A Clash of Kings – Shadowcat
They were scaling a low ridge between two snowcapped peaks when a shadowcat came snarling from its lair, not ten yards away. The beast was gaunt and half-starved, but the sight of it sent Stonesnake’s mare into a panic; she reared and ran, and before the ranger could get her back under control she had stumbled on the steep slope and broken a leg.
A Clash of Kings Chapter 67 – Jon
Fleeing their pursuers, Jon and company get too close to a shadowcat’s lair, scaring one of the horses.
I’m pretty sure this is the first time we’ve seen a live shadowcat in the book. They’ve certainly been mentioned in passing, but for the most part, I think the only appearance they’ve made is in the form of Tyrion’s cloak.
This picture took a while to get right. At first, I was going with the ranger’s reaction with the cat in the background. I ended up switching the viewpoint using the remains of my attempt at the panicked horse as the cat’s pose.
Ultimately, it was fun imagining what a shadowcat looked like. I tried to avoid making it merely a palate-swapped tiger by making it leaner with a head that looked more like a lynx’s.