.stories-hero {
    padding: 5rem 2rem 4rem 2rem;
    text-align: center;
    background-color: var(--neutral-background);
    margin-top: 5rem;
    align-items: center;
    display: flex;
    overflow: hidden;
    justify-content: center;
    flex-direction: column;
}
.stories-hero .circle4{
    width: 25rem;
    height: 25rem;
    position: relative;
    z-index: 9;
    margin-bottom: -25rem;
    top: -90px;
}
.stories-hero h1 {
    font-size: 3rem;
    font-weight: 600;
    text-align: left;
    align-self: center;
    width: fit-content;
    z-index: 10;
    color: var(--secondary-color);
    margin-bottom: 1rem;
    display: block;
}

.stories-hero p {
    font-size: 1.2rem;
    color: var(--text-color);
    max-width: 700px;
    margin: 0 auto;
    line-height: 1.6;
    z-index: 10;
}

.stories-container {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(320px, 1fr));
    gap: 2rem;
    padding: 4rem 2rem;
    max-width: 1400px;
    margin: 0 auto;
}

.story-card {
    background: #fff;
    border-radius: 12px;
    padding: 2.5rem 2rem;
    box-shadow: 0 8px 25px rgba(0,0,0,0.06);
    display: flex;
    z-index: 9;
    overflow: hidden;
    flex-direction: column;
    border-left: 5px solid var(--primary-color);
    transition: transform 0.3s ease, box-shadow 0.3s ease;
    position: relative;
}
.story-card .circle4{
    top: 0;
    left: 140px;
    height: 12rem;
    width: 12rem;
    opacity: 0.7;
    position: relative;
    margin-bottom: -12rem;
}

.story-card .circle5{
    top: 200px;
    left: 150px;
    height: 10rem;
    width: 10rem;
    opacity: 0.7;
    position: relative;
    margin-bottom: -12rem;
}
.story-card:hover {
    transform: translateY(-8px);
    box-shadow: 0 12px 35px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
}

.story-card.featured {
    background-color: var(--secondary-color);
    color: #fff;
    border-left-color: var(--primary-color);
}

.story-card.featured .story-text,
.story-card.featured .story-author {
    color: #f0f0f0;
}

.story-card.featured i {
    color: var(--primary-color);
}

.story-card i.fa-quote-left {
    font-size: 2.5rem;
    color: var(--primary-color);
    opacity: 0.5;
    margin-bottom: 1rem;
}

.story-text {
    font-size: 1.1rem;
    line-height: 1.7;
    font-style: italic;
    color: #333;
    flex-grow: 1; /* Allows text to fill space */
    margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
}

.story-author {
    font-size: 1rem;
    font-weight: 600;
    color: var(--text-color);
    text-align: right;
    margin-top: auto; /* Pushes author to the bottom */
}
.sect2-img{
    height: 24rem;
}
.fa-quote-left{
    justify-self: left;
    margin-left: 0px;
    
}
@media (max-width: 768px) {
    .stories-hero { padding: 6rem 1rem 3rem 1rem; }
    .stories-container { padding: 3rem 1rem; }
    .stories-hero h1 { font-size: 2.5rem; }
    .story-card .circle4, .circle5{
        display: none;
    }
}