Pancetta

Another hot day in the Abiding Boneyard caused the plains to be almost abandoned. Almost. Battling the heat were two figures, a Guardian and a Serthis. A large bag filled with supplies for an overnight sleepout were being carried by the Serthis, who seemed to be a companion to the large Guardian. Tattered fabric from her armor wove with each step and the wounds being covered by the bandages seemed to be fresh. After a while of walking, the dragon broke the silence.

"It's about 63km until we get to the Reaches." the female stated without looking up from her hastily drawn map.
"Creosote, are the potions coming along nicely?", a clear inquiry in her voice.
"I'm still looking for a Red-Winged Dewbug. The potions are poisonous, yes, but they're not very strong without the Dewbug." the Contaminated Ambassador stated.
"If I'd known I was gonna need them, I would have-" were the last vocal communications between the unlikely allies before they were ambushed by a group of hungry birds. Well, more like bird skeletons.

"You're kidding me. You're god damn kidding me. I swear to Plaguebringer, if I had known these bloody birds were going to come outta nowhere I would've planned this trek home better!" The Guardian cursed to herself for not realizing in advance that this odd bird species nested in the Abiding Boneyard.
"Now isn't the time to yell at yourself, Pancetta! We gotta get them away from our supplies, NOW!" Creosote yelled with panic in his voice as he quickly weilded the potion he was still trying to finish. The birds swarmed around the two loners in the desert, and trying to run would deplete what little energy they had from the plague-ridden heatwave.

In a quick moment of thinking, Creosote threw the unfinished concoction on the harsh desert terrain, splattering itself over the birds, and unfortunately for them, the victims of the bird attack. Creosote knew this was going to happen and whipped out a antidote.
"Bottoms up, Pancetta. I don't want you getting more damage than you already have." the Serthis said in a slightly shaky voice. It was at that moment that one of the birds perched itself on Pancetta's sedge hat. In its beak it held a sickly green lantern and it carried a satchel with a Contagion Gen Guardian, protecting... whatever that crystal was.

"Let's go home, Creosote. Don't worry about the bird."