The Croods Movie Novelization Paperback - 2013

Summary

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

The morning sun shone on the rocky surface of a red, dusty canyon. A shaft of light illuminated a huge boulder that blocked the entrance to the Croods Cave.

Inside the cave, Grug Crood saw the sliver of light creeping around the edges of the boulder. The long, dark night was finally over. It was time to start the day. And on this day, the Croods would be emerging from the safety of their cave to find food.

A muscled mountain of a man wearing the fur from some massive animal, Grug pushed the boulder aside with a grunt. Then he rushed outside.

âÈêRaaar! Grooooowwwllll! ERF! ERF! Glaaablllth!âÈë

He flailed his arms like a wild beast, picking up clumps of dirt and throwing them. Then he grabbed a huge rock and hurled it.

Panting, Grug stopped and scanned the area around the cave. He had the finest threat display of any caveman. It was guaranteed to scare away anything dangerous that might be lurking outside the cave, waiting for the Croods to emerge. It looked like the coast was clear, so Grug took a deep breath and prepared to bellow the signal that it was safe to come out.

But before he could signal, his teenage daughter Eep pounced out of the cave, growling and pawing the air like some ferocious cat.

âÈêGrrrrrrrr!âÈë she growled.

âÈêYouâÈçre supposed to wait for my signal, Eep,âÈë Grug scolded.

From the corners of her eyes, Eep spotted a pack of furry Liyotes slinking toward them, sniffing with their canine noses. She could see the hunger in their round eyes, and she knew that their reptilian legs and tails gave them extraordinary agility.

âÈêAaaaargh!âÈë Eep leaped toward them, frightening them, and the Liyotes quickly scattered. A few of them pounced on Grug, and he quickly swatted away the dog-size creatures.

Eep climbed up onto a rock shelf overhanging the cave and leaned back, soaking up the sun. She wore a dress of striped fur that complemented her thick mass of red hair. Her green eyes shone with happiness as she felt the warm rays on her skin.

âÈêWeâÈçve been in that cave forever,âÈë she said, grateful to finally be free.

âÈêThree days is not forever,âÈë her father countered.

âÈêIt is with this family,âÈë Eep shot back.

Grug put his huge hands on his hips. âÈêEep, will you come down here? YouâÈçre being so dramatic.âÈë

âÈêRuff! Ruff! Ruff!âÈë

EepâÈçs little sister, Sandy, bounded out of the cave on all fours, barking and snorting in her threat display. She raced off into the canyon.

âÈêNo, no, no, Sandy, come back,âÈë Grug scolded. âÈêRemember the signal. Good girls wait for the signal.âÈë

GrugâÈçs wife, Ugga, shot out of the cave after Sandy. She grunted a few times and waved her hands around, but her heart wasnâÈçt in her threat display. She was too focused on catching her daughter.

Grug sighed. WasnâÈçt anyone following the rules today? âÈêUgga!âÈë

âÈêAs soon as I get Sandy, IâÈçll go back in, and you can give the signal,âÈë she promised.

âÈêBut youâÈçre already out now,âÈë Grug said, shaking his head.

âÈêI am waiting for the signal, Dad!âÈë came a cheerful voice from inside the cave. It was Thunk, EepâÈçs nine-year-old brother.

âÈêNever mind, Thunk,âÈë Grug said, his voice defeated. âÈêJust come out.âÈë

But Thunk liked obeying rules as much as his dad liked making them. âÈêUhh, but if you donâÈçt give me the signal, how do I know youâÈçre my dad?âÈë Thunk asked.

âÈêThe signal isnâÈçt so you know itâÈçs me,âÈë Grug explained. âÈêItâÈçs so you know I wasnâÈçt eaten by an animal.âÈë

Thunk was silent for a moment while he processed this.

âÈêThen why is the signal an animal noise?âÈë he asked. âÈêI mean, doesnâÈçt that just confuse things?âÈë

Grug sighed again.

