Follow the Light

Chapter 10

A new day has come and the sun has risen. But it seems that the Croods gang is missing a member.

"Grug?"

The whole family has come down from the tree in search of Grug, who had disappeared during the night.

"Dad?"

"Uncle?"

"Dad?"

Everyone looks around for any traces of Grug. As they all spread out, Guy gravitates towards Luna. He keeps a steady hand on her shoulder, as she acted a bit drowsy. She was definitely not a morning person.

"He's a big guy. How can he just disappear like that?" Grug ponders aloud, perplexed at the situation. Luna just shrugs, leaning into Guy.

Thunk lights up as his eye catches something. "Hey wait. Let's ask that ugly lady if she's seen dad."

With a befuddled expression, Ugga lets out a "Huh?"

Luna squints her eyes after rubbing them, not sure if what she saw was reality. They all move closer to the said woman.

When the "woman" spins around, Luna almost had a heart attack, stumbling into Guy. He steadies her, placing his firm hands on her shoulders. Definitely not her morning, today especially.

The woman that Thunk had spotted was actually Grug wearing a rasta-style wig that had been made out of knotted grass.

"Haven't seen him," Grug casually answers.

"Augh!" Ugga voices her shock for all of them. "What are you doing?"

Trying to play to Eep and Luna's favor, he starts explaining what he had been up to the night before.

"Yeah, wow. Like I was up all night cuz like all these, ideas just kept coming to me."

The boa constrictor that had wrapped around Grug's waist drew their eyes. Wrapping his arm Luna and pulling her close, feeling protective. Concerned for Grug's safety and the rest of them,  he decides to ask about it. "Is that a snake?"

"Belt! New and improved!"

Hearing this, the actual Belt lets out a low growl at Grug and the snake.

"It's even self-tiGHTening. Ow!" The snake that had been squeezing him tight loosened once he slapped it.

Ugga soon grimaces, disgusted at the thing on top of Grug. "What is that on your head?"

Gran bluntly states, "It's called desperation."

Hearing this, Luna lets out a little "pfft," to the side.

Grug strokes the weird, rasta-style wig. Swinging the long hair around, he shows it off.

"I call it a 'rug.' Rhymes with Grug. And this one, I call it a 'ride.' Rhymes with Grug."

He regards a boulder as if it were a Ferrari. Luna shakes her head, he had finally gone off the rails to her.

"That doesn't---" Guy is cut off by Grug.

"It's gonna get us places faster than shoes."

Luna pats his shoulder, giving him a "so-done-with-this-bs" look. He chuckles and shakes his head. Smiling at each other, they both turn to look on as Grug tests out his "ride."

He climbs on top of the boulder, facing them.

"Try to keep up."

In his preferred direction, he leans. The "ride" rolls downhill and smashes a redwood tree, toppling it. Guy tugs Luna closer to avoid the falling tree as they all sidestep it.