Ancient Forest

The ancient forest is just east of Cosmo Canyon. You can't reach it until you've beaten Ultimate Weapon or you've got a mountain chocobo or better. The earlier you get here the more worthwhile the items are, e.g.. you can get Cloud's Apocalypse sword, but that is pointless if you already have his ultimate weapon.

The Ancient forest is one big puzzle, you must use the items available to get through and to get the items. Placing stuff in the right locations triggers things that will allow you to advance. Insects: can be used to close pitcher flowers which creates a step or bridge. The flower re-opens after digesting that insect. Insects can also be used to lure out frogs, once insects are used they will not re-appear until you leave the area. Frogs: can shut pitcher flowers, after a few seconds the captured frog bursts out. If Cloud is standing on the pitcher flower when the frog busts out he may get catapulted to a new area. Beehives: Throwing one into a mutant flytrap is the only way to get the flytrap to shut it's jaws, beehives keep the flytrap closed 'till you leave the area. Pitcher Flowers: Can capture insects and frogs inside their petals. While holding a victim, the flower's lid creates a step or bridge to a far off area. Insects are digested and removed from the area after a while, but frogs jump out after a few seconds, if you are standing on the flower when the frog bursts out it can launch you to a new area. Mutant Flytrap: These Snapping flowers can injure the party. Most of the time, you can work your way around it, but sometimes you need a beehive to shut it's yap. Stamen: these springy pink stamen can be used to catapult Cloud to a higher ledge. they're often the best way over an obstacle. Hollow Trees: By placing an insect in front of a hollow tree, you can lure out a frog. Each tree only contains one frog.

Area 1

Pick up the three insects near the start and move them all to the area near the pitcher flowers.  After you gather them, place each one in a picture flower to make a bridge to the other side.  To get the item from the mutant fly trap approach it from the right and barely step on it.  

Area 2

Pick up an insect and then jump to the high ledge.  Lay the insect down on the left so that it jumps into the pitcher flower.  If a frog eats the insect place the frog into the pitcher flower and use the flower bridge to reach the opposite side.  Once across, pick up the nearby frog and put it in the left pitcher flower then stand on top of the flower until the frog pops out.  The resulting force throws Cloud onto the high ledge where he can pick up the large beehive.  Take the beehive and set it just left of the mutant fly trap which should cause it to pop right into the middle of the fly trap causing it to shut.  You can now get the slash-all materia.  Pick the frog back up and put it in the right pitcher flower then have Cloud stand on the flower until he is thrown to the right.  

Area 3

Pick up the two insects and put them in the pitcher flowers so Cloud can reach the springy stamen.  This puts him deep in the forest's canopy.  Follow the limbs up and all the way to the right to find the Typhoon Materia.  Go back all the way to the left and climb down the limb to Area 2 and to the item that was inaccessible before, the Minerva Band.  To return to Area 3 you need to hop down and use the frog trick again.  Make your way back the the treetops and go about halfway to the right.  Walk behind the broken limb just before the three springy stamen and you'll find a path that leads back down to Area 3.  Place an insect in the open pitcher flower to reach the beehive.  Put the beehive in the mutant flytrap the same way you did in Area 2 and then use the second insect to reach the left are again.  Grab an insect and out it in front of the hollow tree to lure out a frog.  Leave the frog for a moment and go grab the other insect in this area.  Put that insect in the pitcher flower to the right, and than grab the frog and hop back to the right side.  Run to the right and set the frog down near the rightmost pitcher flower so that it jumps inside.  Stand on the flower until the frog bursts out so that Cloud is thrown to the cave on the right.

Area 4

There are no puzzles inside this cave, just a couple of easy to get items, Cloud's Apocalypse sword and an elixir. Exit at the top to leave the forest.