“This is Hare, I am on scene. Outside of the uh..” The junior officer pauses to take a look around. 

“..Just outside of the parameter by the barn door… Oh, stars, the smell..!” Another more experienced officer is on the way but for now it’s just her. 

The barn door is slightly ajar, a horrid smell leaking out of it. Due to her size, Officer Hare is unsure of how to proceed. This is her first patrol by herself. 

“I’d better wait for backup.. no, no, I have to see whats in there.Might be someone in trouble.” She steels her nerves, gets her gun and flashlight ready, before slowly opening the door— 

“Shit!” She mumbles under her breath before shouting, “Bareington Police! If anyone is inside, reveal yourself now!” A minute passes. 

“Bareington Police! Reveal yourself NOW!” 

A noise is heard inside. The clinking of chians. It might a civvy, or it might be a potential threat. Hare makes sure the safety is switched on before aiming her firearm and flashlight ahead. She takes her first step inside. 

The rafters above creak from the wind, a rat scatters across the ground, nearly making Hare lose focus but she keeps herself steady. The clinking noise is at the very back of the barn. 

What could it be? What if its the potential threat acting like a victim because they know she’s here by herself? 

No. She can do this. This isn’t academy training, this is real. Hare decides to turn the safety off before things escalate as she she steps closer. Behind a hay barrel is… 

“Dispatch…” Her voice cracks, she clears her throat before repeating, “..Dispatch, we have a Dino here. Repeat, I have a Dino on the scene.” 

When two more patrol vehicles show up, Officers Horn and Hoove get the run-down from Hare. 

“So, the parameter is clear, but what happened before that?” Hoove asked 

“I went inside the barn to check out the odd noise, cleared the sides of the barn first, and then I saw the Dino chained up by the hay barrel.” 

“Why would a Dino be here?” Horn asks “Shouldn’t they be a real farm? Doing.. I dunno, whatever they do?” 

“Does it have any logo or shirt that can tell us which farm it escaped from?” Hooves asks, gesturing towards the barn entrance. 

“No. Just a grey shirt an’ pants. Looks like a guy but you know what they say. Dino’s disguise themselves to look like us.” 

“Until the new moon, anyway.” The officers shuffle with unease. When the new moon arrives, their bodies change back to how it was before, instincts and all. Its when the most deaths happen. And it lasts for a full night. Many choose to lock themselves up, or pass out from drinking or drugs. 

The desperate predators with herbivore kids will purposely cripple themselves. Muzzles don’t always work. 

Its a grim situation for everyone. Horn steps into the barn with Hooves as backup while Hare stays outside. 

“Stars, look at it. Creepy.” The Dino looks like them, flesh and hair and eyes but they’re blank. Either from drugs or hormones or trauma. Maybe all three. It struggles against the chain around it’s neck, trying to bite it off. 

“Hey! What the fuck are you doing?!” A loud male voice shouts from outside. 

“Looks like the property owner is home. I’ll talk to him with Hare, you keep an eye on this thing.” Horn stays while Hooves goes outside. 

This’ll be fun.