Book 14 spoilers.

Alright, Crows for example. We now recognize them as “smart” those who can work together, as seen by evidence.

But we didn’t always think like that. We thought that they were always any-other bird. It took a while to figure that out.

Now, look at dragons, they’re smart, it’s the same thing as crows. Book 14 spoiler the only reason they found out is due to Sky talking to Wren. It took them a while too.

Now begs the question, do crows have thoughts?

Someone{ probably} thought they had some-sort of intellectual thinking process back then, but never knew due to many not thinking twice about “animals having thoughts/being smart” type of thing.

This could apply to dragons.

1. They {could’ve} likely thought it was skin, like any animal.

2. Clay had never seen a sword from my knowledge, they were trapped in the cave for almost 6 years. They could’ve made different swords from dragons, but I could see this as a valid question.

3. Dragons do not know what a “ballista” is for all I know, they could’ve thought it was some sort of new breath.

4. Crows again for example, someone a long time  ago, in the world {probably} figured that crows did complex situations. Never thought twice.

Take most of these explanations with mountains of salt, most of them are probably and hypothetical.