Locked myself out of the thicket?

[LemonDrop]

At the beginning of my playthrough, I ran away from the hounds at the hidden entrance at the courtyard. Specifically, I threw a stick for them to chase to escape the encounter. I've tried returning to this area multiple times, but each time I'm instantly killed via a cutscene in the overworld.

Did I permanently lock myself out of this location with my earlier decision?

[Coldflame]

seems like a bug? usually the hounds kill you in the overworld when they land their instant kill, throwing the stick just ends the combat

i can only assume that the instakill triggered on the same turn that you escaped using the stick, now the hounds are 'stuck' in the overworld kill state

might be a restart in that case, unfortunately

[The Chosen Chad]

Its not a bugged more an oversight, what you did might be that :
- you use a stick
- then did the coinfliped
- failed
- managed to escape

The only legit way to kill them is with a bow, next time you fight the hounds, dont escape when you throw a stick. They will stop attacking after that, and you only have to worry about the dogs who barks, when it barks, it does its coinflip attack. So guard, kill it first, then kill the next dog.

[Tiviani]

There is a brief moment where you can dodge the hound when failing the flip. If you ever meet the hound again after this the failed flip is remembered and it carries out it's kill attack.

[LemonDrop]

I think it must be a mix of the suggestions you've all given. I don't remember the coin toss happening, but I do remember offering the hounds rotten meat (which did not allow me to escape) and then throwing the stick. Maybe a coin toss was going to happen in the same turn I used the stick, and a bug chose a failed coin toss? Unsure, but I'm attacked as soon as I load into the area.

[The Chosen Chad]

Yeah that might be the issue, what happens when you fight the hounds is that one of the dogs barks, and next turns he lower his stance and does its coinflip attack. Every two turns.

So yeah, forget about going in thickets this way, there is alternate ways to go there and claim great stuff. Unless you wish to restart and take this as an experience against dogs.