Missing scene from "How To Start a Dragon Academy," the very first RoB episode. I think it went pretty well with the previous piece, so decided to link them. Stands alone, though.

Caged.

Caged caged caged caged caged.

It's all Hookfang can think, rattling around in his head like a dead hatchling in a ruined egg. He's a proud Fire-Scale, he shouldn't be lurking here in the cage, cowering behind the other dragons. He should be in front of them, plotting a way out.

If he hadn't gone in willingly.

Damned, stupid, manipulative, sick human hatchling with his damned, sick, manipulative, Gods-damned eyes! And Hiccup for making the dragons' Queen go along with this dung! And all the other dragons for trusting their humans! And himself for allowing it, for allowing himself to go along with the others instead of making a break for it, so they would have someone on the outside in case their humans abandon them. Even Snotlout said it was better for Hookfang to stay outside the cage.

But that's just it, isn't it? That the human said it. And looked at Hookfang with those damned hatchling-eyes. "I won't make you, Hookfang," Snotlout whispered to him. As if he, or any human, could make Hookfang do anything! How presumptuous! "Go ahead and fly away. You don't…" his little voice had cracked a bit, "…have to come back. I can't ask you to go back. Not," Snotlout looked at the cage and swallowed, "not in there."

Hookfang nodded. It made sense. At least his human had his priorities right. His human's eyes were so earnest, so blue. Like Plays-With-Birds' before she died. He was taking a breath – to voice his agreement, to say his goodbyes, he's not sure – when Snotlout continued, whispering too low for humans to hear. "You know I'd never let them keep you in there… I'd get you out, no matter what they did to me." Like Hookfang needed a human to let him out! "But," Snotlout continued, "I don't want you to be scared."

Hookfang can still remember how he bristled. "Scared?!"

Snotlout fixed those wide hatchling-eyes on him. "You don't have to pretend with me, Hookfang." As if the youngling could begin to understand a dragon! "I've felt the way you tremble when we fly over the arena and…"

Hookfang still remembers how loud he roared. Snotlout fell on his backside as Hookfang flamed. "TREMBLE? ME? I'm not scared of anything!" he thundered. Even if he was, a bit. How could he show fear to a human? The reputation of dragonkind was at stake!

Snotlout's voice rose. "They had you locked up! They were going to kill you!"

Hookfang swatted him with his tail – perhaps a little harder than he usually does. "Kill me?! You think they would have killed me! I'd have leveled your puny little human-village! Maybe I still will!"

"Hooky… it's okay to be scared…"

And that was the last straw. "Scared. I'll show you scared!" And with that, he marched into the cage.

But then the door clanged shut, and it was cold iron in Hookfang's soul, remembering the last raid. He was thrown into this selfsame cage, hungry, tired, exhausted. Defeated. At least someone brought him fish back then, for the Queen would have spared him none…

He shakes his head. This is no time for stupid memories. Even if the walls are dank and gloomy, and even if he keeps remembering Hiccup's fearsome sire – well, fearsome for a human – and even if he does keep thinking of Viking iron killing-things, at least he has the consolation of knowing he salvaged his pride with little Snotlout. And the consolation of Meatlug purring at his right side and Toothless purring at the other—Wait—"What are you purring for?" Hookfang hisses. "They turned on us! Just as I said they would!"

"They would never turn on us," Meatlug says softly. "And we're purring—" Hookfang just catches Toothless' scent saying no no don't! —"to comfort you."

"He doesn't need comforting," Toothless says hurriedly, but it's too late. Hookfang bursts into flame and turns on Meatlug, determined to repel this insult. "Hookfang!" Toothless continues, not in his Queen-Voice but with a sort of petulant whine. "Is this really the time?"

The other dragons turn to them from where they were watching at the bars. "It's always the time for Mister High-and-Mighty," drawls Barf. Stormfly snickers. Snickers!

"Thinks he's the most powerful dragon," Belch adds.

Hookfang strides up to them, still on fire. "And I would be delighted to prove it."

