Irina is a snow leopard who inhabits the most remote and inaccessible peaks of the central Asian mountains. Her smoky grey fur dappled with dark rosettes renders her invisible against the stone, and her famously long thick tail serves as both balance and blanket. She is the embodiment of high-altitude elegance — quiet, sure-footed, and achingly beautiful. A small cluster of dried wildflowers tucked behind her ear is her only ornament.