âÈêIâÈçm still waiting for the signal,âÈë Thunk said.

Grug knew there was no way to win the argument. He took a deep breath.

âÈêHoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo!âÈë

Thunk charged out of the cave, growling. He was half as tall as his dad, but just as wide, and they both shared the same broad face and bushy brown hair. Thunk ran right into Grug, nearly knocking him over. Then he picked up a big boulder, mimicking his dadâÈçs threat display. He threw it, and it hit the cliff wall, then bounced off and knocked Grug down for real this time.

None of the Croods were alarmed by this. Grug had been plowed down by things bigger than that boulder, and he always got back on his feet.

Ugga scooped up Sandy and headed back toward the cave.

âÈêMom, weâÈçre ready to leave!âÈë she called. She waited, but there was no answer. âÈêMom!âÈë

A tiny, white-haired woman scurried out of the cave.

âÈêStill alive!âÈë Gran reported, revealing one shiny white tooth as she grinned.

Grug looked disappointed. âÈêItâÈçs still early,âÈë he mumbled.

âÈêAnd youâÈçre still fat,âÈë Gran shot back cheerfully.

Grug shrugged off the insult. âÈêBreakfast formation!âÈë he announced in a booming voice.

The family swiftly fell into place, stepping into V formation with Grug at the lead.

âÈêI want to see some real caveman action out there!âÈë Grug barked, like a commander addressing his troops. âÈêWe do this fast. We do this loud, we do this as a family, and never not be afraid. Go!âÈë

âÈêYay, breakfast!âÈë Thunk cheered, as the Croods ran out of the canyon and into the open desert, where they might finally be able to scrounge up some food.

They ran . . . and ran . . . and ran . . . until they finally came to a stop miles later, exhausted.

âÈêYay . . . breakfast . . . ,âÈë Thunk said again between pants.

Once they arrived at their hunting grounds, the Croods spotted food right away. A huge Ramu nest built in a stand of rocks contained one large, blue egg.

Grug motioned for the family to take shelter behind a nearby rock. Stealing an egg from a nest was a tricky business. If the mother bird was nearby, she would do everything she could to protect it.

He turned to the others. âÈêOkay, whoâÈçs up?âÈë

EepâÈçs hand shot into the air. She loved hunting.

Thunk didnâÈçt really like taking chances, but he raised his hand anyway. He didnâÈçt want to disappoint his dad.

âÈêYou guys can flip for it,âÈë Grug said. He picked up Gran and tossed her. âÈêCall her in the air.âÈë

âÈêHeads!âÈë Eep cried out.

Gran landed headfirst in the sand, her skinny legs wiggling wildly and the tail on her lizard-skin dress pointing up to the sky.

âÈêTails. ThunkâÈçs in,âÈë Grug announced. âÈêPositions!âÈë

The family moved back and away from one another, forming a wide line between the desert and the canyon, like a sports team ready for the next play.

âÈêOkay, Thunk,âÈë Grug said. âÈêGo!âÈë

Thunk broke from the line and dashed toward the nest. He grabbed the egg and raced back toward his family.

âÈêWay to go! Take it to the cave!âÈë Grug cheered.

Thunk ran past Grug, starting on the long journey back to Crood Canyon. Then a loud shriek sent a chill of fear through him.

âÈêCawwwwwww!âÈë A large Ramu bird ran up behind Thunk, surprisingly swift on her thick legs. She thudded into him with her curved horns, and Thunk lost his grip on the egg. The bird caught the egg in her beak.

âÈêRelease the baby,âÈë Grug ordered.

Eep raced toward the bird, holding out Sandy in front of her. The little girlâÈçs pigtails bobbed up and down as they sped across the desert. When they closed in on the Ramu, Sandy chomped down on the birdâÈçs feet with her two big front teeth. With the bird distracted, Ugga jumped onto her back and climbed up to her head, pulling the egg from her beak.

