What is the main conflict in The Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper?

The novel opens with the French and Indian war. The French and British colonial governments are fighting for territory in North America, with Native American tribes taking sides. The principal characters are aligned with the English side, including the Delaware tribe. Their enemies, sometimes known as the Iroquois, the Huron, or the Canadas, are aligned with the French. A small group of these French allies have been delayed in their journey to the French territory when they cross paths with Deerslayer and his friends.