Well, now, LowAndSlowBecauseNoTurbo, I do believe ol @
Tcoat has your situation diagnosed proper.
With your almost 50,000 miles, it wouldn't be unusual. A bad TOB can make different noises at different times (warm or cold; clutch in - loaded; clutch out - unloaded or just every now or then).
The only fix for a bad TOB is to replace it......which entails pulling the transmission. If you decide to have that done, you might consider budgeting for a new clutch disk and pressure plate (and maybe an upgraded clutch fork).
humfrz