When the gnolls enter the castle, the halfings are all on guard on the wall, watching. The gnolls filter in a mass that is less than organized. A minute after they crowd in, they begin to settle at the command of some of the gnolls among them.
At the front of the pack, there appears to be one masked human. He stands and waits for two other gnolls to quiet the horde. Mixed into them are a number of animals, the largest being the aforementioned Terrormaw, a mutant dire cat of some sort.
Shortly after midnight, when the gnolls have finally settled, a leader of the gnolls, you assume, presents himself to Ellic and those around him. He says in high pitched common, almost a mockery of the language, "I am Vatpik, pack leader. For Warlard Akrak, we are here to save the Halfling!" A cheer goes up among the gnolls.