Company of the Cat

The Company of the Cat is a free company of sellswords, one of several hired by the Yunkai'i to fight against Daenerys Targaryen during the siege of Meereen. Its commander, Bloodbeard, is a roaring giant with a ferocious appetite for slaughter, who makes no secret of his disdain for the Tattered Prince and his Windblown. The company is known for its brutality and its leader's contempt for peace, making it a volatile and dangerous element in the conflict.

Origins and Command

The Company of the Cat is a free company, one of the many mercenary bands that operate in the Disputed Lands and beyond. Its commander, Bloodbeard, is a savage and ruthless leader, described as a roaring giant with a ferocious appetite for slaughter. He is known for his disdain for other sellsword captains, particularly the Tattered Prince of the Windblown, and for his eagerness for battle and plunder. The company is feared for its brutality and its leader's lack of honor.

Role in the Siege of Meereen

The Company of the Cat was one of the four free companies hired by the Yunkai'i to besiege Meereen. Alongside the Windblown, the Long Lances, and the Second Sons, they formed a significant part of the Yunkish army. The company was present at the Battle of the Horns of Hazzat, where they fought against the forces of Astapor. Later, they were ordered to hunt down Astapori refugees fleeing the fall of their city, driving them north towards Meereen. Bloodbeard was also a guest at the feast held by Hizdahr zo Loraq to celebrate the peace, where he was noted for his crude and boisterous behavior.

Bloodbeard's Character and Reputation

Bloodbeard is a huge man with a great bush of beard and a prodigious appetite for wine and women. He is loud, belligerent, and contemptuous of peace. He is known to bellow, belch, and fart like a thunderclap, and he pinches every serving girl who comes within his reach. He is also a ruthless commander, who urged the Yunkishmen to present King Hizdahr with another head, hoping to restart the war. Ser Barristan Selmy, who knew of him from the War of the Ninepenny Kings, warned Daenerys that Bloodbeard is cut from the same savage cloth as the Band of Nine, with no honor in him, only hunger for gold, glory, and blood. He is considered the most dishonorable and greedy of the sellsword captains, making him potentially the easiest to sway, but also the most dangerous to trust.

Significance

The Company of the Cat, under Bloodbeard's command, represents the most brutal and lawless element of the Yunkish alliance. Their presence underscores the fragility of the peace and the constant threat of renewed violence. Bloodbeard's character serves as a foil to the more pragmatic sellsword captains, highlighting the chaotic and destructive forces that the conflict has unleashed.