How to write a story about a mysterious race that may 또는 may not be a legend?

I want to write a story (or try to anyway), where there is a standard race, 당신 know, something like humans 또는 something like that, and also another race that is rumoured to live nearby and some people have claimed they've seen them but no-one truly knows. How do I approach this? I would especially like to know how to make it 더 많이 interesting, I don't want people to be terrified of that race but also not having entirely positive feelings towards them. So how can I make it 더 많이 interesting and less cliché? And how can I have a member of the standard race meet the member of the mysterious race that won't be forced 또는 cliché 또는 boring?
Thanks in advance.