But before the Croods could celebrate victory, some Trip Gerbils intervened. The small, furry creatures looked cute, but they were extremely hazardous. Each pair of gerbils was connected by a long tail, and they used it to trip their victims. The Trip Gerbils were just as hungry as any other creature in the desert, and the egg looked like a tasty meal.

While Ugga steadied herself so she could toss the egg to Grug, the Trip Gerbils sprang into action. They wrapped their tail around the birdâÈçs legs, and the bird fell down hard, beak-first. Ugga tumbled off the bird, and the egg fell out of her hands. The Trip Gerbils quickly recovered it and ran off.

âÈêMom! Intercept!âÈë Ugga cried.

Gran reached out with her cane, hooked the gerbils by the middle of their tail, and whipped them over her shoulder. The egg dropped down and she caught it, then began to dribble it toward the canyon.

A sneaky group of Liyotes jumped out from behind the rocks, swarming Gran. They knocked her down, stole the egg, and zipped across the desert as fast as lightning.

âÈêOld lady down!âÈë Gran yelled. âÈêEep, avenge me!âÈë

Hidden behind a small bush, Eep waited until the Liyotes passedâÈ'and then she pounced. Targeting the Liyote with the egg, she jumped on him and tackled him. The egg was hers!

âÈêThanks!âÈë she said, leaping away.

But a bunch of Jackrobats quickly circled her. Fast and furry, each Jackrobat had a fluffy white tail; pointy ears; a wide, flat nose; and sharp fangs. They tripped her up, and Eep tossed the egg to Grug.

âÈêDad! Heads up!âÈë she called out.

Grug caught the egg and ran past the entrance of a small cave, accidentally stepping on the tail of a sleeping Bear Owl. He stood up, tall as Grug, golden eyes flashing, and then chased after Grug, his long, sharp claws kicking up dirt as he ran.

Grug dodged the Bear Owl, passing the egg to Thunk. Thunk caught it just as a huge, spotted Girelephant bore down on him from behind, lifting him up with his large tusks. The Bear Owl caught up to the Girelephant, causing the larger animal to charge forward in fear. Now the Liyotes joined the chase, following by a flock of angry Ramu birds.

The Girelephant caught up to the rest of the Croods, and Grug tossed them one by one onto the back of the great beast. It was a drastic move, but the only way to outrun the swarm of creatures chasing them.

âÈêDad, can we eat now?âÈë Thunk asked.

âÈêJust wait till we get home,âÈë Grug replied. âÈêEep, put on the brakes.âÈë

The Croods hung on as tightly as they could. Eep tumbled from the beastâÈçs head and caught one of the tusks, saving herself just in time. Then she slammed her heels on the ground and dug into the dirt, causing the Girelephant to slow down, but the angry Bear Owl was still on the chase and getting closer. They had to get back to the safety of Crood Canyon. Now.

Grug jumped to the other tusk and pulled down. The beast crashed into the rocky entrance of the canyon, and the Croods were thrown in. When the dust cleared, Grug emerged, holding up the egg. Victory!

âÈêWhoâÈçs hungry?âÈë he asked.

âÈêAll right!âÈë cheered Thunk. âÈêGood one, Dad.âÈë

Grug smiled. âÈêHere you go, Thunk. Drink up.âÈë He tossed the egg to his son . . . who couldnâÈçt get ahold of it. It dropped and cracked open.

âÈêSorry, Dad,âÈë Thunk said glumly.

Ugga quickly scooped it up. âÈêLooks like fast food tonight!âÈë

She gave a taste of the leaky egg to Sandy and then took a sip herself. The egg went to Gran, then to Eep, and then to Thunk. He passed it over to GrugâÈ'but by now the egg was empty.

âÈêThatâÈçs all right. I ate last week,âÈë Grug said, trying to sound like it was no big deal. His family had been fed, and that was the most important thing.

A shadow reached his feet, and he looked up to see the sun beginning to set behind the canyon wall. It would be dark soon. It was time to head back into the cave.