Stratus

Born in the heat of the scarred wastelands, Stratus' first lesson was a simple one.
Survive no matter the cost, or die today and become food tomorrow.
So ever since she became separated from her parents and siblings, she survived. Alone and drifting through the infected lands of her birth she learned to scavenge, fight and think 4 steps ahead of herself.

In her early adulthood, emotionally stunted as she was, she met Acali. A small Guardian with "Every color of the Arcanist's skies on his body" and wings darker than midnight. She'd seldom come into contact with other (alive) dragons in the scarred wastelands, and even fewer of those were interested in doing anything more then trying to fight her for whatever supplies she carried. But Acali, despite his eyes being a crimson so clearly marking him as one of the plague mothers children, was not a survivor like she was. Spending most of his life outside in the Parched Canyon Walks.
Ignorant to the reclusive ways of the scarred wasteland wanderers the Guardian, and still quite large at his below average stature, walked right up to Stratus and proclaimed that he was new to the lands. Loudly telling her about how he was searching for the nearest settlement.
To this day, Stratus herself is unsure as to why exactly she decided to take pity on him and take him under her wing. But on that day, when Acali found that the place and people he'd been looking for had long since ceased to exist, she took him with her. Teaching him the ways of her life and somewhere, somehow, developing a fondness of him that she hadn't known before. Only seeing it in her youngest years as a hatching between her mother and father.