It was Edie's own uncomfortableness within her Were form that had caused her to shift back, her eyes downcast as she dressed herself, trying desperately to steady her breathing. Even though she attempted to say that she had nothing to say to him, the opposite seemed to spill from her body. She was mad at him right now, annoyed, upset that he'd brought her here to a place that screamed at how much she didn't fit in. But even despite that, she craved his arms around her, craved that he might comfort her and tell her that the thoughts that intruded into her mind were wrong. She didn't look at the man, had no idea that he was so distressed by the words that had come out of her lips. It was only once the finality of her sentence slipped through her lips did she look up, her cheeks flushing with the realization of what she had just told him. She'd been avoiding that word so carefully, even though she knew she felt it within every nerve ending of her body. But it was such a big step, telling him she loved him, and here she was blurting it out in the middle of Africa as she cried in the dirt. She was horrified by it, and yet she made no move to correct herself, instead listening as he tried to explain the interaction with the women.

She knew, logically, that it was all something she was overreacting to, but her fatigued brain refused to let go of the ache at seeing him smile like that at anyone who wasn't her. The gods and goddesses he spoke of went over her head, even if she made an effort to nod at the appropriate places as he spoke. She didn't understand, couldn't understand. The language was not one she spoke, and he had made no effort to try to translate for her. "They looked at me like I was so... out of place," She stuttered out, though he made no effort to answer her as he moved suddenly towards her. She tensed, prepared to push him away when he grabbed at her arm. But she was too tired, too exhausted to bother with pushing him away. She winced slightly as he pressed her against the tree trunk, ready to push him away when his lips collided with hers. It wasn't the kisses he gave her when she was being grumpy with him that only had the intention of shutting her up, no, this one was entirely meant to prove something. Prove his passion for her, prove his intent for her. Even though she was upset, the girl couldn't help but respond to his kisses.

Her body slumped slightly forward against him as they broke the kiss, her body taking more than a few seconds to recover the air that he seemed to have stolen from her. Green eyes met his own stormy ones, allowing him to take her hands and press them between them. "Kato..." She whispered, though she made no effort to continue her sentence, instead shut up entirely by his words. "I'm not going to fight your family," She said softly, a hint of the humor he liked about her shining through. She wanted to protest, to argue that she wasn't strong, though her voice seemed logged in her chest as he continued to speak, his body pressing her further against the tree. The words were sweet, causing a smile to appear just briefly upon her features. She tilted her head as he kissed her shoulder, nuzzling into him. But it wasn't until the last words he spoke did Edie's smile seem to burst from within her.

He loved her. He loved her, he said he loved her. The mantra seemed to repeat over and over in her head as Edie gently nudged his face out of her neck, waiting until she met those eyes of his again before she leaned forward, this time sealing her lips over his in a kiss that was equally passionate. It was only once she needed air did she pull back, grinning up at him even though her cheeks were still streaked with tears. "I love you, Kato." She told him, this time determined to say it in the way that he deserved to hear it. She pulled herself closer into him, wrapping herself around him as though it was of dire importance to keep herself pulled tight to him.

It was only after several moments of being against him did she drop her hands, this time looking at the area they were surrounded in. "Should we keep going, or make camp here for the night?" She asked, fully prepared for either answer. Though, if he was as intelligent as she suspected he was, he would probably insist the girl that was nearly hysterical from exhaustion get some rest, and Edie had grown too used to falling into sleep with his arms wrapped around her.