The Autumnrise Guard: Ratcatchers

Their motto is perhaps the truest of any military unit in the world today "Undoubtedly unconventional, undeniably effective." They are the best at what they do.

— Jasper Cameron, Leader of The Bronze Ravens

"...and they are the best at what they do, correct? At least that is the reputation the have the world over, I hope it isn't just another exaggeration."
The insufferable noble youth just would not stop talking. Worse than the gnomes, honestly, at least Captain Clement could tell them to pipe down. But saying that to a noble would inevitable bring about...
"Are you even listening to me? Do you know who my family is?"
... that. "Son, I'm not ignoring you. I am listening respectfully and was waiting for you to finish speaking before answering. Yes, I do know who your family is. I have been briefed by the garrison commander, the city council, and my guild head, and even if I hadn't, you have mentioned no less than seven times that you are the second son of Duke Ichabod Cyrus Kirkcaldybrook. And yes, I can assure you that the Ratcatchers are indeed the best at what they do. As per the request of both you father and the Pearlcrown King you shall be given full access to the division as they are working and be allowed, if you have the skills and the... perseverance, to attempt to complete their rigorous training. Now, we still have nearly a half-mile until we get to their barracks, and most of the rest of it is uphill, but please, feel free to keep asking your questions."

---

At that, the young nobleman looked a bit taken aback, but the guard had at no point been disrespectful, so they started up the hill. Quinby was patient, and Autumnrise was one of the closest trade partners with the Pearlcrown Kingdom. It was unfortunate that everyone here was unfailingly polite, since his arrival he had been trying to catch someone in a faux pas to try to weasel even more out of this visit than they were already getting. The Ratcatchers were known the world over for helping keep Autumnrise free of all sorts of undesirables, something particularly notable as, much like his kingdom's capitol of Pearlcrown Wharf, Autumnrise relied almost exclusively, on nautical trade. Yet every place Quinby had been, from the docks all through the city, everything was clean, well lit, and safe. He hadn't seen one hint of a seedy underbelly that every other port town he visited had.
Stranger still, despite the relative fame of the Ratcatchers and his families numerous attempts to scry on them to determine the method of their success, he had so far learned nothing. Wizards and priests were useless, as was a hired sorceress known for a particular attunement to divination magics. All of the sneaks his family usually hired to stir up trouble had likewise either failed, disappeared, or flat-out refued to operate in Autumnrise.
"Well, here we are," said the guard (Quinby had already forgotten his name), pulling open a door to a rather small building and gesturing inside. "Sir Purrington will be your point of contact from here on out. He can be a bit intense, but just give him a bit of a scritch behind the ears and he will warm up to you soon enough. Best of luck to you." With that the guar gave Quinby a bit of a shove and the shut the door, leaving him blinking in the dim room as his eyes adjusted. Finally able to see he looked around.
"Wait," he said out loud, "this must be some kind of mistake." Dozens of crag cats stared back at him with the same unnatural gold eyes that the people of Autumnrise all seemed to have. "I'll have that guards head, leaving me in a glorified kennel when he was supposed to be taking me to the barra.. oof"
Quinby harrumphed as he was tackled to the ground from behind. AS he started to push himself up a weight settled onto his back and he felt the unmistakable sensation of a large cats claw pricking the back of his neck before withdrawing back into its sheath. As whiskers tickled the side of his cheek and a purr started up right next to his ear he heard in his mind "I'll not have you slander a captain of my guard where I can hear you, mouse, you are right were you wanted to be. It is right there in the name after all: Ratcatcher."