A shadowcat

Without warning, a huge mound of black fur lunges in front of you. Aerion is so startled that he rears up on his hind legs and lets out a terrified whinny. You manage to remain mounted on him, but only by clinging tightly to his halter.

When Aerion lowers his front legs, he is still very restless. You can see why. The mound of black fur turned out to be a shadowcat. A very hungry-looking and feral shadowcat, at that. You quickly think about what to do.

You are armed with a sword and a dagger; both made of relatively good steel. You also have a bow and quiver of arrows strapped to your back. You are fairly decent with all of those weapons. However, you do not have much experience fighting with them while mounted. With Aerion in his current frightened state, you doubt you would have much success at fending off the shadowcat on horseback. And you are not about to dismount. You know better than to engage a predator like the shadowcat alone on foot. Aside from that, you are not about to take a chance that Aerion might bolt away without you, or - worse yet - that the shadowcat will attack him instead of you.

In the end, your only feasible option is to bolt for the Bloody Gate. You strike the reins again and direct Aerion towards the structure. You leave the shadowcat in the dust, but the beast does not give up so easily. It chases after you, intent on catching its prey.

With each passing minute, you get closer to the Bloody Gate. Every few seconds, you glance over your shoulder. The shadowcat is gaining on you. Your heart is racing and your breathing slows greatly, but you do not give in to fear. You did not come this far just to be supper for a rabid creature.

What happens?