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

I want to write a story (or try to anyway), where there is a standard race, あなた know, something like humans または 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 もっと見る 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 もっと見る 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 または cliché または boring?
Thanks in advance.