A Fiery Throne Atop the Forest (Assigned Quest)
This assigned quest begins after you have completed the Zorah Magdaros encounter for the second time. You will be sent on an expedition to the Wildspire Wastes. Speak to the Handler to accept the quest, then head to the Wildspire Wastes. The Handler mentions a 'forest area' of the Wildspire Wastes, which can be confusing as there isn't a literal forest. This likely refers to a specific zone within the Wildspire Wastes where the initial objectives are located.
After accepting the quest, you will need to slay 7 Jagras within a 50-minute time limit. Head to the tent (1) in the Ancient Forest. Your prey can be found in zone 2, where you previously had to hide from Jagras. Upon returning to Astera, you can visit the Smithy to forge new weapons and armor from your gathered materials. If you need more resources, consider undertaking extra quests from the investigation team or continue with your next assigned quest.
Another simple quest in the Ancient Forest is the Kestodon Kerfuffle, where you hunt 3 male Kestodon and 5 female Kestodon. Male Kestodon are identifiable by their much larger crowns. The quest divides the herd into two groups for hunting. After returning to Astera, you will need to establish more base camps in the Ancient Forest for research. This is done through Expeditions, which are free-roam quests without a time limit or fail count, allowing you to hunt monsters or collect resources. Monsters in Expeditions will eventually flee, so hunt efficiently.