Emerald Forest


 * For the sixth or seventh episode of the same name, see The Emerald Forest or The Emerald Forest, Pt.2.

Emerald Forest is a location in RWBY that is mentioned and briefly shown in The First Step, as well as the main setting for The First Step, Pt.2, The Emerald Forest, and The Emerald Forest, Pt.2.

Description
It is the location at which the initiation of the new Beacon students takes place. It extends away from the Beacon Cliffs on top of which  the academy is situated. Ozpin claims that those who enter the forest will meet 'opposition', which is revealed to be the monsters known as Grimm. It is unknown exactly how many types of monsters live in the forest, but it is revealed that Beowolves, Ursa, Basilisks, and Deathstalkers are among the inhabitants. There is an abandoned temple at the northern end of the forest from which the students have to retrieve relics and bring them back to the cliffs.

The First Step
Ozpin explains to the new students that their first test is to team up into pairs in the Emerald Forest and retrieve a relic from the temple to the north. Depending on the relic, each team will be graded accordingly. He then starts launching the students into the forest one at a time in varied directions (despite Jaune asking him questions at the time).

The First Step, Pt.2
Each student enters the forest using their own landing strategies (except Jaune, who is saved by Pyrrha), and quickly start pairing off. Ruby starts looking for her sister as soon as she lands, but ends up running into Weiss instead. Weiss originally walks off without her into the forest, but when she sees Jaune still pinned to a tree, she decides to go with Ruby. Meanwhile, Pyrrha finds Jaune and the two become a team. Weiss and Ruby begin to travel through the forest to the temple, but when Ruby shows how fast she can be, she runs off just as Beowolves appear from the shadows to attack Weiss.

The Emerald Forest
As Yang walks through the forest in search of Ruby, she encounters two Ursa, indicating that there are more Grimm creatures in the forest. Elsewhere, Jaune and Pyrrha hear the sound of gunfire, and Jaune gets a scratch on his face after Pyrrha accidentally hits him with a branch. Pyrrha asks Jaune why he didn't activate his Aura to which he reveals that he's not familiar with the concept. Pyrrha explains that Auras are manifestations of souls, created from the understanding of both light and darkness in every being, and can be used by any living being. The Grimm are the one exception, as they lack souls, and are instead considered beings of darkness and manifestations of anonymity. With practice, Auras can be utilized as a shield, and may even be an efficient fighting tool. This concept is applied when Lie Ren uses a combination of his aura, his weapons, and martial arts skills to slay two Basilisks that attack him. Pyrrha utilizes her aura to unlock Jaune's, which immediately heals his cut. She notes that Jaune has a vast amount of power in himself. After Ren slays the beasts, Nora Valkyrie calls out to him, in an attempt to utilize the secret signal she devised earlier, Ren commenting that it doesn't sound very much like a sloth, and the two become official partners.

Players and Pieces
The members of the future teams JNPR and RWBY meet up chaotically at the temple containing the relics needed for their test. They fend of the Deathstalker and Nevermore  attacking their position momentarily in order for the remaining initiates to grab their pieces. Later they unanimously decide to hightail it back through the forest seeing as defeating the Grimm is not a requirement of the mission. The two monsters chase them relentlessy through the Emeralt forest however, forcing the students to make stand at abandoned ruins right by the cliffside.

Trivia

 * Its name may be a reference to the Emerald City from The Wizard of Oz.