"Yes, Hookfang. Very scary," Barf recites, monotone.

"We're very scared," Belch chimes in, in the same flat tone.

Hookfang flames higher. "I ought to—"

"Stand down," says Toothless quietly, but Hookfang, Barf and Belch stop in their tracks. It doesn't sound like a command, but the voice of reason.

It only makes Hookfang angrier. He turns on the Night Fury who's only now remembered he's Queen. "Where was this authority when the other dragons were wreaking havoc on the human-nest?" Hookfang snaps at Toothless. "Snatching food, relieving themselves everywhere, setting things on fire… Couldn't you have used your Queen-Voice to control them? Avoid this whole mess?"

"I told you," Toothless says evenly, all his breath rushing out of him, "I would never be like our old Queen."

"Besides," Stormfly cuts in, "what will they do when he is not there? Better the humans find their own way of coexisting with us, lest the next Queen not be so human-conscious."

Hookfang mutters under his breath. They're not wrong, not really, but… "Yet they've turned on us and put us back in cages."

"I don't know about you," Stormfly tosses her head, "but my rider told me to run. I stayed for her. She wanted me to escape."

Meatlug raises her head, eyes widening. "Mine too!" she says to Stormfly. "I decided to stay as a show of good faith."

"Ours suggested we blow up the arena," Belch confesses.

"As a show of good faith," Barf adds helpfully.

"Hiccup wanted to take me and run," Toothless admits softly. "Or keep me out and stand up to his sire together."

Hookfang looks from one to the other. Stand up to Hiccup's sire, the Human Alpha? Hookfang would think twice about standing up to his own sire, never mind Hiccup's. It sounds way too – well, not frightening, just… risky. "Mine too!" he snaps. "Your riders aren't so special."

"They all care about us," says Meatlug softly. And she's above him in the hierarchy, older, more experienced, so he can't dismiss what she says.

Hookfang growls under his breath, the sound just shy of disrespectful. "Yeah, that's why they turned on us and locked us up," he retorts. "I always knew no good would come of trusting a human."

Stormfly tilts her head. "You could have left. Why didn't you? You came into the cage of your own accord."

"Perhaps I wanted to see how this fiasco would end. Wouldn't do to let you die alone."

"And perhaps you trust your human," Barf says with a sidelong glance.

Hookfang's on the Zippleback in an instant. "First, he is not mine. And second, never trust a human."

"Stand down," Toothless says wearily. When Hookfang clambers off Barf and Belch – and their giggling is not helping – he finds himself herded to the back of the cage again, surrounded by purring dragons.

"I don't need comforting!" Hookfang snaps.

"Then maybe you could start purring to us," Toothless suggests. "We're nervous. A large dragon's purring is always soothing to those smaller than him."

That's the thing about Toothless-Queen – he treats Hookfang with the proper respect. Hookfang tries to muster a purr, concentrating hard as the dragons cluster about him, listening to the humans outside. He can't listen, though. He's got to prove to the others that he's not frightened.

...Why can't he get himself to purr? His breathing is coming too fast… his heart is thundering… He pauses, flaming softly at his lowest temperature. The purring of the dragons surrounding him help calm his nerves. He tries and manages a few vibrations, but then it cuts out. He tries again, and is rewarded with a rumble from his chest.

And just as suddenly as it closed, the door swings open. Hookfang can tell, by the joy-relief swamping him, that they're not taking them out to be killed. Toothless bounds out, immediately locked into a disgusting embrace with his shameless rider. Meatlug, Stormfly, Barf and Belch – he stares at them locked in similar embraces. Have they no dignity?

Then he sees Snotlout. Little ridiculous human with his wide blue eyes and fierce diffidence. Running toward him, face filled with naked emotion, hatchling-eyes full of…

Hookfang bounds forward and snatches his rider up in his mouth. That counts as a reunion, right? At least, it's as much emotion as he feels like showing. He might as well show little Snotlout who's boss if he's going to stick around here. At least for a while.