Kanie pressing forward and continuing to attack despite Imbra's hiss startled the dark-pelted cheetah. She was accustomed to people backing off when she did that, rather than meeting her aggression and matching it. Oh, sure her siblings fought back, but that what brothers and sisters did. She would have been disappointed if they hadn't. She wasn't sure she was exactly thrilled with Kanie for doing so, however, because she was tiring and refused to lose.
"You're not going to win, you know," she pointed out. She was very proud of herself for managing not to pant throughout the entire utterance, but she wasn't sure of its veracity.
She batted defensively at Kanie's paws, trying to keep them from striking her. She didn't like being on the defensive, but she couldn't see a way to turn the situation around for the time being. For that matter, she was too tired to do more than defend at the moment, but she told herself she was just waiting for the opportune moment, for a second wind, or something like that. Any minute now her energy would come back and she would jump up and tackle Kanie and win.
