Mason walked through the jungle slowly to keep from tripping over anything. He could barely see what was in front of him in the inky darkness. All around him, the sounds of the insects and creatures of the night were comforting. If they saw something threatening, they would fall silent and hide. As long as they were making noise, he shouldn't be in danger.
Of course, they were making plenty of noise with him walking by, which meant they weren't afraid of him either. That made Mason a bit nervous about what kind of insects and animals they were. Maybe he shouldn't feel quite so comforted.
Just as Mason was considering this, he managed to walk right into a low-hanging branch. He grunted with the impact and felt a stinging on his cheek. When he reached upward, there was a warm, wetness, and he knew it was his blood.
With a frustrated sigh, he continued on, one hand now held up in an attempt to protect his face from further assault.
