point out the dozen "neat" individuals to the rest of his party.
(Discreetly. Make eye contact with party members, then look at a few of those individuals to draw the attention that way.
Beegred resists the impulse to shout out "why are those weirdos cleaner than the other gnomes?")

Beegred does speak out to Chipgrin. "Hey CheapGroan chieftain! We can see that you are not intimidated by the DigDugTikToks (or whatever you called them). But if you fight and lots of you gets killed, then you don't win even if you win. Maybe talking it out gets you what you want, without risking the killing. (Whatever it is that you want.)"

Chipgrin shifts his attention to Beegred, looks him over briefly, and replies, "I don't know where you come from, Want-To-Be-Gnome, but your story is all backwards.  Clan Goldwhisker IS fighting a war for our home, but the altercations with the settlers were minor and hardly a threat.  I saw Kliprit and Orubis brought you here.  Did they not explain anything at all?"

Orubis let’s out a babble of quick words in undercommon

 And then shrugs a bit helplessly.

Grithik's eyes go wide with sudden understanding. Replying in undercommon, "Oh! You don't speak common! Of course...." Then turning back to his companions, "Not sure if any of you can understand him, but he doesn't speak common. Hence the mime routine back there."

Beegred: "I don't speak Mime either. What words should we say in Mime to get this straightened out?"

Skameros calls him the back side of a goblin in Undercommon and growls.

Orubis just shifts uncomfortably, looking at the king.