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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/47643
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/47643
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Take a look at _The Lord of the Rings_ as an example. Between the tense episode in Moria, that culminated with Gandalf's fall while the other characters escape, and the mounting tension of the Anduin which culminates with Boromir's death and the breaking of the Fellowship, there's not a passage, but three whole chapters of peace in Lothlorien. Those chapters serve just the function you describe: they offer a change of pace, a time to relax before the next tense bit. So how comes those chapters aren't boring?

While there is little danger in those chapters, you could hardly say that nothing happens. In fact, the characters encounter a whole new place and new people. There are conflicts, albeit comparatively minor ones. There are important revelations. There's mourning for a fallen friend and leader. The lull in the pacing allows for exploration of the relationships between characters, and of the characters' inner worlds. This, I believe, is the answer: **the fact that there's no danger, doesn't mean nothing is happening.**

You say you want your characters to lie back and look at the stars. Great. Why don't they talk, while they're at it? Maybe one of the characters knows some tale about a constellation - a tale that ties in into some worldbuilding or plot element? Maybe characters coming from different places call the same star by different names, so they compare those? Maybe what they actually talk about is how their journey should proceed, or what they plan to do after it's all over? A description of nature, on it's own, if it doesn't lead to something, just isn't enough.

Original score: 15