It is not a hard decision, it is not.
Both of them have come for the princess more so than for the prophecy and the quest, and both of them would lay down their lives for the princess more so than for the prophecy and the quest.
It is only natural — to protect the young, for to protect the young is to protect the future.
Time is never lost, only passed on.
Any crawler knows that, knows any crawler; so knows Temp, so knows Tick
So it is not a hard decision, it is not.
The princess is such a small child, yet she holds respect in her heart, she holds love in her heart.
For them.
And so the decision is already made — when she cannot run, they will; when she cannot fight, they will; when her time runs out, they will give up theirs.
So would any crawler, would any; so would Temp, so would Tick.
Some think the crawlers cowardly, to give up time so easily, and some think the crawlers stupid.
They do not understand, and perhaps they never will. The crawlers know that a single does not have much time, does a single not. But a single does not need to, for many have all the time in the world once united.
And so, to live in this world, one may give up one's time so another has a little more and may do the same once — for time is never lost, only passed on.
Any crawler would give their time to one they love, would any crawler; so would Temp, so would Tick.
So when the gnawers are on their heels, when the bridge buckles beneath their feet, when the princess lies lifeless on Temp's back and the rats lunge for Tick's, it is not a hard decision, it is not.
There are no words, and no hesitance.
Temp knows, Tick knows; Temp runs, Tick turns—
And Tick gives up her time.